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.

Spring Race Challenge!

I did it.  I ran a 5K.  And I have Melissa from Fehr Trade to thank for setting the totally brillz Spring Race Challenge.  I've been meaning to sign up for a 5K forever but fear of.. something (running in front of people? social interaction? middle school PE flashbacks?  I don't really know) kept holding me back.  With the gauntlet thrown down, though, I went for it.  I just registered for a race on somewhat familiar turf near my house early in the morning.

The challenge: to complete a race while wearing me made gear.

The race: Top Pot Doughnuts Doughnut Dash.  Yes, there were doughnuts at the finish line.  Yes, that's a trailer with a doughnut on top I'm posing in front of.  Yes, best 5k name ever.

The pattern: Duathlon Shorts by Fehr Trade 

The fabric: Some weird mystery knits from the local fabric store.  The orange is definitely active wear.  The print is some kind of slinky knit.  I may have accidentally bought like a yard extra of the print that will need to become a maxi skirt or a top... I haven't decided yet.  

Not knowing anybody who runs I was on my own on race day.  I would like to profusely thank the nice stranger who snapped this pic for me shortly after I crossed the finish line.  It's not the best picture, but it's proof.  It's a shame you can't really see the pants, cuz obviously it's all about the pants.  Part of the challenge was to actually make exercise gear, which I thought would be really scary.  It's seriously hard to find exercise gear that fits and looks ok and that you actually like.  I won't even mention pockets, because unless you're shelling out the big bucks for Lululemon it's not happening.  And shelling out the big bucks for Lululemon isn't happening for me at this point.  

I made the capri length and even with all the problems I ran into they probably took 2 or 3 hours from start to finish.  Since I had to run to the fabric store before I could finish them, it's kind of hard to gauge, though.  I used this double sided sticky tape (I think it's called Wonder Tape or Magic Tape) on the hem and let me tell you, the name doesn't lie.  That shit is incredible.  The hem looks good even when I'm not wearing them!  Even though I zigzagged everything instead of using a twin needle!!!!!  I have since bought twin needles to replace those that were either lost or broken and forgotten.  The zigzag hem isn't bothering me any, though.

I've been really sick since Easter and am finally getting over this terrible cold.  I almost decided not to run, but in the end I'm glad I did.  I think that it was a lot scarier for me than it needed to be.  I'm already signed up for another 5K for my son's school in June, and I'm seriously thinking about setting some new running goals.  I feel like the next logical step is a 10k, and 6 miles isn't really that far.... right?