Style Arc Esme and Elle

Style Arc continue to be my go - to pattern company. I find most of their designs suit my lifestyle and taste. The Esme Designer Knit Top and the Elle Pants are patterns I have made numerous times and are firm favourites.

This is the first time I have made the Esme with sleeves. The only pattern alteration I made was to lengthen the body by 5cm, the same as my previous versions, see blog post here and here. This length is much more flattering on my figure.

I like the bottom coverage at the back. The fabric is a deluxe ponte from Spotlight in a lovely fushia pink. I am continually tweaking the Elle pants pattern trying to achieve that elusive perfect fit. I still seem to have far too many wrinkles, but maybe this is the nature of slim pants? Fabric used was denim blue stretch bengaline from Style Arc. They have the best bengaline...great quality.

As instructed, I pressed the seams open and top stitched them down. I like the subtle interest this gives the top. The collar is my favourite feature and it turns out so beautifully, especially when cut on the bias.

This pattern is drafted very well, and everything turns out so neat. I must say I prefer the sleeveless version. I think it works better. The addition of the sleeves creates extra fabric folds at the underarm/bust area which just don't look quite right. Despite this, I have worn this top many times since completion back in May (you may have seen a sneak peak during Me Made May) and it works equally well with long pants or a slim skirt.

The top stitching down the side seams continues down the side split and across the deep hem and back up the other side.

Even though I love the collar on this top, I would like to make the collar less version so I can accessorise with a scarf or long beads. The collar limits how you can accessorise.

Two garments that have already seen a lot of wear in my wardrobe already.

Happy Sewing

Style Arc Elle Pants and a Couple of Coco Tunics

Way back in May I made another pair of Style Arc Elle Pants. I have been working on the fit, and in addition to raising the waistline and a large calf adjustment tried previously here, I have added a Flat Seat Adjustment. I was trying to reduce the amount of wrinkles at the back, upper thigh area. Here is the photo I posted during Me Made May 15.

I am wearing them here with another Tilly and the Buttons Coco Tunic. This one is without pockets and has the retro funnel neck collar. I love this tunic but I do find it difficult to style. The collar gets in the way of a scarf and necklaces just don't sit right at all.

The fabric is chocolate brown stretch bengaline purchased online from Style Arc, and is good quality. These pants have been worn all day at work and are now quite wrinkled unfortunately for the photos. The fit at the front is quite good. 

I think the flat seat adjustment did improve the fit at the back, compared to my previous Elle's, but there is still room for improvement. I suppose some wrinkles are necessary or you wouldn't be able to sit down.

I had some more of the cream ponte in the stash so I made another Coco Tunic, this time with the scoop neckline borrowed from the Sewaholic Renfrew.

This one has been much easier to style with scarves and necklaces. My daughter gave me this necklace and I love how it ties in with the colours of the outfit. I don't usually wear autumn tones, but I don't mind this outfit on me. Maybe my colours are changing as I am getting older.

I have a fairly rectangular figure with little waist definition, but I love how this tunic gives the illusion of a waist and hips. 

Does anyone else wish they had a stylist when taking blog photos? I find is so hard to get good photos with the garment sitting just right, when I am using the tripod and remote on my own. So often, it's not until I'm editing the photos that I notice all the faults. I guess most of us have this problem.


Happy Sewing

Tropical Scout Woven Tee

 

Grainline Studio Scout Woven Tee with sleeves lengthened.

This is my fourth Scout woven tee from Grainline Studio. I have gradually been tweaking the pattern to suit/fit me and I am pretty happy with the fit I have achieved with this one. The neckline sits beautifully and it fits well through the shoulders. I have added length to the front and back so that it finishes at a more flattering level on my figure. I have also added some shaping into the side seams to take away the boxy shape. This is still easy to slip on without any extra openings. You can see my previous Scout posts here First, Second, Third. 

I used a pretty tropical printed rayon purchased from Spotlight. For this one I lengthened the sleeves, following the tutorial from Grainline Studio here. It was a very easy alteration to do and creates a different look and makes it more trans seasonal.

Ollie was watching me through the window.

As you can see I have made another pair of Style Arc Elle Pants, this time in white stretch bengaline purchased from Style Arc. I made no alterations from the last time I sewed these pants. I have previously made black, navy and teal green Elle pants and they have proved to be real work horses in my wardrobe. I'm sure these will not be the last pair I make.

