Fit Capsule Sewing Continues – More Greenstyle Strides + a Tie Back Tank + Nursing Power Sports Bras

Last month I joined in on the Fit Capsule Challenge in the Greenstyle Group, and this challenge has been so fun. You can read my planning post here that I wrote when I started this challenge. There is still a week left, so join in if you haven’t already.

For today’s post, I have some exciting new capsule additions to show you! I also will talk about octopuses, my current fitness life, and how you can make the power bra into a non-racerback bra.

Let’s start with my most recent capsule items. I made the Greenstyle Tie Back tank using a tencel jersey fabric I got from LDG Textiles. This tank is so soft and comfortable to wear and is a great basic that goes with EVERYTHING. A charcoal tank has been on my list to sew for quite some time, and I am glad the capsule challenge encouraged me to finally make it!

For my tights, I made another pair of Strides, and of course, with my scraps I made another Power Sports Bra. I seem to make another Greenstyle Power Bra with each new pair of tights that I make. I have been living in these bras. This was my first time to make the U shaped back included in the pattern. I adjusted the U Back after my initial trial proved that it was too wide on my back. I removed a little less than 1/4 inch from the center fold and added it to the side to make the U more narrow. Now, it lands exactly where intended.

I also made the nursing version included in the pattern. I absolutely love having a nursing bra that I can work out in and lounge in. I have to remove 1 and 5/8 inch from each strap to get the straps where they offer the right support. Adjusting the straps is so easy in the nursing version.

Octopuses

Ok, so let’s talk about this FABRIC!! This octopus tentacle fabric is on Preorder at Zenith and Quasar.  It comes in several colorways, and this one is my favorite. The colors on this one are more of a camo brown/grey/green and are soooo yummy and neutral.

My boys LOVE science. Almost every day they will come up to me with our current science book, asking me to do science with them (we are homeschooling). It just so happens that we are studying mollusks at the moment and have spent the past few days studying cepholopods, specifically, OCTOPUSES!! (yes, it is octopuses as a plural because octopus is not a Latin-based word so the plural is not octopi). I was so excited when I received this tentacle fabric from Lilly because it makes me feel a little like Mrs. Frizzle.

Our current way to do science is that I will read a section out of the book, and then, we watch some youtube videos together that show some action behind all of my words. My boys loved watching how octopuses camouflage on the videos, that they can spray ink, and that they can squish their body into the tiniest of crevices.

You can preorder this print here. The preorder ends March 9th and the fabric will arrive mid-April. The base I used for this set is printed on YSS, which is a nylon spandex base that is perfect for activewear or swim. It is also offered on performance boardshort (which is a stretch woven) and on athletic brushed poly. The boys love my pants so much that I will be ordering more of this fabric on athletic brushed poly to make them some tanks this summer.

FITNESS

With all this talk of sewing for my Fit Capsule, I have to talk a little about fitness. I have lost a few pounds over the last year and have been asked a lot recently about what I do to stay fit. I have worked out consistently for the past 16 years, but I still have to go through the journey of getting back to normal after each baby. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here is a photo of me on this exact day last year when the Super G Tights released (you can see that blopost here), and on the right is a photo of me today.

I had a baby 2 months before the photo on the left and still just felt squishy all over. So, I started back going to the gym. I quickly became frustrated with trying to get into a workout routine, though, because it just felt like I was loading way too much into my day.

I realized I needed a more realistic goal so I decided to make my body move every day and to eat well. This means that my workouts are very different from day to day. Some days I do work out videos like Fitness Blender on Youtube, some days I run outside, and other days I do squats holding my one year old. I try to go to the gym when I can, but I just can’t feasibly be religious about it in this season. I also do PE time with my kids in the afternoon in our living room. Have you ever seen a 4 year old do mountain climbers? I laugh every time while he beats me.

Most days, though, my work out is just my entire day. I learned this from Katie Bowman of Nutritious Movement, who has written several books on the topic and is wonderful to follow on social media, to try to include movement through out my day rather than just in a short period of time at the gym. She really changed a lot of my perspective in regards to staying healthy, and I try to apply some of her tips to my life (lots of walking and squats).

Also, I breastfeed, which takes a lot of energy in itself. As far as food goes, I eat A LOT. I notice if I don’t eat, I get hungry, and when I am hungry, I am not nice and I don’t make good decisions. I also eat chocolate and drink lots of tea (herb tea with honey and milk). Life is not good if you don’t allow yourself treats. I could talk a lot about what I eat, but maybe I will leave that for another post. Let’s move onto the next outfit I made!!

I am wearing the same capsule tencel tank for this outfit that I wore in the previous outfit, but now I paired it with a new Power Bra + Strides combo. I took these photos on a warm sunny day a week ago. It felt so good to be out that day with the kids. Fast forward to today (the photos above), and it is rainy and barely 40 degrees!!

Non Racerback Power Sports Bra

This Power Sports Bra was my first U back before I knew I needed the U to be narrower so I did not make the adjustment on this bra that I talked about above. I made this one per the pattern in my measured size (28D) but instead of crossing the straps, I just put them straight over my shoulders like a regular bra. I had to shorten them a bit more so that they gave the right support since they did not need the length of going across my back anymore. This one has the same support and is very comfortable to wear.

I made this a nursing bra as well. I used cups from Amazon in the first bra, but did not on this bra. You can tell that I don’t have as much definition in this bra without the cups.

I am noticing on my Power Bras that it is much quicker and easier to use 1.5 inch plush elastic for the band. I did this on my tentacle bra, but not on this one.

When I use the plush elastic, I cut mine a little longer too because the recommendations in the pattern are a little too constricting to get over my shoulders. I am able to go a few inches up and still get a very nice fit with this plush elastic. They sell it at Joanns, and I just buy some when I have a 50 or 60% off coupon or it is on sale. When I use it, I attach it to the bottom of the bra, right sides together, and then topstitch the seam allowance up towards the bra. I usually just use a zig zag stitch to topstich, but you can use a coverstitch to do this if you have one.

I am so happy with how this outfit turned out. The scales are a swim fabric that I got in a local destash and the lilac is supplex from my friend Aimee Wilson. You can check out her blog here.

Resources

1. The pattern for my tank is the Greenstyle Tie Back Tank.
2. The charcoal fabric for my tank is from LDG Textiles.
3. The pattern I used for both of my tights is the Greenstyle Stride tights. I have blogged about them here and here.
4. The tentacle fabric for my bra and Stride tights is on preorder at Zenith and Quasar. The preorder ends March 9th.
5. The Power Sports Bra pattern can be found here. I also have blogged about it here.

Do you see where the camera caught a bug flying by my butt? Haha!