Snow and Sweat

Ah how things change.  I have never been a fan of either sweatshirt/sweatsuit  styles or  independent patterns. But here I am sewing sweats, well leisurewear type clothing,  using PDF patterns.  Why? well .. Covid quarantining, retired but can't travel,  and between contracting jobs.  I get up early and go to my boot camp workout (yes, future DIL talked me into it).  Wait until my birthday when all workout attendees have to do the same number of pushups as my age. I will not be popular. I am home and showered by 7:30 AM. Which leaves me a lot of time to watch Youtube video's, go down Google gopher holes, and spend money. One day both Peggy Sagers and Linda Lee had YouTube videos about sweat shirting material and leisure wear patterns.  I perused LL's sweat shirting fabric and while they were very nice, they were expensive and would cost an arm and a leg to ship from Calif.  I found many options from closer sources.  It is amazing the fiber blends, weights, and colors that sweat shirting fabric comes in.  According to my Fabric Purchase spreadsheet, this is what I added to my stash.

And wouldn't you know it,  after making the purchases I found some sweat shirting deep in the stash. Big remnants from sewing little boy clothes, circa 2000.

Another time wasting activity I have is going on Etsy, typing  "PDF pattern top" in Search and scrolling through the huge number of  pages of PDF patterns. I look for  previously "not known to me" pattern drafters, in far away countries, in hopes of finding something unique and different.  One I found recently was Grasser patterns. They had some interesting sweatshirt patterns.    The sizes are Russian (so check your measurements) and include different heights. This is a plus for me when buying patterns drafted in locations where the average woman is not as tall as me. Prices are very reasonable. Instructions were good. Though there were some odd terms used (translations) but they were understandable. They only have A4 and plotter print options.  I deal with this by buying a couple of  reams of A4 (international size 8.3x11.7") paper from Staples, and put it in one of the  paper cassette trays of my printer.

I chose #513 to sew out of the heavyweight cotton  sweatshirt fabric.  The fabric  had the same type of body as one of the pattern's recommended fabrics - neoprene. It was fun sewing the undulating seams in the front and back that give the sweatshirt some shape.  The sleeves end in tapered shapes that tie. My fabric had absolutely no stretch. So instead of using the fabric as a neck binding as per the instructions, I made a shaped band in the width the binding would have been. 

What to wear with this sweatshirt?  Warning, I am taking the opportunity to be more creative with my wardrobe pairing.  Expected choice - an old pair of Vince wool joggers.

and for a fun skirt like alternative, the harem pants from the Issey Miyake Vogue Pattern 1328. 

 It snowed today. All very pretty. Just  enough so that the restaurant, where we had reservations for a family birthday dinner celebration,  decided to close.  DH is currently grilling steaks on the deck. Yes, in the snow.