That's the problem with taking your own photos. There is no one to tell you to pull your pants down to smooth out those wrinkles.

This outfit was an easy sew and a practical and comfortable addition to my wardrobe.


Happy Sewing

Style Arc Elle Pants Revisited

After digesting all the helpful comments on my last Style Arc Elle Pants blog post, I have made some more. 

Teal Style Arc Elle Pants

I purchased this lovely teal stretch bengaline from Style Arc. It is very good quality and beautiful to work with. This time, I tried a large calf adjustment. I couldn't find any info on this adjustment in my fitting books so I asked Google and found a wonderful tutorial on Colette Patterns Sewalongs. 

Back Pattern piece with large calf adjustment.

I added 2cm width at the hemline (in line with the grainline) on the back pattern piece. This gives more room at the back calf area without changing the seam lines, so everything still fits back together OK.

Side view

This adjustment has really improved the fit. The pants aren't getting caught up on my calves every time I move now, making them even more comfortable.

Back view

There are still some wrinkles but not as bad as my first pair, now that the fabric can hang better.

Close up of front

The waistband sits lovely and flat. Style Arc recommend using 35mm wide elastic. I used 20mm wide non roll elastic which worked out fine.

Close up back view

I previously raised the waist by 5 cm, but for this pair I lowered it by 1cm just fine tuning the fit. (So for this pair the waist was raised by a total of 4cm from the original pattern). I found that the original pattern was quite low waisted which is fine for the young slim girls out there, but for us more mature ladies it just cuts the muffin top in half...not a pretty look.

Midnight Style Arc Elle Pants

When I joined the Style Arc Membership Club I received this Midnight Stretch Bengaline as a free gift. It was just the right amount to make another pair of Elle pants. These were made exactly the same as the teal pair. Midnight is a very dark navy blue. The colour has a lovely depth and the fabric, like the teal was great quality and beautiful to sew.

Back view

I have styled these Style Arc Elle Pants with my Style Arc Stacie Jean Jacket. I'm really loving these Style Arc patterns and I took full advantage of their great sale recently for Style Arc Club members, so I plan to make quite a few more of their patterns soon.


Happy Sewing

Style Arc Elle Pants

After a long absence from blogging...three whole months, I am finally back. Life has really been busy lately. My two youngest children have moved out...my daughter finding herself a new job and moving to Canberra and my son was accepted into Sydney University and has moved to Sydney. I am now officially an empty nester. So proud of all my children and their achievements. My darling partner surprised me with a marriage proposal and a gorgeous engagement ring and we have been on holiday to Tasmania where we spent 6 days in the wilderness walking The Overland Track. Despite all these goings on, I have been sewing but no time for blogging so I have some catching up to do.

Style Arc have a growing reputation for their great pants patterns. I have really been wanting to learn how to make great fitting pants so I have bought a variety of Style Arc pants patterns to try, including the Elle Pants.

Elle Pants

Very tight Elle Pants

I chose a size 12 and used some stripy bengaline purchased online from The Remnant Warehouse. Boy did these turn out tight. I could barely pull them up over my hips and they are skin tight.

Front view showing way too much.

I certainly won't be wearing these in public. I was really surprised that they were so tight so I did some internet research. Lots of other sewing bloggers have commented on varying results, blaming the amount of stretch in the fabric used. 

Even though these are tight there is not too much wrinkling.

I compared my stripy bengaline with some black bengaline purchased at the same time from The Remnant Warehouse, and it didn't have nearly as much stretch as the black. I had assumed that all bengaline was the same, but apparently it is not.

Pleased with my stripe matching, shame they are too tight.

The waistline hit me at a very unflattering place, causing a huge bulge over the top. Despite this disaster, I did like the general shape of these pants and I was determined to make them work. So I made a second pair straight away using the black bengaline with more stretch.

These are definitely a more relaxed fit.

Not happy with all the wrinkles.

What is causing all those wrinkles.

The only changes I made to the pattern was to add 5cm to the top of the pants to raise the waistline so that it didn't cut my spare tyre in half. This has resulted in a much smoother fit around the waist.

Raised waist by 5cm

Woops...forgot to suck tummy in.

I would never wear these pants without a long top.

I have been wearing these pants all day and they are so comfortable. The skinny leg is a new thing for me...I usually wear a bootcut style in pants. I would appreciate any ideas for how to reduce the wrinkling in the legs. Now off to order some more "stretchy" bengaline.

Happy sewing.