Saturday, July 5, 2014

Sporty Summer Sewing

There's nothing like the promise of lavish prizes to bring all the sewists out of  the woodwork.  Actually I'm just plagued with such perpetual technological difficulties that it makes blogging a bit of a chore.  I need a new computer but refuse to invest in one while my kids are still such destructive little monsters (if you could see my laptop you'd understand).  Also, boo computers.  I'd rather be sewing.  OR RUNNING!  This post is about a little bit of both.


Even I, in my state of technological deprivation, know about Karen from Did You Make That's Sporty Summer Sewathon and Melissa of Fehr Trade's Spring Race Challenge.  I've already posted the post-first-5K pictures for the Spring Race Challenge, but I wanted a little something extra for the Sporty Summer Sewathon.  As I mentioned before, I purchased an entire yard of the contract fabric with the intention of... well, it was on clearance and that was reason enough.  I thought I might make a matching top, and lo and behold I did!


I finally went out and bought the Sewaholic Renfrew pattern, although this particular version deviates quite a bit from the original pattern.  First and most obviously, there's no bottom band or sleeves.  I added a few inches to the bottom and did a regular twin needle hem (using the amazing sticky double sided hem tape that I will always and forever use when hemming knits from here on out).  Also, I slashed and spread the front piece about an inch and gathered the front neck a little bit.  I like running tops to be a little bit looser fitting (and long!) since the pants are so very, very tight.


This is an awful (and accidental) picture, but it turns out that its the only one where you can kind of see the gathering, just a little bit.  I bound the neckline and armholes with bands of the same fabric.  I scooped out the back a little bit with the intention of having it be a racer back, but it's really not quite scooped out enough.  I like the way it looks, though, and I can wear it with a regular bra.  Win!  


This set is just so matchy, I love it =)

Now for the bad: I really can't wear the top running.  It's some kind of polyester which, while lovely and slinky and cool for normal daily wear, doesn't wick.  Which means I turn into a slippery sweatball when I wear it running.  Oh well, that just means I get to wear it when I'm not running.

Also, proof of how my iPhone 5 looks in the pocket.  Bulging, but secure.  I've run a lot of miles with my phone in that pocket and it's never once even almost fallen out.  Totes brillz.


Speaking of which, I ran my second 5K in these pants as well.  My son's preschool did a 5K fundraiser and I ran the race then my son did the kid's 1K dash.  That's us crossing the finish at the end of the kid's dash.  I assure you I looked much less spry at the end of the 5K.  I don't think that the orange fabric is technically a wicking fabric, but it's super stretchy, just thick enough, and really comfy.  I always wear these pants on my longer runs and the only complaint I can think of is that they tend to shift down over time.  If the legs and the elastic were a little bit tighter that would probably help.


I'm just waiting until I can feel justified splurging on new fabric (which may be a little while as I ahem have bought a bit over the last few weeks) and then I'm going to order some fancy technical knit fabric from Spoonflower.

1 comment:

  1. Wow, this is hardcore! I absolutely love your exercise gear and you look like you mean business. Thanks for taking part in the Sporty Summer Sewathon.

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