StyleArc: Monica Pants and Jess Polo Top

Jess Polo Top

I've had the fabric and pattern for this sitting around for nearly a year and finally sewed it up.
I cut a sz20 with a 1.5" upper arm adjustment but otherwise the fit is out of the envelope. I'm not really happy with it I have to admit, I'm counting this as a muslin as it doesn't fit quite right - I can see the pulling at the bust, its too short and it needs a forward shoulder adjustment as it keeps tugging itself backwards. I will sew it again, the StyleArc patterns are a bit too expensive to only sew up once and I really do need a couple of nice fitting polo tops!
Fabric is a waffle knit from The Fabric Store and the buttons are shell ones.

So the good: I think the sizing is pretty good, it fits just like a sz20 RTW polo does and it doesn't worry me that I need to do a couple of adjustments before I'm really happy with the fit.

The bad: The placket instructions are awful, I know they are always a bit sparse but this pattern has some illustrated ones as well. I've sewn a few plackets now (3 or 4 of the Banskia Top MN 2102) and even though the StyleArc instructions were different I thought I'd go with them. At the bottom of the placket where you sew through all layers to finish it off there are 9 layers of fabric to sew through and it just doesn't look neat.

I highly recommend the Banksia top placket instructions, there is a lot less layers and a lot nicer finish to it compared to the StyleArc instructions (and I'll be using it instead next time!)
I'm not really happy with the finish of the collar stand either but I haven't sewn enough shirts to know any tricks to finishing it neatly (it has you topstitch it down and my stitching looks really wonky, maybe I should have hand stitched it down instead to make it neater?).

Monica Pants

 I have to admit I don't like sewing exercise clothes. I struggle to find the right type of fabric locally and I tend to either add way too much ease or not enough. However, I am so picky about fit now and after trying on that many pairs of RTW leggings looking for a decent fit I had to give in and make some!

This is the Monica pant by StyleArc. Its a sz20 graded in at the waist by a couple of inches. Fabric is leftover grey Supplex and the purple is dance lycra from Lincraft.

 

 

They went together pretty easily, I did do a bit of head scratching over the gusset though. I actually emailed StyleArc to check if I had sewn it in right and I have!

I found a couple of mistakes on the pattern, the gusset says to cut 2 but the instructions say to cut 1 - you are meant to only cut one. Plus the notches are back to front on the knee and lower leg piece. Otherwise they went together fine.

Style Arc: Sailor Sue Palazzo pants

 

I'm really liking pull-on pants at the moment, they are just so comfy to wear at work. These are meant  to be made in a knit but since I'm still stash busting I used some bengaline I had leftover.

These are a sz20 with width added to the inner leg seams and I added on a waistband. Not sure if they look better with the waistband but I like the extra thickness around my hips.

 

I'm counting these as a wearable muslin, I had to adjust the front crotch length more than usual. The pic on the left is my usual adjustments and on the right after I took out a 2cm wedge at the centre, grading out to nothing at the side seams.

The waistband needs to be a bit tighter, its slightly too loose and I'd like to add some patch pockets to the front too. I have some nice black bengaline in line for the next pair, I reckon they'd be really nice in a ponte as well.

I really like these, the shape of the leg is wide without being shapeless and I feel like it balances me out a lot more than a tighter straight cut leg like the Wendy pant.

Style Arc : Bobbie Bask Skirt V2.0

So I loved my last version enough that I made it again straight away, with the extra length added at the beginning this time!

I used a jersey which is a bit heavier than the ITY knit I used last time, but I've been wanting a stripy circle skirt since I saw this one over at icandy handmade

I like the way her stripes run more than mine, but this was the only way I could fit it onto my fabric.



This skirt is so comfy, I love it! The perfect summer skirt to sit at the beach and eat Fish and Chips!

Style Arc : Bobbie Bask Skirt

I found Style Arc Patterns the other day from Pattern Review, I love their Clover Cape and the Jasmine Pant, but seeing as I need more skirts first I got the Bobbie Bask skirt

I mean its a pull on circle skirt, who can resist!

Pattern Description: Fun semi-circle knit, knee length skirt, featuring a flattering gathered bask. Elastic waist makes this skirt easy to wear and easy to sew.



Size: Style arc don't do multisize patterns so I checked the sizing and ordered an 18 which I found spot on.

Pattern instructions; I found them a bit brief, there were a couple photos which helped a lot, but I would recommend some help if you were a beginner - the skirt itself is very easy to make and would be fine as a beginner project.

I used a ITY knit that was in my stash for the first version, and because I was feeling like living dangerously, I decided to do no muslin.

The only change I had to do was add 4" to the length - the pattern description say's its a knee length, but I found it a lot shorter.

I love the gathered waistband, it does add a bit of bulk though, so if I was using a heavier knit (like a ponte) I wouldn't have gathered it, I reckon just doubled over would be fine.

You can see where I joined on an extra strip for length. I used the rolled hem on my serger to finish the hem, and a mix of stretch stitch on my Janome for the waistband and a straight stich for the skirt sides and serged all the edges. I find if I just serge it isn't as strong and I get thread showing, could be that my serger needs a service (I was given it, its 23 years old and as far as I'm aware has never been serviced)


Anyway, I highly recommend Style Arc, I found the skirt was beautifully drafted, it all went together like a dream and the fit was spot on. I like how they include a sample of the fabric used to make the sample skirt so you can get a better idea of what fabric's the best and I found the sizing spot on - pretty much exactly what I wear in RTW clothing. I like the drape of the skirt and how the waistband is elastic but doesn't look elastic, in fact you sew the elastic on as if it was stay tape, so it stops the waist from stretching out over time as well.