Float like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee…

    

Summer calls for cute, stylish clothes that don’t constrict, allow plenty of airflow, and take a second to throw on (in between mediating sibling rivalry for the umpteenth time, tackling the mountain of laundry, and making yet another full meal for the children who seemed fine on only 3 meals a day before school ended but are now STARVING every five seconds). All before 8AM of course.

That’s why, when Mandalynn asked me to test the new Harbor Knot tank add on, I jumped at the chance. I loved the tee, and made four of them (here and here), but its not nursing friendly (though you could easily lower the neckline if needed)  and tanks are where it’s at for me in the summer. I love what she came up with- the racerback is just perfect, the bands are quick and easy, and the scoop of the neckline is low enough for nursing, without being so low I’m worried about sharing the goods with more than just a hungry baby when I bend over. The back is also the perfect length to cover your bum if you’re wearing leggings or tight pants, but not so long it feels like a tunic (which is a challenge for me sometimes, since I’m short!).

I’ve sewn up two so far (a nasty bug got me down halfway through testing, but there are plenty more to come), and couldn’t wait to get them photographed so I could wear them! For reference, I made the slim fit version with the lower knot, but there are also options for a looser fit, a plain tank, or a higher knot.

My first tank was made with a butterfly/floral print rayon spandex from Pretty Posh Prints, that I scored in one of the “fast fingers” sales (the ones that always have me pulling over mid errand to try and claim my fabric before its snapped up!).

This pattern really requires fabrics with good drape, and the rayon spandex was a perfect match. Bamboo, or a lightweight french terry would also work well. Having sewn up the tee before, I was familiar with the construction method (if you’re new to constructing the knot, there is a great video link in the instructions), so it went together very quickly, and before I knew it, I had a new tank perfect for my summer mom-iform (that’s totally a word, btw).

For my second tank, I decided to up the ante a bit, and chose a very lightweight rayon spandex french terry from the Vinegar and Honey Bee Box (my first!), along with an applique from The Fab Clique Fabric Shoppe.

I referenced the appliqué technique (tutorial/post here) from my Lacy Slope Tank, and altered the construction slightly to make positioning the applique easier- following the instructions for the tank but sewing the arm bands in flat and sewing down the applique before sewing up the sides.

Washaway wonder tape came in very handy again, and the raw edges from serging the sides were finished with a drop of fray check. I just love the combination of this fabric, pattern and applique!

The Bee box also came with some lovely rayon spandex french terry in a floral print (slightly heavier weight than the blush solid I used for the top), that I decided needed to be another pair of Brassie shorts (made before here, and here as pants).

I used a coordinating grey french terry from Sincerely Rylee for the waistband, opting for the full elastic/drawstring combination this time, since it seemed to suit the outfit well, and the drawstring gives me extra insurance against small people accidentally pants-ing me in public (it’s happened people, and that’s all I’m going to say about it!). The result is yet another pair of ridiculously comfortable I-can’t-believe-I’m-allowed-to-wear-these-in-public shorts that will surely get a lot of use this summer.

Despite having to languish in my sewing room for a week while I was too sick to sew (that’s when you KNOW I’m sick, y’all), the Bee Box was a delightful experience- the adult version of those children’s activity boxes I’ve ordered for my boys. The element of surprise encouraged me to use my imagination, and stretch myself to consider new fabric/pattern/color combinations I might otherwise have overlooked. For example, I would never have ordered the blush pink color for myself- I’ve always been convinced it washes me out and doesn’t mesh well with my skin tone. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how pretty it looked once I tried it on, and I’ll try to be less dismissive in the future as a result! Overall, I’m delighted with the outfit I ended up with, and can’t wait to see what next month has in store!

Just in case you’re wondering if it’s always serious business on our shoots, I’ll leave you with these pictures of the baby and I dancing. She needed some distraction while we were taking pictures, so we turned on some music, and she started to dance! The girl can really shake it- she looks much cooler than I do when I dance (which rates somewhere between awkward and ridiculous). The neighbors probably thought we were nuts (though honestly, they probably came to that conclusion a while ago), but it was a welcome playful moment in a week of adulting.

What’s your summer uniform? Share it with me in the comments below! And if you like these posts, don’t forget to subscribe to my blog (link in sidebar)

You can grab the Harbor Knot Tank add on pattern here for 40% off through 6/5 with the code harborknottank

If you don’t own the Harbor Knot yet (made before here) You’ll need that as well- get it here

The Brassie Joggers/Shorts here

And sign up for your own Bee Box or grab some fabric here. If you sign up before 6/1 you can make sure to get in on the lower pricing at $19.99 before it increases to $25.00 (still a great deal though- much less than this outfit would cost in stores, and more fun than a trip to the mall with all the kids in tow!)

Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to purchase a product using the link, a small percentage of your purchase, at no cost to you, goes back to me to continue to fund my sewing addiction. Thank you for your support!

 

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7 Comments

  1. Stephen Connell on June 2, 2017 at 8:16 pm

    I really love the Harbor Knot pattern. I like the name of the pattern and the knot looks really cool.

    • Sarah on June 2, 2017 at 11:06 pm

      Thank you! It’s named after one of her kids, which is really cool!

  2. Sherri on June 2, 2017 at 10:50 pm

    Love it! And that floral fabric on the first one is amazing!!

    • Sarah on June 2, 2017 at 11:06 pm

      Thank you Sherri!

  3. […] so often, someone asks if the Brassie Joggers (made before here and here and here) can be made in a woven material. I initially dismissed this idea, as possible […]

  4. […] As shorts in lightweight french terry here: […]

  5. […] May: Harbor Knot Tank and Brassie Jogger Shorts from french terry […]

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