lunes, 13 de enero de 2014

Deer and Doe Plantain - first make of 2014, a year without resolutions



While I am trying to catch up with all of your blogs -I had around 200 unread posts when I got back from visiting my family- and reading all your (sewing related) resolutions for 2014 while listening to One Direction -blame it on spending a week with my little sister-, I decided I will not make new year's resolutions.
I don't believe in radical changes in behaviour or mindsets anyway. I think change is an organic movement, slow but steady, with a lot of reflection, not a straight highway, but a steep mountain road with several difficult parts and a lot of turns, sometimes even U-turns.

So in 2014 I will continue to work towards the long term goals I have for myself.

But that doesn't mean that I don't have specific goals for 2014 either. But those are not really resolutions, but just plans, things that would be nice if I could accomplish them this year and other things that I absolutely have to do...

The most important of my plans is surviving the renovations of our appartment. This will be the second time we go through renovations, so we sort of know what to expect... I'm definitely looking forward to the end result, the whole process... not so much. We start next week! Definitely exciting!

Our intention is to drag this apartment into the 21st century, we have a few decades to cross...

I also have a few sewing plans, including:

- Finish my Albion in time for the competition on the Colette site
- Make trousers for my husband for his cousin's wedding at the end of May
- Execute the projects I have envisioned for my stash. I purchase fabric with specific projects in mind, just have to get of the couch and sink my needles in...
- Draft myself a dress
- Train my picture monkey personal photographer better so I get loads of cool pictures

Since you managed to read through all the above, I think I should show you a project as well.

I couldn't be more thrilled last week when I saw on Twitter that Deer and Doe released a FREE T-shirt pattern. Yes, that's right, a FREE pattern. Talk about a great Reyes* present.

I'm not big on sewing or wearing knits, so buying a 15€ pattern for a T-shirt is something I just cannot bring myself to. But if the pattern is free, that makes is an entire other story.

http://boutique.deer-and-doe.fr/29-tops-plantain-t-shirt.html


Plantain is a T-shirt fitted at the shoulders and flaring at the hips, with elbow patches. Short, long and 3/4 sleeves included in the pattern.

I had been contemplating what to do with this piece of geometric black and white fabric for a while. I was thinking along the lines of another Lola dress or maybe an Avocado hoodie, but when I saw Plantain, I knew they were meant to be thrown under the machine together.

I think I blend in well with the urban jungle
I didn't want a T-shirt but a loose sweater, so instead of making size 42 I made size 44 and I'm absolutely thrilled the way it turned out.

Yes, I did the unspeakable and wore leggings as trousers. I will now certainly go to fashion-hell.
Things I love about this pattern:
 - the low neckline. So many patterns out there are just very conservative, and I like a little collar bone on display.
- the flaring at the hips
- the elbow patches, even though I didn't add them

I added a waistband and sleevecuffs, because I like how they look and because I thought the sleeves would be a bit on the short side if I didn't add some length.


To draw the waistband and cuffs, I first measured the circumference of the pattern pieces, I left of the seam allowance, multiplied this by 90% and then added the seam allowance. I wanted the waistband to be 4 cm wide, so I made a pattern piece of 11 cm high. For the cuffs I went with 7 cm, so that piece was 17 cm high.


I could have made this shirt in about an hour if I had a serger, but since I had to sew the seams, finish the seams and then cut away all the excess fabric, it took me about 3 to 4 times longer, but since my man was on a business trip I really didn't mind the extra work to keep me occupied.

*Reyes are the 3 wise men and traditionally bring Spanish children that have been good all year gifts on January 6th.



18 comentarios:

  1. Great choice of fabric ! I love it !!!

    You made me laugh at loud (while I was consulting your blog at work...) with the "I did the unspeakable" part ... :-D

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  2. I like your no-resolution mood!! i agree with you on the importance of continuous work to achieve your goals, it is not a last minute effort. So I subscribe your thoughts as my new year resolution!! Twisted, isn´t it?
    Sewing related, i like your fabric choice a lot, I am also in to sew the Plantain, but I am not sure I will be on time.

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  3. beautifull Wendy! It's also in my plans sew it. By the way... the Creative Fair is at the end of this month... are you going to come to Bilbao? Please let me know!

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  4. Did you picture monkey take these photos? 'Cause they look awesome! I love that top!

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  5. I'm glad I made you laugh, as it is the best medicine, I hope you didn't get weird looks from your co-workers. But seriously, wearing leggings as pants should be illegal!

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  6. Very twisted! ;-) I hope 2014 will bring you closer to achieving your goals!
    And you should really get the Plantain going, it's pretty fast and easy, even without a serger!

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  7. Thanks Oiane! Looking forward to seeing your versions as well! I don't know if I will be able to go to the fair. I've seen it starts on Friday, which would be a possibility, but Saturday morning we're leaving for a week-long ski-trip so the weekend is off the table for me. If you're all going on Friday, I will find a way to be there!

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  8. Thanks Gillian! And yes, he did! He makes -usually- great photos, I just want more, more, MORE awesome pictures to choose from... And these pictures went through picmonkey to brighten the colours a bit, because yesterday was a grey and cloudy day.

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  9. Happy New Year to you! Your new jumper looks great and I love where you took the photographs.

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  10. Maider.... Masustak14 de enero de 2014, 9:58

    I hope you are going to survive the renovations of your house! Love your Plantain!!! Yesterday, I finished my version :-) Your glasses match perfect with the top!
    How about your masustak leggings???? hahahahah

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  11. Beautiful shirt! Good luck with the renovations! You just made me realise that I can use this pattern instead of drafting my own sleeves for this dress I want to make from knit fabric.. *puts all of her books and burda magazines back in the drawer*

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  12. I like your thinking, I'm not a fan of new year's resolutions either - I live organically for the most part, taking one day at a time and assessing each opportunity as it comes along and enjoy my sewing. I love your Plantain - I wasn't sure about the swing as I'm a fitted T kinda gal, but I do like it morffed into a sweatshirt. It would be nice for the coming Autumn.

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  13. Thanks! The urban jungle is a dangerous place, but the scenery is something worth the risk ;-)

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  14. Thanks Maider! Still looking for fabric, but I'm still going to sew them before the deadline! X

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  15. Thanks! And stealing a sleeve from another pattern is so much easier than drafting your own! I like the way you think!

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  16. Thanks Sandra! I'm sure this Spring I'll wear this Plantain heaps and as a sweater I think it's perfect, I like T's fitted as well.
    I can see in your projects that you enjoy your sewing and I like that you make patterns that have just come out, so much more fun than planning a whole year ahead...

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  17. Hola guapa!!, Te quedó muy bien, y una talla menos seguro que también te quedaba bien y holgada. Mucha suerte con la reforma del piso, ya nos contarás. Un beso.

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