The T-shirt had apparently been designed for a very tall or
very busty person. Before cutting it, I shortened the body length, but when I
tried it on, it hung low enough to be considered a tunic. What the heck, a
2 1/2-inch hem never hurt anyone. The
neckline would not be considered too low on Pamela Anderson, but I'm less than thrilled. This
T-shirt may never be worn, as the cream background looks pretty awful with my skin
tones. I bought the fabric because it
was all cotton, had small blue paisleys painted on it, and was forty cents. Perhaps it needs blue ribbing at the neck.
Hmmm. Okay, this one is NOT complete.
Pants and shorts that
I cut from a pattern always need major
alteration. Invariably, even if they are
simple drawstring dealies. Imagine my
delight when they seemed to fit. Imagine
my shock when there was enough fabric to fold over elastic. They were loose but
not too loose, short but not too short. I
did not have to add a crescent to the back to accommodate my behind. Something had
gone wonderfully right.
My pants projects tend to hang around forever in varying
stages of completion because I am demoralized by all the refitting, recutting
and twiddling that usually needs to be done. Wasting no time, I cut out and sewed
on patch pockets, only to find that
every seam would have to be resewn because, after all, the thing was BASTED
together. Loosely. Sigh. In protest, I
used magenta thread on the blue denim shorts, but I finished them. The elastic is encased, the pockets are on, and hems are done. I cheated
by adding bias tape to the bottoms because I like longish shorts and losing
nearly 2 inches to a hem would kill my soul. I MUST make a pattern from
these. I want at least three pairs of
loose pull-on shorts for gardening.
Something about having a project come together quickly without
needing major alterations is enabling. Perhaps I can use a newish pattern, one
printed in the past 5 years. I may even pay full price for cotton knit fabric
to make boxy T-shirts that contain no spandex whatsoever and are not the color
of an eggplant that has been around way too long.
Have you ever noticed that the only all-cotton knits that show
up in the remnant bin are in colors you wouldn't, couldn't, and shouldn't wear?
Check it out. If you want spandex/latex/rubber in your cotton knit, the colors are
divine but the stuff is clingy and disobedient when you try to cut it. I am not a fan of clingy, or of cotton/spandex Ts
that become form-fitting wet things the instant the temperature hits 85
degrees. I hate trying to peel myself out of form-fitting soggy spandex T-shirts
at any temperature. I wish to feel comfortable, and I am comfortable when the shirt
is loose enough for a passing breeze to make it billow.
