Comfy | Simplicity 4192 top and NewLook6216 pants

Pretty dresses easily capture one's attention, but basics build the wardrobe, even if it happens to be in the need of a Comfy Outfit.

And I LOVE this new outfit!!  Sooooo comfortable with rayon spandex knit fabrics.  Top fabric from Hobby Lobby (no online link, sorry!) and pants fabric is the Kathy Davis 'Blue Dot' from Joann Fabrics.

You might remember the little top shown the other day made of a remnant from these pants.  LOVE this fabric!!

And this little top was made from a remnant from the Burda Yoga Top.  So save those remnants and check your patterns for simple tanks and sleeveless tops.  It's like getting a new top for 'free' or something.

Let's talk more about the top first, then the pants.  Thought I'd combine the 2 in today's post.

A quick Google search will show Simplicity 4192 is a pattern most folks pick up to sew the oh-so-cool pants, with very few focusing on the little tank top.  These type of tops are fantastic wardrobe builders..... a tank with some interest..... and are great to wear on their own, or layer.   I made View A per pattern, cutting a size 12, sewing 5/8" serged seams and modified the neckline to make it more tidy.  And gosh, after another quick search on Simplicity's site, this pattern is not to be found.  Is it OOP?!  Kinda' shocked as thought the pants were pretty popular.

I've not made the pants, but this pattern was used last year to make the coral top out of a stable cotton/spandex from WalMart.  This version was lengthened so I could wear it with my leggings

The neckline on the coral top turned out fine, because the fabric had some body to it.  I've worn this top many times and the neckline still stands up nice against the chest, like this below.

But this oh-so-soft and luxurious rayon spandex produced a floppy neckline.  Thinking I could simply press it out, my iron left shiny marks and it seemed to look worse.  This is when the top was deemed to be a comfy top because it looked too sloppy to wear outside the home.

You can see a little below of how it flopped and had a weird gape when being worn.

Even a close up to show the double-needle stitching I was so proud of, shows the wrinkling and floppiness far right.

Sitting juuuuust right, the neckline flopped back against my chest, but it still looked untidy for the photo of what I wore on Day 19 Me-Made-May 2018 and continued to bug me.

And now it's all fixed and I am ever so happy!!!!!!

Okay, let's look at the final construction on this cute top.  This is the modified neckline below.

And now side-by-side.  Big difference, no?!

Eventually figured the neckline just needed to be folded over onto itself and stitch a 3rd seam to hold it down.  So that's what I did and now it is absolutely perfect.  At first, I was afraid it'd make everything too low, but it doesn't.  I love this so much, am thinking the next version I make, will incorporate this feature during construction.  I biggified the not-so-great-focused photo so you could see the 3rd seam above the double-needle stitching at the neckline.

Also, the double needle stitching completely channeled at the armholes, and I am so okay with that.  We will call it a ridged design feature.  What's so funny is that after the first armhole channeled like this, I actually held my breath while stitching the second armhole hoping it would channel the same.  It did!  So happy and so proud of how the perfectionist syndrome is being overcome one garment at a time.  ;)

Inside out.

Up-close.

The armhole seams are simply turned back and stitched.  Easy.  I did not even serge them first and the double-needle bobbin clearly pulled the seam in to give it the 'channeling' effect.  This photo was taken after wearing it a few time so that's why it seems a little wrinkled.  ;)

Very proud of how I was able to catch the back edge with that 3rd seam at the neckline, as I was top-stitching.   Figured it was more important to get the seamline even at the front than the back....  though the back doesn't look too shabby.

On to the pants.  If you've read this blog for any period of time, you know how much I love the NewLook 6216 pattern for pants.  I've made so many versions of these pants, you only need to click on the label in the sidebar as there are too many to list.   I've made corduroy, linen, cotton, flannel..... but never a pair out of knit. 

Until now..... and gee whiz, why ever not?!  These are the best!!  This pattern is easy to sew up, looks pretty good for an elastic waist pair of pants, comfortable to wear and great pockets!!  *Heart* these pockets!!  This pair was shamefully copied from the cute pair Sarah Liz recently made as I ran out of fabric for the pockets and waistband so used pieces from the blue.  She also gave me the idea to make these out of knit.  Thank you Sarah Liz!!!

Below you can see what I'm talking about a little better.   Cut my regular size 8 sewing/serging a 3/8" seam.  So easy.  I can knock a pair of these out in an hour or so after cutting out.

Also I treated the waistband completely different this time.  Used a 1 1/2" piece of elastic, cut 27" with no overlap and serged on to the waistband.  There is no casing.  To do this, I had to attach the bottom of the waistband to the top of the pants first, serged elastic to the waistband's free edge, then turned in and top-stitched.  Before top-stitching, I was careful to turn all the inner waistband seams underneath the elastic and 'caught' all that in the top-stitching.  Makes for a super comfortable wear.  I will definitely do this technique again and these pants feel great with a wider elastic.

And because I was running out of the blue, I split the pocket bags and made the outer bag blue and the inner (unseen) bag white rayon spandex.  Needless to say there was n.o.t.h.i.n.g of the blue dots, nor the soft blue fabrics leftover.  Nice.

And that's it!  A new comfy outfit for summer.  Truth-be-known, I am one of those folks who actually do not wear comfy outfits around the house much..... except for Friday nights.  Friday nights are Family night where we make homemade pizza and get in our comfy clothes to watch a movie together.  As a family.  The best night of the week!  :)

This outfit closes out the 'blues' for now.
Happy Sewing All!  :)