Summer Linen T shirt - Hoodie Dress Hack and refashion

Who doesn't love a light linen top when it hot, hot, hot? I had been wondering about making a Linen top for some time, but couldn't get my hands on fabric that I liked - I need to feel the hand of fabrics like linen to check they are the right weight - I had all but given up on the idea when I devoded to clear out my wardrobe. Lurking at the back were a pair of white linen trousers I bought several years ago from Asda. They were a size too big and initislly went into the charity shop pile as I just don't wear them enough to keep them. However I remembered my desire for a linen top and decided to try and refashion the trousers into a top.

First up I needed a woven t shirt pattern. I knew I loved The Assembly Line Hoodie Dress and I'd made two hooded versions which you can read about here and here, and a short sleeve hood-less version that I made last year.

I used the bodice pieces, the neck facing and the short sleeve that I drafted last year. The trousers were prepared by removing the waistband and cutting up the inseam and crotch seams, leaving the outer leg seams intact.

This allowed me to cut the bodice fronts from the upper part of the leg. Then the sleeves from the lower part. The facing was cut in sections, where I could find enough fabric. There was enough fabric left at the bottom of the legs to add onto the bottom of the t shirt (just over 10cm). I was glad about that as it would have been VERY cropped without it.

You can see the side seams of the legs have ended up just off centre, but I kind of like it - I deliberately mis-matched these with seams on the bottom extension.

This top certain fits the Refashioners 2020 theme of #usewhatyouhave. I was so glad to wear this today as it was super cool to wear at work. I really needed it - It was hot and sticky! I certainly think this will ge far more wear as a top than it ever got as trousers.

In fact my whole outfit is refashioned. The necklace is one I made a few weeks ago with some repurposed buttons and My culottes were made 2 years ago from an Ikea curtain - burdastyle pattern. I love it when I can give something a new lease of life, don't you?

A win and a lose

This week I have sewn two patterns from Burdastyle magazines - one a resounding success the other a fail.

First up  - the win!
A friend gave me this fabric that was light furnishing weight. I think it's IKEA. I had 1.5m and it was 145cm wide. I thought it might work quite nicely as some culottes. This is a trend that I'm still not 100% convinced is me, so sewing up something in a non-precious fabric from the stash seemed like a good idea.

The pattern is 114 from the 03/2016 issue of the Burdastyle magazine. I cut a straight size 38, which is my normal size for Burdastyle, although I sometimes grade to a 40 at the hip on slim fitting styles.

The pattern came together really well. As usual, it's drafted well and was a good fit straight out of the box. I did pinch in a couple of centimetres at the centre back - both the back pieces and the waistband. If I sew this again I'd change the straight waistband to a curved one. I just didn't have enough fabric this time.

As usual, I sewed the hems by hand and also the inside of the waistband. I considered topstitching from the front but decided that a hand-sewn waistband would look better and I think it does. The stitches are all but invisible.

I'm pleasantly surprised with how much I like these. It's a bonus that I didn't need to make a load of adjustments to the pattern.

Secondly the fail - and I really thought I was going to like this. This was style 111 from Burdastyle 05/2016 it's a simple cami top with an inverted pleat at centre front. Easy right?

Yep. Easy to make and sew. It all came together really nicely the bias binding was easy to make and the fabric behaved itself - but...

I hate it. It gapes under the arms. the strap placement is too narrow and it looks odd on my frame. It's already been relegated to sleepwear form my daughter.

So why did I not alter it? TBH I really couldn't be bothered. I've tried a few cami tops and often find them too narrow. I do have broad shoulders and I think that the only strappy thing I've ever made that has been the right width is the Butterick B6453 Gertie princess seamed sundress.

I think I'll just stick with my tried and true Sorbetto tops, I'm wearing one with the culottes in the top picture. I love this pattern - we don't see many around the internet these days. It's such a versatile top and really should still be up there with some of the more recent offerings, it's been updated and there are several different options for it now -  and it's FREE. If you've never tried the Colette Sorbetto - you can download it here.