a denim tova

TA-DA!

I am proud to announce my denim version of the tova shirt!

I know in my last post that I said I followed all the instructions, but that's not exactly true. I ignored the very first instruction, which is to choose a suitable fabric. I have been longing to buy a denim shirt for ages now, so when my tova pattern arrived in the post, I thought, 'Hey! I don't have to buy one. Heck, I can MAKE one!'

(Cue: KT Tunstall track and montage of me weaving through the city streets, in shops holding denim fabrics up to the light, struggling to the cash desk with five rolls of fabrics and then walking home with shopping bags swinging at my side. Cut back to blog.)

So, with some lovely-but-unsuitable denim washed and pressed, I cut my pattern (I made a size small) and started sewing. I ran into a couple of problems because the fabric was heavier than recommended. Firstly, topstitching was a nightmare and I had to abandon it after my wonky work on the bodice. Secondly, my pleat gathering is uneven and a bit bulky. Lastly, I took some fabric off the hem because it was creating too much volume.

Apart from these minor mistakes, I am really pleased with my work and how it fits. I am especially proud of the sleeves. Fitting sleeves is just the weirdest thing to do, but then it all seems to work out fine! The denim is totally sturdy and I'm digging the workwear look it has. I have worn it ALOT, even in ill-advised 'double-denim' combos, which is surely a testament to how much I love wearing it.

Next, the gingham...!