If you are new to this challenge, you still have plenty of time to join in. You can read details on the Greenstyle blog here. You can also read some of the many blogposts I have written when I participated in this challenge in previous years or used the concept when sewing. ALSO, Greenstyle is offering a 25% off pattern discount during the event with code “2023PFC!” Ok, now let’s get into what I have made!

The Ultra Crop Hoodie

I started off by making 2 hoodies. It is still cold out, and I like to have an easy layer. I have lots of pullover styles in my closet and really needed more zip up options. For the pattern, I chose the Ultra Crop by Greenstyle. This was my first time to sew this pattern. My first version of the pattern included the longest length available in the pattern with the hood and slimmer sleeves.

I used matching french terry and rib knit from Greenstyle for the fabric. This is a lighter hoodie and will work well into the spring. I love having the rib match so perfectly!

For my next hoodie, I added length to the bodice and a pocket. I also used the fuller sleeve option included in the pattern.

The fabric on this one is a fleece-backed knit from The Fabric Fairy. It does not feel that much heavier than the french terry I used on my first zip up, but it is much thicker and warmer! I love how it really keeps the cold out without all the bulk. If this one is out of stock, you can find lots more of their polartec style fleece here.

To add the pocket, I used the Kangaroo pocket on the Bianca pullover. I made the pocket a little wider than just half the pocket based on the size of my hand.

As far as sewing the Ultra Crop hoodie, it was rather quick. I had made several last month using a different pattern and used the same method from that pattern. The instructions on this one were very robust because of all the options in the pattern, and it was a little overwhelming to sift through at first.

The only adjustment I made on both hoodies was to remove length from the sleeves, add width to the bottom band, and to add width to the cuffs. I felt like the cuff and bottom band were too tight. The bottom band especially made this puff and rippling situation all along the bottom of the hoodie. I cut the band to be 1:1 and barely stretched it to fit, cutting off any excess. I don’t like that band to fit tightly across my midsection. I think the bands included in the pattern would be fine if I was making the pattern as a top, but as a hoodie, it is not necessary to have the waist cinched in so much.

I also don’t like the wrist cuff too tight so that I can check my watch without much of a struggle, so I added an inch. You can see it is not as fitted here as intended.

Racerback Tops

Next, I wanted to make a dozen racerback style tank tops. I ended up fitting in two, but I hope I can make more before summer arrives. They are my favorite style to work out in. They are simple and don’t get in my way when moving around. For both of them, I used tried-and-true patterns that I reach for every day and feel like I don’t have enough colors of them.

I used the Greenstyle Lille for the purple tank I made. The only adjustment I made was to remove length from the bottom. The Lille is fitted in the bust but has a little more ease in the midsection.

The next tank I made is with the Greenstyle Elevate Crop Top. This pattern has a bottom band to finish it instead of a hem. I omitted that and lengthened it (using their cami pattern for advice on the width/length for the rest of the tank).

This one is more fitted through the midsection, mainly because of the pattern I used when adding length to it.

I used athletic brushed polyester for both tanks – the 180 gsm version. Sadly, the places I bought it from are now out of business (Zenith and Quasar and Made Whimsy). Do you have another source for this fabric?

Athletic Shorts

I made two pairs of athletic shorts with running in mind. For the first pair, I wanted compressive with a pocket for my phone when running outside.

For the pattern, I used the Greenstyle Super G tights. The pattern does not have a shorts cutline, so I have a video here on how I cut the pattern pieces to make shorts.

For fabric, I used athletic brushed polyester from The Styled Magnolia. I got this print in a scrap pack, and I LOVE it! The floral is so pretty! I see it is now in their pick-a-print section and can be added to your pre-order any month.

My next pair of shorts is for treadmill running where I don’t want a pocket for my phone, and I want something loose and airy. I always feel like those runs are the sweatiest and hardest. Having cute shorts that help keep me from getting too hot makes them a bit more fun!

I used the Balboa pattern for these. I did the 2″ elastic band option and the shortest length on the pattern because I had just a half yard to work with.

