Simpicity 1463 & WIPs…
Yes, I’m bored of my tshirts too – however I tweeted I was making this… there was interest… so here it is! Evening light was fading fast – we photographed this top, this top and these tops at the same time. I made them to wear with shorts, skirts and jeans so I just snapped them all at the same time, this is how I wear them – everyday casual wear.
Simplicity 1463, View A. Front View. Bit fuzzy – sorry!
I’ve made Simplicity View A – the least fancy – and I like it. It’s comfortable & easy to wear. I know… it’s a complete mimic of the pattern cover. I wanted a neutral top & this was ‘in the stash’. I do want to try View B in a deep blue DKNY lyocell I have waiting.
Simplicity 1463 – Pattern cover
After the Simplicity 1589 top and the masses of ease, I decided to make the smallest size. While the fit of the top wasn’t too bad, I found the sleeves too snug. Fortunately my daughter Giselle loved it. It’s too big for her but she loves it anyway… she even wore it to Santa photos. That’s her wearing it on the right… I know lovely fabric (remanent bin find at Spotlight, rayon knit)
Giselle is on the right wearing Simplicity 1463.
Is that the smallest Santa in the history of Santas???
There’s not much to tell you…
SLEEVES
As mentioned above, I found the sleeves snug so be aware that if your fabric doesn’t have much stretch that may impact on ‘sleeve snugness’. The other thing that I have found just a little annoying is the sleeve sits in just around the nook of my elbow. So after I’ve been wearing it for several hours I get ‘wear creases’ in my elbow and they don’t drop out and it bothers me… I know that’s a bit OCD of me but the strangest things annoy me – perhaps that’s why I got a deportment badge at school?! I generally only dress sloppy when I drive long distances, my car isn’t very judgemental…
If you like stripe-matching…
Simplicity 1463, View A. Side view
My fabric is quite lightweight but does not stretch much so I found fitting the sleeves to the top slightly fiddly as my sleeves were difficult to stretch to fit the top. I just pinned/eased the pieces and with patience I got them in neatly. If your fabric is lightweight it makes it slightly more fiddly as the sleeves are sewn as a doubled over tube so there are three raw edges to think about when attaching the sleeves to the top. You might perhaps like to overlock the raw edges of the sleeves together before attaching them to the top. The good news is: no sleeve hems!
NECKBAND & HEMS
The neckband is two pieces. I attached this with the overlocker & used my Bernina to stitch around the neckline to hold the binding seam in place. I like the scoop in the neck, it’s enough but not too much.
I finished my hem with my coverstitch machine. I have a Janome CoverPro 1000 & I’m glad I have done several knit projects in a row as I’m becoming more confident with multiple uses.
Simplicity 1463, View A. Back view
It has a high-lo hem but it’s not exaggerated, it’s a gentle swoop rather than a massive leap from front hem to back hem. The front is also a generous length which I really like.
THOUGHTS?
Just mind the snug sleeves & due to the size of the top I would think it’s best sewn in a lighter weight knit but that could be just my preference. It’s rumored I’m into draped styles.
It’s loose fitting without drowning you and I think the length/hem shape is flattering.
Once you get used to sewing knits, tshirts are a fun project. I had not sewn many knits in my first couple of years of garment sewing. The Drape Drape books made me take a leap & challenge myself. I’m glad I did.
Fabric: a mystery knit from the Spotlight bargain table. $3 a metre.
Pattern: Simplicity 1463
IN THE WORKS…
I haven’t sewn in my sewing room since New Year. I’m back at work. Work is all consuming for a while & my brain feels like Swiss cheese at the end of the day. I suspect I’ll be a bit a preoccupied for a couple of months. I cancelled my 2.5 weeks holiday this January and therefore also the Tasmania holiday. That’s life, just means holidays later this year instead. So I’ll sew at night instead… I know, surprised?
Alabama Chanin: I’ve just hand sewn the funniest Alabama Chanin test tank with different seams, threads, stitches – so I could see what I like and what I needed to consider before leaping into hours and hours of hand work. It’s mistake ridden – which was the point of the exercise. I now know what works and doesn’t!
I’ve been fascinated by this for ages… and it was on my Wish List for Christmas and my sister-in-law gave it to me… so now I’m indulging myself with hand sewing, something I used to do a lot of. I’m loving it.
In the name of sewing… excuse the selfies, blue bra etc… I was excited late at night when I finished HAND sewing this. The armhole error has nothing to do with the stitch used – it’s to do with how I attached the binding. I also figured out my neckline problem.
Edith: I have a new addition to my sewing room, she’s a sweet little lady and you will meet her soon!
