School House Tunic

I am choosing different patterns at the moment. I have put on some weight, just a little, but the downside of making custom made clothes is that one year they fit and the next they don't because the margins are so close. I have chosen a few patterns with wiggle room of late. Not all have been successful.



I spotted the School House Tunic at Minerva. Tummy skimming with simple lines, I thought I would give it a go. I am trying to champion making garments from solid fabric colours rather than all snazzy prints. You can end up with a wardrobe fit for nothing if you are not careful. How else would I get to wear these fantastic tights that my mum bought me without a single colour fabric?

I made some modifications. I sewed up the front placket so that I did not have to wear anything underneath. I made full length sleeves and chose the elastic cuff option which is in the pattern. 

I think I will have another go at this in a denim chambray but I definitely need to go down a size to achieve the look I want. I took quite a bit out of this one along the sleeve and side seam and I could go some more. In the end I tried a tie belt at the back to give it a tad more shaping while still keeping the looseness.

The instructions are great if you are a beginner sewer and there are no fastenings to deal with. The fabric has a lovely texture and it is easy to work with, there is a bit of give which makes matching notches easy.

The good thing about sewing with solid colours is that I get to incorporate some of my home knits and crochet items to make it more me.

Thanks Minerva for a fine solid colour fabric. 

I must remember to do this more often. 

Do you always buy patterned fabric or do you try solid colours too?