My summer sewing projects have been sparse, to say the least. Any sewing must be accomplished within 15 minute increments, which can be frustrating, but I keep reminding myself that being interrupted by a game of cards with my son or an impromptu discussion about global economic issues with my daughter is really a gift that I will soon miss.
I did manage to clear out some clutter, which came uncharacteristically easily to me after sorting through my dad's house in May. The weeks of nightmares following that experience gave me plenty of motivation to clear out loads of my own belongings. Marie Kondo's book was just the ticket to get me going.
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| Still room for more? |
Her recommendation to never stack clothes in drawers is easy to manage. I'm happy to say that my family readily followed my lead after seeing how lovely my closet looked. I will admit that I have not yet touched my fabric or pattern stash, however. It is on my list, but not a high priority.
Thanks to her eye-opening philosophy, I quickly realized that most woven tops do not "spark joy," and I am most comfortable wearing knits.
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| My thoughts exactly! |
Having plenty of space and need for more knit tops, I ordered two knits from Sawyer Brook to play with Vogue 8793. They are both rayon jersey, but very different hands. The feel and drape of the navy and white Milly was my favorite, so I started with it.
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| I like the wrong side (left) as much as the right side (right)! |
It is very soft, and very drapey. Maybe too drapey for a t-shirt, but is quite comfortable to wear. I added an inch in length at the bust line and an armhole dart after seeing the wrinkles from the first V8793. I really love wearing this top, and the lightweight nature of the fabric was perfect for the European heatwave that we endured on our vacation. I have plans to take it in at the side seams about 1/2"-3/4", as the drapey is crossing over into dumpy.
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| As seen in Brussels, paired with red capris. My son makes a point of making silly faces in most photos. |
Even though I pack light, I brought plenty of clothes for our 17 days of travel. Most of the tops I packed were too heavy for the unusually hot weather. Luckily, we had plenty of laundry facilities along the way, so I could wear my new tops multiple times.
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| I think this was during the Sound of Music Tour outside Salzburg. I guess my son likes his green shirt as much as I like my navy one. |
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| Love the colors in the "Electra" print! |
Also lengthened by 1" at the bust, this time I tried my hand at the French dart. The busy print hides the dart well, and it shapes the top perfectly. I took several pictures of the dart, but it is really hard to see. This was my first French dart, and I am now a devotee. I will be using it frequently!
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| In Brugge with black jeans and pink cashmere. We were so relieved to get some cooler weather! |
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| And perfect for relaxing in Bruxelles after a sweaty trip from Brugge. Miss that North Sea breeze already. |
We had a wonderful, exhausting trip, averaging 6-8 miles of walking per day, which made the comfy clothes a necessity. We started in London then flew to Munich to meet my daughter, who flew from Paris. After working our way around Bavaria and Tirol by car -- with me at the wheel of a stick-shift -- we headed to Belgium and the Netherlands by train. My husband and I loved it so much that we checked real estate listings in many cities along the way!
My daughter tells me she now has "reverse homesickness" for France, and I am starting to believe I feel the same way about the places we visited, as well. My summer is wrapping up, with my daughter moving back to college this weekend and my son returning to school tomorrow. I should have more time for sewing, but miss them already.
