Linda Tunic – One Pattern, Three Ways

A while ago I bought the “Linda” tunic pattern from Angela Wolf patterns. I knew it would be versatile and relatively easy to make. Well, so far, I’ve made it three times using different materials and with different alterations. It is a pattern I definitely love and will be using more and more.

Above is the first version of the tunic I made. The only variation on this is the short sleeve. I used a polyester blend for this that’s lightweight so it has a nice drape to the fabric.

This went together very quickly and easily.

The second one was a dress I made using the same pattern but extending the length about 15 inches and evening out the hem (so it wouldn’t be a high-low hem).

I used cotton eyelet and lined it with solid cotton fabric since I didn’t want the dress to be see-through. The neck and arm openings are finished with binding and the collar was eliminated for this one.

Last was this yellow top made the same as the blue, but the next size up.

This is made from cotton gauze. Gauze is a nice material to use for summer because it’s a breezy fabric for hot days.

So, if you’re looking for an easy top that can be made from different materials in different ways, I would definitely recommend this top. There are so many variations that it is almost unlimited.

Until next time…

See & Sew Success (B6368)

This is one of those patterns I’ve seen around social media that I thought I’d try. It’s B6368 See & Sew very easy pattern for a cardigan, top (tunic) and pants. And by the way, this pattern is for knits.

First I made the cardigan. I love this one! It fits well and is very easy and quick to put together. I didn’t make any changes to the pattern for this.

B6368

This is very comfortable and can be worn as a casual or dressy cardigan.

The top, which they refer to as a tunic was a different story. On the pattern envelop the top looks like it should be long enough to belt. That was not my experience with this.

It’s a nice top, but not what I would consider a tunic. It fits well and I used the same fabric I used for the cardigan for the sleeves. I did find that the sleeves were short on this top. Even taking it out of the envelope, they looked short. So, I added a cuff to make this wrist-length.

Overall, I’m happy with the results of both pieces. I used fabric I bought at JoAnn’s for the cardigan. It’s a stretch velvet-type material (found in the knit section). I would say that if you are under 5’5″ tall, you might want to shorten the cardigan unless you want it long. It’s funny that the cardigan looks shorter on the pattern envelope, while the tunic looks longer, but whatever…

Depending on fabric choice, you can get a great looking outfit with a pattern that only costs about $2.95. I often don’t bother to even look at these. Not because there’s anything wrong with them, but they really aren’t on my mind. So, don’t ignore the cheaper, easy patterns because you could be missing out on something really great.

A Tale of Two T-Shirts

Many sewists use the McCall’s 6886 dress pattern as a sloper/base for making different styles of the dress that’s featured.

I decided to take this pattern and use it to make a T-shirt. I saw this done years ago, and figured I would give it a try. I have been trying to do more things like this (pattern hacking) in order to stop buying so many patterns, especially since I’ve noticed that there seems to be very little difference in some styles. Besides, you can make your own unique garment by putting together only those elements that you want. I’ve also noticed that this process gives me a better understanding of patterns, my own body, what looks best on me, and how garments are made.

This red top was made using View A which is the round/crew neck version.

M6886

This Halloween top was made using View D neckline which is more of a scoop-neck. The only thing I changed for these tops, besides shortening from dress lengths, was to attach a separate neckband rather than just hemming the neck. In order to do this, I decided on the width I wanted for the finished neckband, added a seam allowance (1/4″), then measured the length of the opening. I made the neckband about 2″ shorter so that it would pull a bit and not be loose. I probably could have made it a bit shorter, but these seem to have worked out well.

Each garment I make, especially those that I’ve changed in some way, teaches me something. I improve my skills. I become more patient (LOL). I continually think about what I can do differently next time to either improve the fit or change the look completely. I learn to take a few more chances with my sewing which makes everything better and gives me a more unique garment. I encourage you all to take some chances with your sewing as well. It doesn’t have to be something drastic unless you want it to be!