So, Neil and I are going to Scotland in August, and I have been thinking about what to wear on the trip. I am planning on bringing two pairs of jeans, my funky UIN shoes, and then instead of my usual t-shirts, I’d like to bring some handmade tops. Nothing fancy, but nicer than a t-shirt.
I recently made a few new tops (only a couple of which I actually like, LOL) and I was thinking of bringing one or two of them, but I started having doubts about how well they would go with my shoes. The shoes are a very busy pattern of oranges, reds, blues, and yellows, very much in the realm of primary colors. While it seems my handmade wardrobe leans more towards the secondary and tertiary colors: green, aquas, and a touch of pink for contrast.
I have since decided that actually that’s ok, but before I came to that conclusion, I went Fabric Wholesale Direct and selected six inexpensive fabrics: three madras plaids (styles 3851 16003, and 2023), and three cotton florals (two varieties of the Rose Print Cotton and one of the Daisy Print Cotton), all of which I thought would coordinate better with the shoes.
These are all fairly lightweight fabrics. The plaids, especially, have a nice weight for breezy summertime tops. The florals are more like quilting cottons, maybe a tiny bit lighter than that, so they’re not quite as breezy, but I think they might get there after another wash or two.
I pulled out the same two patterns as last time: my Barefoot Summer Sheath, and Built By Wendy Simplicity 3835. And then I spent a week of evenings sewing myself a new vacation wardrobe.
The last time I made the tunic version of the sheath dress, I decided that I would like it better with a higher neck, so before I cut out any fabric for these, I adjusted my pattern to give it the neck line I wanted. It was a good call. I am so much happier with these than I am with the last couple I made.
I had already redrawn my Simplicity 3835 pattern to incorporate the tweaks I’ve been making to that pattern through the years, so I didn’t need to make any new changes there.
In general, I like the plaids more than the florals, and the tank tops more than the sleeved tops, but there are exceptions.
If I had to rank them, this is the order I’d pick. Though, I think the third, fourth, and fifth may be tied with each other.
I’ve gotta say, despite my history with Simplicity 3835, I’m not sure I want to make any more of them. I am not as enthusiastic about these as I’d hoped I’d be. The tiny flowers work, I guess, but I’m not thrilled with what the elastic neck does to the more bold designs. Meanwhile, I love the tank tops. Like, I love them an unreasonable amount. Like I want to wear them all the time no matter the weather, and despite my middle-aged arms 😁
Luckily there are fine-gauge cotton sweaters to wear during those chilly Scottish days. I’ll be throwing a couple of those into my suitcase, for sure.
I’ll probably bring a heavier handknit sweater, too, in case the nights feel even chillier. Pictured is the Oxbow Cardigan. I haven’t actually settled on bringing that one yet, but it goes with most of the shirts I’m planning on bringing, so it’s a definite contender.
So, after a week awash in a riot of color and pattern, I suddenly got the urge for a plain black one: something that goes with everything, especially some of my more “busy” glasses toppers. So, I went to the local fabric shop and found this lovely nearly black hemp/cotton blend, and made myself one more sleeveless top. I love it! And it works pretty well with my nerdy Star Wars glasses 😀
There may be one more make in my future. The black dress I’m planning to bring to wear to the Hugo Awards is really snug on me. I had to have Neil help me zip it up, and while I could probably wear it all night, I can’t guarantee that I’ll be comfortable. Or be able to sit down😬. So, I was thinking maybe of getting more of that solid hemp blend, or a similar linen blend. And then I could either make my sheath pattern as-is, or I may try to modify it to have cap sleeves and maybe come in a little bit at the waist. I’d have to cut up some old sheets to experiment with, but I think it might be do-able. I’ll let you know, of course, if I manage to pull that off!
Links
Here are links to everything I’ve talked about. Some of these are affiliate links, but not all. (Please read this if you want to know more about affiliate links on this blog.)
- Shoes: Toledo in “Blossom”, from UIN Footwear
- Glasses: Pair Eyewear (this link gets you $25 off your first purchase, and gives me $25 to put towards more fun toppers 😎)
- Earrings: Polka Dot Cottage (in other words, made by me, and ready to ship 🤩)
- Fine-Gauge Sweater: Amazon.com (it comes in a million colors, and also a v-neck style – I have several of each)
- Oxbow Cardigan: Knitting pattern by Andrea Mowry
- Fabric: The plaids and florals are from Fabric Wholesale Direct, and the solid one is Robert Kaufman Hemptex in Black
- Barefoot Summer Sheath Pattern: Made by me, started as a dress and underwent many changes, but here’s a Creativebug class that shows a technique similar to how made the original pattern
- Simplicity 3835 Pattern: Built by Wendy, no longer available, but here’s an eBay search that might help you find a copy
