Light blue plantain T-shirt

I also really wanted to try the dear and doe patterns, I like the bodice of the centaurée dress a lot. But it is fall not summer and I have a ton of summer dresses, I don’t need another one. When I was browsing the shop I saw the free Plantain pattern and I decided to make that first before buying a pattern. This way I could see if I understand the instructions and how there sizing is. The instructions where easy to follow. The only downside is how much paper you need to print it.

Long sleeved T-shirts are a staple in my autumn/winter wardrobe. I like to wear them with big knitted cardigans. So the plantain T-shirt is really my style. I made a size 38 and it fits perfect. The bottom is a bit wider and that makes it a really flattering fit. I also like that the neckline nice and open that way I can wear it under a sweater for extra warmth.  I didn’t add the elbow patches because I didn’t have any fabric that would go well with the T-shirt.

Sadly when I was finishing the sleeves and the bottom with a twin needle my sewing machine acted weird.  At some points it would not feed the fabric trough and it would continue to stitch at the same place. I don’t know why I tried to adjust everything the tension on the threats, the stitch length,… but it continued to do that. It made a few small holes in the fabric. You don’t notice them much because I stitched over them but I know they are there. So this one is going to be a T-shirt to wear under a sweater.

Blue AVA top

The second pattern I have used from my perfect pattern parcel 1 purchase is the AVA dress pattern by Victory patterns. They included a copy shop sized pattern as well as a print at home A4 size. That was awesome, I’m an architecture student and I have easy access to A1-A0 sized printers so not having to tape al the pattern pieces together was great I really like the peplum look of the top so I decided to make that one. I wanted to use the leftover fabric from the transparent dark blue knipmode dress as contrast at the top. So I went to the same fabric outlet shop to find a blue opaque fabric that I could use as the shell fabric. I did fined fabric in the same colour as the fabric from the dress. It’s not the same texture, it’s a lot softer and more drapy that the cotton but I like them together.

According to my measurements I’m a size 6 (the bust matches perfectly and my waist is slightly bigger). The size 6 was way too big for me, it is supposed to fit at the bust and flare out from the waist. So I made the top 3cm smaller on each side at the bust and 1.5cm at the waist. I think a size 4 would have fit me without any alterations so I make a size smaller next time. I didn’t understand the instructions completely, I made version 2 but shorter. After I finised the top I realised that I didn’t use two pieces  G and H, the front and back bodice binding. The instructions say that F and G are optional (the front and back bodice binding). So didn’t need to use G (the front bodice binding) but no idea why I would need to use bias binding when sewing the two back pieces together. I just sewed them together and that worked out fine. Please tell me if you know what I did wrong.

I will make this pattern again, I love the fit and look of the top and I want to make the dress as well. With a thicker fabric and maybe lace on the top it would be an awesome party dress for the holidays.