I joined on to Ti’s “Color Me Lucky” March blog tour because honestly – I loved SOOO many of the colors! The premise of the tour is to make ANYTHING using the Pantone 2017 colors as inspiration.
For me – that wasn’t a hard sell because so many of the colors already existed in my fabric closet! I was instantly drawn to the flame color, and just so happened to have 2 yards of it in my closet! I scored the fabric for $1.99/yd during the Denver Fabrics end of the year clearance sale in 2015 – and paired with the whopping $1 I spent on this pattern during a Jo-Ann’s Simplicity sale – this short cost me under $5!!!
The pattern is Simplicity 1364, and for this make, I’ve decided to use a more standard form to talk about my experience (this is borrowed from the PatternReview website). Let me know if you find this helpful, or prefer my random musings! 😂
Pattern Description: 1960’s vintage Jiffy top is simple to sew and has three main pattern pieces.Top has back zipper, bateau neckline, french darts and can be sleeveless or can have below elbow length sleeves.
Pattern sizing: 8-24; I cut a 12 (and removed length, and should have completed a bust adjustment – I have a little bit of gaping along the neckline)…
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern when you were finished sewing? Yep!
Were the instructions complete and easy to follow? Clear enough – there was no mention of anything finishing related – which was an issue for me because I’m a self taught beginner, and don’t always know what should be finished before the next step – but the instructions made sense and now I know for next time. Let’s put it this way – I won’t be turning my shirt inside out for everyone to see how lovely it was constructed!
Fabric used: cotton shirting from Denver Fabrics
Did you alter the pattern in any way? I have a short torso, and therefore as a matter of course I always take out 1.5″ at the waist, and sometimes 0.5″ at the armscye level (see my standard adjustments) I did the waist adjustment but not the other. I also measure between a size 12 and a 14 at my bustline, but probably could have gone down to a 10 and done an FBA for a better fit.
Was there anything you disliked or would change? The shoulder seam appears too long – I can’t make sense of it. While the styled photos on the envelope look like it should be a drop shoulder, the line drawings and other seamstresses makes on pattern review indicate that perhaps I’ve done something wrong and should have shortened that seam? Also the pattern is pretty short – that’s nice when you’re wearing it untucked, but I can’t imagine how it would work tucked in – that would drive me crazy! I also found the sleeves difficult to set in – I’m no expert so maybe that wouldn’t be an issue with others, but just wanted to give fair warning,…
Would you sew it again? Yes – once I work out the next set of adjustments
Would you recommend it to others? Yes / with a couple watch out areas…
Do you consider the pattern beginner/intermediate/advanced? Confident beginner – there aren’t many pattern pieces, but you still need to know how to finish a garment and install a lapped zipper (this was my first time and wasn’t terribly smooth, lol – my zipper definitely peeks out).
Shirts/dresses: Were the sleeves cut on the on the fold? No
Pants: Do the front and back have separate rises? N/A
Does the pattern include layers for easy printing? No – paper pattern
Seam allowance used in the pattern: 5/8″
Is the pattern trim or no trim pages: N/A
Well – I hope that was helpful! Which colors do you think would work in your closet?
Ready to follow along on another great blog tour? We’ve got inspiration for you every weekday for the entire month of March. I can’t wait to see how others are interpreting this color palette.
Wednesday, March 1st Sewing By Ti, Hazelnut Handmade
3rd Sewing By Ti
Monday, March 6th Tenille’s Thread
7th Harper + Lu
10th Sewing By Ti
Monday, March 13th EYMM
14th Harper + Lu
15th Sprouting Jube Jube
16th Very Blissful
17th Doodle Number 5
Monday, March 20th Ma Moose
21st On Wednesdays We Sew
23rd Crafty Like a Rox
24th Sewing By Ti
Monday, March 27th Rebel and Malice
28th Lulu & Celeste
30th Anne-Mari Sews
Harper + Lu 
Both of these fabrics are nice, Mac! I know you really want to try at this pattern again, but I’d also vote on trying out Blank Slate Patterns Shoreline Boatneck top, which you will have to do an FBA on, but you can still hack it with some of the options from this paper pattern.
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Thanks for the review. I have this pattern but haven’t made it yet.
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