I used stretch woven fabric from The Styled Magnolia for the main fabric and a black stretch woven from The Fabric Fairy for the binding. You can find the Floral Silhouette print in The Styled Magnolia’s pick-a-print section here.

Which piece is your favorite? I am so happy I had time to make each one of them. I love the prints on the shorts, and I used them for inspiration for the other pieces and which colors to coordinate with them. Both of my tops go with each shorts, so these will be great for mix-and-match.

I hope I have inspired you in today’s post!  I would love to stay connected with you. You can find me on Instagram. You can subscribe to my YouTube channel HERE. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

If you want to support my creative endeavors, you can buy me a coffee HERE.

Disclosures

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate your support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.

I find it one of the quickest and most satisfying things to sew. I also can get a great fit in fabrics I love and feel good wearing. When I wear my handmade gym clothes when working out, I do not have to worry about everything staying put or feeling too tight in the wrong places, and frankly, that is worth all the time and effort it takes to sew my own. I also am petite so struggle with finding fit in store made bottoms.

Did you know that Greenstyle Patterns has an annual Fit Capsule Challenge? I have taken part in it for the past several years and always find so much inspiration and motivation when I join in. It usually lasts a month and has prizes and discounts.

The gist of the challenge is to sew at least 3 items that coordinate well for whatever type of activity you do to stay in shape. I have blogged about it several times, including here and here. You can read the details specific to this year on the Greenstyle blog. ALSO, there is a sitewide pattern discount of 25% off!! Use code 2022PFC through March 13th.

I got a little head start on sewing for it this year and made 6 items for today’s post! I hope you love all the details of each item. Let’s start with the bra.

I made the Greenstyle Embrace bra. This is a pattern that I have grown to love. I previously made dozens of Power Sports Bras but have lately been reaching more for my Embrace bras because I love how easy the flat front is to wear under more garments. (The power sports bra has princess seams on the front) I made this Embrace bra using the techniques in the Power Sports Bra pattern, though, because I did not want to do binding on the neckline. I have a sew along for the Embrace pattern here.

This is the racerback view on the pattern. It also includes a U-back style and a layered U and racerback for even more support.

Next, I made these Inspire leggings and added the Brassie jogger pocket onto them. I chose this pattern because it has more ease which gives me more room to grow. I notice when I work out more, I usually gain the inches in my backside and legs.

I used gold topstitching thread and love how it sparkles. To get this type of seam, I first sewed my seam with a serger (right sides together like usual). Then, I topstitched that seam down using my coverstitch with 3 needles, sewing on the inside of the pants. The only place I sewed from the right side was on the rise and hems. I decided they did not need to be highlighted.

It is like a little touch of magic.

I used the free contour waistband pattern on these instead of the waistband included in the pattern. It has a little more shaping to it and stays up better when running.

Next, I made a pair of Super G shorts. These also have the gold sparkle topstitching.

The Super G pattern has a gusset and the best pockets. The pattern does not include a cut line for shorts, but I have a video on how I cut the pattern pieces here.

Next, I made three tank tops that mix and match well with this as well as lots of my athletic clothes – a grey bamboo/cotton longer tank, a black cotton cropped tank, and one out of this alcohol ink print.

For the grey tank top, I used the Greenstyle Lille pattern.

For my next two tank tops, I used the Greenstyle Elevate for everything above the armscye and Greenstyle Cami cropped hemline for everything below the armscye.

Which one would you wear the most with this set?

Fabric

The print fabric that I used for this post is called Mystic Cavern. It is part of the Alcohol Ink artwork in the current round at The Styled Magnolia. I got the Athletic Brushed Polyester base. It is a soft fabric that wicks sweat really well. It is not heavy but is thick enough for leggings and sports bras as well as tanks and dresses! They have lots of other bases if you prefer to sew bags, quilts, or other types of garments.

The grey fabric is the bamboo cotton jersey base from The Fabric Fairy. I like this base better than a traditional cotton lycra because it is softer. I also like it better than a traditional bamboo lycra because it is a little heavier so does not wrinkle so bad and show every lump and bump.

