Category: Tuesday Project Roundup

I finished my new active shorts in time to take them up to the river last weekend! Here they are doing what I love the most, Getting In The Water.

 

These are the Road Trip Pattern Co. Sierra Shorts. This is my second RTPC pattern and I’m a fan–professional instructions and drafting and I didn’t have to modify the fit. (However, I did go up a size based on the finished garment measurements, because I’m in my Giant Pants Era: I measured a 12 but as drafted that only had 1.5″ of ease, so I went up to a 14.)

The pattern has nice details, like the front cargo pockets that are big enough to hold a phone and instructions to use a mesh lining for the main pocket backing. I added a key loop to one front pocket and velcro to the back pocket so I don’t lose anything if I fall in the river.

The pattern would be a convincing Patagonia dupe if made in a solid color, but I found some print microfiber boardshort fabric from Fashion Fabrics Club to test the pattern with. I added a belt and belt loops because in my experience, wet elastic and cargo pockets means your shorts are going to fall off.

I put the belt and pocket lining to the test with a quick cold plunge and these were as comfy as cold wet shorts can be.

Remember those barrel-leg pants I made back in November? They remained very snug; then I saw these RTW pants in the spring, so I remade them in a size up in khaki and now I kind of love big pants?

But the real star here are the EMUS, of course. This is fabric from Doops Designs that I’d been sitting on since 2021 or so. I only had a meter but cropping the Willow Tank by three inches and using commercial bias binding made it work.

If I had a leave-the-house job I’d wear the hell out of these pants with a little top (here I’m dressed up for a therapy appointment, lol). But the EMU TOP will work with any pants on Zoom, so it’s a win-win outfit.

At this point in my life, I like what I like and I have enough of a blog record to prove it. Case in point: Colorful stripey fabrics and big pants, as discussed in 2019 / made a few weeks ago.

I took Sunday afternoon off from garage work and hid from 109 degree heat (!) in the basement, sewing up another pair of Elizabeth Suzann Florence Pants  (lengthened by 4 inches again; I also upgraded my pocket addition to be anchored in the waistband and they’re so much nicer). The fabric is a Kaffe Fassett stripe from Harmony and the colors are so good.

I had about 1.5 yards left from some block print fabric I got for a dress a few years ago and wanted something easy to throw on for Zoom calls, so I made a Grainline Willow Tank again for the first time in a long time.

Every past Willow Tank I’d made was way too tight so I re-measured and ended up going up 3 sizes. I think I look mostly the same after 7 years of lifting but if you want actual proof of progress, the measuring tape doesn’t lie–I have an extra 2 inches of muscle around my back and chest now. (Jeah, bro!)

I generally like a collar on my Zoom tops but when it’s 100 degrees out and the AC is struggling to keep up in the upstairs office, I just can’t do it. The Willow still looks put-together enough but is nice and breezy, so I might be making a few more.

It took me a couple years to jump on the “matching set” trend but I finally sewed up some block print fabric I bought pre-tariffs into the Florence Pant (lengthened 3 inches with a 1.25 inch hem) and the Genra Shirt for a look that screams… pajamas?

I promise, these sets are all over the fashion world. There’s even a sewing pattern for both that I was inspired by, but I decided to use patterns I already had and that I knew fit (I have never been a “make a lot of muslins and tweak the fit” sewer).

Looking at these FASHUN examples, I think I need to try the top tucked in and add some jewelry if I wear it out of the house?

I do like the final pieces, though–as you might expect from almost-pajamas, the whole set is ridiculously comfy. I love an Indian block print for summer; the cotton is so nice and light.

I don’t wear a lot of my mom’s clothes, but I did take a camp shirt she made back in the late 80s in a cowboy print, when Ralph Lauren’s “RL Country” Western aesthetic was everywhere.

I do have all of her patterns, though, and since I love the boxy fit of the cowboy shirt and I was missing my mom, I thought, “Why not find the pattern she used for that and make another shirt?” Comparing the actual shirt to the different camp shirt options was pretty easy; it turns out she used the contender I liked best, an old designer one from The Gap before they got their modern logo (!).

 

Like Mom did with the cowboy shirt, I used a quilting cotton in a fun print. (I bought the last of it from Sewtopia so I can’t link it, but I’m pretty sure it was a Kokka import.) I like how the clouds behind the tigers can also be breath/fart clouds 🤣

 

I decided to go full 80s when I wore this out of the house, with my light jeans and huaraches for Magnum P.I. Summer vibes.

We had a family reunion/vacation with Doc’s family planned in April but then his mom fell. (She’s home now and on the mend.) We didn’t end up going but of course I’d already made a new swimsuit for it.

So I broke it out at the sauna/onsen (saunsen?) and it looked wildly tropical in the alpine setting:

The fabric had been “marinating” in my stash for a few years, as it does, but I always planned on a vaguely retro-style bikini. I used a pattern from my beloved and dependable Greenstyle, the Surfside Wrap Top and the Waimea Bottoms (this time without the pocket and high waist, but I might be regretting that) (it’s less retro without it).

I love not having to find commercial swimwear that 1) meets my style criteria; 2) fits how I want it to; and 3) isn’t $200 for tiny pieces of fabric. Hooray for sewing!