Tunic

One tunic down, one to go!

I'm so happy to have completed this tunic! It's a fun design and a hip look--check out the neckline--but my favorite thing about it is the fabric! (Amy Butler Geisha Fans in olive from the Lotus line)

The pattern is from a sewing book entitled Downtown DIY Sewing.

I purchased it recently at Hancock Fabrics, of all places! And while Fancy Tiger is still my very favorite place to shop for fabric and sewing goods, I do stop by Hancock every once in a while for some basic sewing items (especially around Halloween). I'd never heard of this book before but the tunic on the cover caught my eye as well as a few other cute patterns; it's got 14 patterns total! I've decided that I'm a bigger fan of books with a variety of patterns over patterns sold in an envelope. Plus, you get a better deal!

So, here's the scoop on the pattern:

•The pattern was fairly simple to construct and not too time consuming but I must tell you that this book is for intermediate to advanced sewists! The instructions are nowhere nearly as detailed as Amy Butler's patterns and less descriptive than a commercial pattern. There are some illustrations. I like a sewing challenge and the lack of detailed instructions made this tunic very fun to sew because I had to use skills that I might not otherwise use in the construction of basic sewing projects.
•The fit is great! I took my measurements and decided to go up one size from the recommendations on the sizing chart. The tunic is wide because of the pleat and I probably would have been fine not going up a size, but I like how it looks. It might be a bit wide for some tastes and to help keep it from looking too wide, do some edge stitching along the pleat.
•The sleeves are easy to construct and the bias tape hem makes the tunic look very nice. I also really, really like how the sleeves look--not too short, not too tight, not too bulky!
•The neckline is cute and if you feel that it is too tall, then you can fold it down. I imagine with a few washes it will look a little less stiff. One thing I will be doing to this tunic is finishing the neckline seam allowance with bias tape because you can see the stitching. I serged the seam allowance but I'd prefer a more finished look because it's visible.
•The pockets are sweet. I lined then in a bright orange and plan on taking out the stitches on the outer edge and folding over one corner to expose the fun orange. Otherwise, you can't see the lining.
•Overall, the pattern gets 2 thumbs up! I like the pattern and am ready to make another tunic!