The last couple of weeks have been knit fabric mania.  There’s nothing quite like the instant gratification of a simple knit t-shirt or tube skirt when you’ve just finished sewing a tailored jacket (yet to be revealed in it’s completed glory).  Especially when they are made from familiar patterns.

The top is the Hemlock tee, a free pattern by Grainline that I have made before. I made this one exactly the same way, with 3 1/4 inches off the sleeve length and 2 1/4 inches off the hem. Construction was on the overlocker, with hems and neckband topstitching done with the twin needle on the machine.

The fabric is from the Darn Cheap Fabrics $2 table, and this one really was a bargain in that it feels like a good quality and was easy to sew. I also made a matching StyleARC Fay skirt.

I love that this skirt is self-lined.  It means that you can use lighter weight knits without them sticking to clothing or being too flimsy for a bottom weight garment.  I shortened it to one of the lengths that Lena Merrin‘s perfect skirt length calculator suggests for my height.  It’s from the “mini” range, but at the longer end of that range.  I think it works well!

Because the skirt is self-lined it can’t be shortened by simply lopping off the hem. I fold the pattern piece in half along the hemline, then take a deep fold through it about half way between the waistline and the hemline, adjusting the depth of the fold until the length is what I am after. I pin that fold in place, making sure that I pin each side of the pattern piece separately so that I can open the piece out again.

But really, you want to check out those leggings, don’t you? Here they are in maybe a bit too much detail.

The StyleARC Laura legging pattern, in a printed stretch mesh from Super Cheap Fabrics. Just one pattern piece, with the seam down the inside leg. Elastic around the waist, simple zig-zag hem.

These are in size 12, and they’re actually a little too big for leggings. Not loads, but enough that I’ll cut them smaller next time. After making these I now feel the urge to sew up many more in all sorts of patterns and colours! Fun!  Actually, Shams has been sewing up a whole lot of these lately.  Maybe it’s her influence!