I didn’t plan to sew these two pieces as an outfit – but I’ve discovered that they work together beautifully.

The striped tee came first. It’s the Cashmerette Concord tee, the scoop neck and long cuffed sleeve version, in size 12C/D. And I don’t have any photos of it without the pinafore over it. Oh well.

From the Cashmerette website:  Meet the Concord, your new favorite tee! Fully customizable, this knit T-Shirt is a classic wardrobe staple that’s designed for curves. Choose from three hem lengths (cropped, mid-length or long curved), three necklines (high, V-neck, or scoop), three sleeve lengths (short, medium, or long), two sleeve finishes (cuffed or hemmed), and optional sleeve tabs. Whether you layer them over jeans on Friday night, or pair them with floral skirts at the office, you’ll want a closet of Concords!

I sewed the the curved and faced hemline.  I possibly wouldn’t both again; I’d just do a regular straight hem on this.  I find that the facing creates a ridge – possibly a combination of the fabric type and my body.  I shortened the tee before cutting it out by taking out a fold from the front and the back – it’s very long as drafted considering that I have a short torso.  The fabric is a viscose/spandex (possibly also some cotton in there) that I bought from Rathdowne Fabrics a year or so again.  They’re great colours!  As always, I took care when cutting out that the stripes were aligned, and I used a fair number of pins during construction to make sure that they were.

My overall verdict on the tee pattern is a definite thumbs up. I really like the fit around the upper chest and shoulders, and the scoop is perfect for me. As always I used this tutorial to get the neckband length correct, and I used a twin needle to secure it after I’d attached it to the tee. So, on to the pinafore.

The York pinafore was definitely an impulse buy and sew. I think I may have sewn it the weekend that the pattern was released. The cocoon shape and the overall simplicity really appealed to me (once I got past the initial ‘you’re fifty, you can’t wear a denim pinafore’ thought).

From the Helen’s Closet website: The York Pinafore is a playful addition to your handmade wardrobe. It is easy to layer over tank tops for summer or turtlenecks and leggings for colder weather. The York Pinafore is a modern take on a classic pinafore dress with a cocoon shape and two views. View A features large scoop pockets, a dipped neckline, and comes to the knee. View B is a shorter length with a high neckline and a kangaroo pocket. Recommended Fabrics: Medium to heavy weight woven fabrics such as cotton twill, denim, wool, linen, corduroy, and canvas. Crisp lightweight fabrics such as cotton and lightweight linen can also be used for a warm-weather pinafore. Drapier fabrics such as tencel twill, wool crepe, rayon crepe, or viscose poplin work well if you prefer a softer, less structured look.

This pattern didn’t take long to tape.  I decided to sew view A, the longer version with the lower scooped neckline and the curved pockets.  I love those pockets!

Now, what size did I sew? Hmmmm, racking my brain. Probably the Large (12-14).  I did shorten the shoulder straps an inch, and after I sewed up and tried on the pinafore I went back and took another two inches from the length by folding over the hem for a second time. By the way, the fabric is dark brown denim with a teensy bit of stretch, from Rathdowne Fabrics remnant bins. I love those remnant bins.  I made my own bias tape from printed quilting cotton to finish the curved armhole and neckline edges. I like using bias tape like a facing – it works so nicely around curves, although you do need to ensure that you shape and press with plenty of steam as you go.

I really, really like this outfit. I feel good in it, it’s easy to wear, and layers well under my bright green merino Tessuti Megan cardigan and a scarf. I’ve worn it to a few events since I sewed it, and it is very me. I will definitely be using both patterns again (I have some wool earmarked for the pinafore already – I’ll use the same pattern pieces to cut a full lining so that it doesn’t stick to my tights). Definitely recommended.