Goodness, I just realised that I haven’t written a blog post for just over two weeks!  I have still been sewing, there is plenty waiting to be blogged, and maybe this week I will find (make!) the time.  We’re currently in Kingscliff on the northern NSW coast for a week’s holiday (with a house/dog sitter at home of course).  Surely I’ll have some time in the evenings to catch up a little bit on blogging!  Instead of blogging some of those sewn ages ago garments, I’m going to show you one that I sewed in the last week, in time for our holiday.

This is the Style Arc Ethel top and pant combination. Shall I start with the top?  From the Style Arc website:

ETHEL DESIGNER TOP: This gorgeous boxy shaped top with angled design lines gives your wardrobe a new and fashionable look.
The wide facings give this top structure and style.
This pattern has been cleverly drafted to cover the top of the arms whilst not losing any of the design elements.

FABRIC SUGGESTION: Linen, Crepe, Silk, light wool

I used white Merchant and Mills linen from Stitch 56 for the top.  It was absolutely divine to sew.  This is a rather roomy top.  I sewed size 12, which is my usual Style Arc size, and it’s quite a bit larger than the Skye top that I made recently.  I like the sizing though – it works nicely in this style; it’s not meant to be fitted and the ease works beautifully with linen.  The angled front and back seams add a lovely design line, and are also great for colour blocking the top if that is something you want to do (it’s something that I did do with my first as yet unblogged version).  The wide stitched facings also look very stylish and are especially effective on the white linen.

The only thing that could trip you up in this top is in the application of the armhole facing. The key is to NOT do what are used to doing and stitch the short ends of the facings together. The short ends actually end up sitting beside one another. Take a good look at the line drawings and illustrations and do some pinning and basting if you need to get your head around it.

I also suggest that you take a little more care than I did when sewing those diagonal seams to ensure that you don’t stretch them out as you join them.  Bias seams!  I used the overlocker for construction, and did the topstitching on the sewing machine.  Nothing new there!  So, to the pants.

ETHEL DESIGNER PANT: As well as being a designer pant this is most comfortable pant you will ever wear! The tucked elastic waist and dropped crotch along with the slight balloon shaped leg gives this designer pant an edgy look. 
The leg narrows off at the cropped hemline therefore can be worn rolled up if preferred.

FABRIC SUGGESTION: Linen, Crepe, Silk, Fine Wool

I sewed these in Merchant and Mills linen from Stitch 56 as well. I just adore that colour! It’s called Boston Fall and I wish that I had a whole bolt.  These are such comfortable pants.  As the description says, they have an elastic waist – always a winner in my books – and a slightly dropped crotch and ballooned legs.  My first thought when I made them was MC Hammer crossed with clown pants – but as soon as I put them on I could appreciate the shaping from the front tucks and narrowed and ankles, and the crotch didn’t feel all that low in wearing.  The hems can also be rolled up a bit.  I sewed size 10, my usual Style Arc pants size, and shortened them by taking a fold out of the pattern at about knee height.

I really, really, really like this outfit!  As regular readers of my blog know, loose and comfortable is right up my alley.  Fingers crossed that it will be a nice enough day to wear this tomorrow on our trip to Movie World…