Jungle January

Hey, I finished a garment!  My Jungle January garment, to be specific.

Supposed to be easy--and it was, mostly.  Just that life got in the way a bit, so it wasn't as quick as I might have hoped.

The pattern: McCall's 7166 (long out-of-print; I think it's from 1980?)

The fabric: ooh, it's also old! I purchased this a looong time ago to make a maternity tunic top (my youngest child is 23).  I believe it is a french terry knit, rather stiff.  Would have been perfect for a tunic...

The Fit: this is my year to try and adjust, correct, and get fit issues sorted out in home-sewn garments.  I refuse to let my me-made items suffer from the ill-fit of ready-to-wear. 

• I lengthened the shirt by 4 inches all around.  (I am 5' 9" tall; length is always my first pattern alteration.) Then, on the advice of a friend, I shortened the front a bit.  
• My initial FBA attempt was too low, and not a deep enough dart.  Undaunted, I pin-fit a new bust dart while wearing the top, then adjusted the side seams accordingly.  (This meant I ended up with the front length even shorter--but still about 2 inches longer than the original pattern.)
• Made the sleeves 3/4 length, with hem depth determined while wearing.

Hi-low hem: all the rage right now?

The verdict: I love it!  A basic pattern, quick to sew, that could be a wardrobe staple.  And the perfect re-introduction to sewing garments.


Have you ever participated in Jungle January?  I still have a bit of this material left--what could I sew that might need some leopard trim?



Stash report: per the pattern envelope, 1 1/4 yards used busted