Chasing Coco

Disclosure: I received this pattern for free as part of a call for testers of an updated size range; the original Heat Wave Hot Pants pattern was already available. As of July 2020 George and Ginger decided the pattern needed a little more work before it could be released. My size fit in the original size range, however, which goes up to 2XL. I do not have any relationship with the pattern company nor was I asked to write this post. The tester call was open to anyone. So I was not super sure about this pattern when I saw it on other people. Don't get me wrong it's really cute but these shorts are well, short and that's just not my preference these days. Now in my 20's I wore like .5" inseam shorts but now I wear 3.5" inseam shorts. Since it was COVID era, I had plenty of time and frankly I needed some shorts, I joined the test anyway! Really, they aren't as short as I thought they'd be! Probably, they look different on different people's bodies or ...

I have a ready to wear tank top that I love and have worn to pieces. It's a simple tank top with a draped cowl neck. It's soft, great for summer and has a little extra design detail with the neckline. I have probably had it for 10 years! So it's also old and basically worn out at this point. I set out to make Simplicity 1716 as a replacement for my beloved, old, tank top. To make it a little more work-friendly, I decided to make view E with the flutter sleeves and hem length F for a shirt length rather than a tunic. I used a bright coral liverpool fabric, which looks kind orange in the photos, but is really coral. I don't love this fabric if I'm being honest, it's a little too cheap/polyester feeling. If I remember correctly it was cheap but it's not as nice as other liverpool I've used. Sadly I cannot remember where I bought it from so I might accidentally buy more. Something with a little more drape would probably also be better for this ...

McCall's 7621 would make the perfect summer dress and in the right fabric, would be great for wearing to a wedding.  I made it because I ordered some new fabric and realized that I still hadn't used...any...of the fabric I had ordered about a month prior. Whoops. I made view D with sleeve option B. I was planning to make view D out of a sparkly knit that I had but at the last minute I decided to use a floral Liverpool knit and thought the flouncy sleeve (sleeve B) would be more appropriate for this summery fabric. I might make it in the sparkle fabric as a straight view D in the future, that would make a cute party dress. Alterations Based on the size chart, I graded from size large at the bust to x-large for the hip size but then it ended up being a little big in the waist/hip when sewn and I had to take it back in a smidgeon. I would probably be ok with a straight size large. See that weird bulky area? That's basically where I graded out, and it was sticking ou...