Elle Pants - Style Arc

 

I ended up buying some better Ponte from Spotlight to make this pair of Elle Pant from Style Arc. I am very happy with the pattern, they are very comfortable to wear, dont pull down in the back when you sit, and were very easy to make.

So now I have two pairs, and actually have a third cut out. I am still learning at this online shopping thing, because I bought some lovely Vera Wang Black Stretch fabric to make the Jasmine pants, but I didnt realise how narrow it was and didnt order enough :( but there is enough for another pair of Elle Pants, so thats OK.
I wore them to work the other day and they were so comfy, I wore them with lower heels and I think they look better with the bit of "scrunching" up at the ankle.

Construction of these is very easy, as they are only an elastic waist pair of pants. I hemmed with the Coverstitch machine.

As per pattern they are a lot wider than these, I have run these in quite a bit, and I guess I have made them more like leggings than the pattern intended.

It will be interesting to see how the Stretch Woven pair turns out as opposed to this knit.

My only tip when making the waistband....the instructions tell you to run a line of stitching close to the elastic to keep it in place when you are attaching the waistband, I will now do this in a contrasting colour thread and on a basting stitch, as my line of stitching was visible and I had to unpick black on black which is never fun.

Style Arc Elle Pants

I think Style Arc have done it again - the Elle Pants look promising :)

Even using the most revolting polyester "ponte" knit ever, they arent looking too bad straight out of the envelope.

I think they are the type of pants that you make as per pattern and then keep running them in until they look/feel right.

I have only tried them on without the waist band and they are decent :)

I will finish them and see how they look.

So far all I have done is take 3 inches off the length, and I will probably need to run them in 1/4" all over.

First international Fabric Purchase

Well I succumbed to the $3.99 a yard Uptown Raw Silk from Fabric.com and placed my first order of fabric from across the world :)


I have no idea how to sew with Raw Silk, but at that price I am willing to give it a try.


My thoughts, now that I have received my lovely box of goodies are this:


1. 100% polyester Ponte knit - hmmm, what was I thinking - it feels and looks dreadful. It was meant for a pair of Style Arc Elle Pants, not so sure now, I think I will make my test pair out of it - really hardly stretches at all, so might be a problem.


2. Shipping time - not so bad, although it did take them 7 days to post the parcel as one of the lovely silks was out of stock - shame as it was the one I really wanted.


3. I ordered some Bemberg Lining that I have heard so much about, and I think I know why - it looks and feels beautiful, cant wait to try it.


4. The postage for 5 pieces was $25US to Australia.


5. Overall,  I am happy, but I think I am more of a touchy feely person, and its not the same as wandering around Pitt Trading at Ramsgate, oohing and aahing over everything :)

Peta Pants - Style Arc

I am hesitant to post these awful pics, all they do is highlight my terrible pressing skills !!

But the Peta Pant pattern from Style Arc is another keeper. They are so comfortable to wear, easy to make and dont take a huge amount of fabric.

I think they would also make great Pyjama pants in a nice soft cotton voile.

These are a straight size 14 with no alterations except to the length.

I made the Grey ones as a test, I dont like how the pockets gaped, so I left them off on the Black linen pair. I tend not to use pockets anyway, so not a big deal to me.

They could be easily made casual or dressy depending on the fabric used.

Off to learn to press properly ;)

Style Arc - Abby Cardi

This is the 2nd version of the Abby Cardi. The first one was the plain black size 14 straight from the pattern, and this one has some minor changes made to it.

I have narrowed the shoulders by 1/4"

Shortened overall length by 1 inch.

Made a new sleeve piece - using the cap as original, making the length in between the short sleeve and the long sleeve, and making it narrower by 2cm.

This makes the sleeve, VERY snug. I was lucky that this fabric was very very stretchy, otherwise it might have been too tight. So next time I might not make it quite so narrow.

I was able to use the Coverpro to do the hems again - loved doing this, I am so glad to start using the machine, it was beginning to feel like the white elephant in the sewing room that was never touched.

I did use Stitch Witchery Lite to stabilize before Coverstitching. Not bad stuff, but I think I prefer Steam A Seam Lite though.

Finshed the Abby Cardi

I have finally finished the Abby Cardi, and I am quite happy with it, definately able to be worn with no alterations.

I made a 14 straight from the packet and for my next one, I will need to take 3/4" from the shoulders, I am a bit narrow there, I will trim the sleeves to make them a bit narrower as well, and I will take a good inch off the length. Also need to take several inches of the sleeve length.

It is just plain black, so not very exciting to photograph, but I am cutting out another one in a print, so I might take a pic of it.

So, whilst I am happy about the top, I am even more excited that I used my new (to me) Janome Coverpro 1000CP to hem it. I am so pleased with it, the stitches are even, did not skip, it stretches well etc. Took me a couple of months to work out how to use it, but now that I have, I hope I can use it again and again.

Abby Cardi - Style Arc

Aargh, I am having a break, as a beginner, I still need hand holding :) the instructions in the Style Arc patterns can be so frustrating at times. But the great end result keeps me coming back for more.

I am in the middle of the fold over neck section and it just wasnt making sense, until I lay it on my dressform and it sort of fell into place on its own. Love it when that happens.

I thought that I would be able to use the overlocker for all of this top, but there are some seams which are just too close (for me anyway) so I have resorted to using the stretch stitch on the sewing machine for some seams.

Anyway, I will sleep on it, and start when I am fresh tomorrow...

New Style Arc Patterns

I am still loving the Style Arc patterns....in February I bought the Elle Pants, the Jasmine Pants and received the Abby Cardi free. I still cant believe they offer a freebie each month, and its a new pattern. What an awesome marketing strategy.

First up I am making the Cardi, I have cut it out in more of that Black Wool Knit Jersey that I make the Demi Drape in - dont particularly like it, but it should be good for a wearable test of the pattern.

Just need to find time to sew it up now :)



I bought a size 14, seems to work for most of the tops I have made from Style Arc, except for one woven one, which was a bit disastrous - but we wont go there :)

Hopefully, I will be back with a photo soon. I am thinking it will be a good top to leave in the office for days where I wished I had worn something warmer.