The black fabric is a cotton lycra scrap from Made Whimsy. This is part of their dream solids so it is a softer cotton lycra and great quality. It is not quite as soft as the bamboo, but I still like how well it works for a tank! It is still a great quality for the price.

I hope I have inspired you in today’s post!  I would love to stay connected with you. You can find me on Instagram. You can subscribe to my YouTube channel HERE. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

Disclosures

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate your support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.

My husband was my photographer for these pieces. He happened to be wearing all stuff made by me! The top is an Excel tee in double brushed poly and his shorts are the Iron joggers in French Terry.

The Pattern

Fabric

The Top

Disclosures

I also tried a new (to me) fabric base called Athletic Honeycomb from Greenstyle that I will tell you my initial thoughts on in the second part of this post.

Athletic Brushed Poly

Almost two years ago, I made these Inspire leggings with the Enchanted Garden print on the ABP from the Styled Magnolia. You can find my initial post on them here that I wrote when I first made them.

They ended up being one of my favorite pairs because this pattern does not have a ton of negative ease so I wear them all the time around the house as well as out and about.

I have had a smallish scrap of the fabric left over after making my leggings, and I FINALLY got around to using that scrap. It was the perfect size for a Greenstyle Cami! This cami pattern has a shelf bra and is the ultimate piece of comfort! I made the high hip option and the crossed back straps option. I also included the optional liner for bra cups.

I was initially nervous to make something with my scrap that would be worn with my leggings because I thought that surely by now the colors would have been different due to washing and use or at least the leggings would be slightly pilled and have a different and more worn look.

HOWEVER – My fears were unfounded. LOOK!

CONFESSION: I have washed these tights with my kids laundry on normal (warm water) and then put them in my medium to high heat dryer without any special care. Probably 2-3 times a month at a minimum for the past 20 months (probably less in summer and more times than this for fall, winter, and spring).

Can you even tell that my bottoms have been worn and washed at least 30 times more than my top?

I am really hard on clothes. My kids play baseball and slide in the mud so my wash cycles are longer and have oxyclean in them usually. I even will throw my daughters jeans in with mixed colors loads sometimes. To be honest, some clothes I have sewn just don’t hold up to my life, and it is caused me to become even more picky with what I buy because it is really tragic to invest precious sewing time on something I will ruin in the wash.

The fabric care info for The Styled Magnolia says you are supposed to wash this fabric on cold and dry on low to medium. You are not really supposed to put athletic fabric in the dryer because it can lose elasticy over time due to the wear on the spandex content in the fabric from the heat of the dryer. This fabric still has all the snap back despite my dryer usage. I am going to try to do better at separating them from the dryer like I do bras so I don’t wear them out that way.

And here is the backside – which is the part that is most likely to pill due to sitting on concrete bleachers. I try to always remember to bring my chair, but I really don’t baby my clothes when I wear them. Thankfully, this pair has no pilling at all! That really is amazing for a brushed fabric.

Since the fabric is brushed it is soft and comfortable. I love this set so much! I have been wearing it with a hoodie over the cami and then when the afternoons are hotter, I just wear the cami with the leggings. Is that too much blue floral all at once??

Pink Athletic Honeycomb

I have noticed all the fun honeycomb leggings I have seen being made in the Greenstyle group, and I really wanted to try this fabric so I could understand what all the rage is so I ordered a yard of this pink.

This is the fabric that Greenstyle latest leggings – the Lift leggings – is drafted for. I tried my initial pair of this pattern out in a brushed supplex and wanted to see how they felt in the intended fabric.

This fabric definitely does exactly what it is intended to do and makes your booty look great. I noticed that the fabric has the most stretch running along the grainline so I cut my leggings out on the cross grain instead of the regular way with the grain so that I could have the most stretch running widthwise across my body. Since they are not super stretchy along the width of the fabric and that is the part of the fabric I have running vertically on my body, they are not as high in the rise as my other pair of leggings, despite using the exact same highest rise option.

Let me preface my opinion on this fabric with some background. I think I have slight texture issues. I notice that I gravitate towards fabrics that are super soft and feel a certain way next to my skin. I can’t wear scuba or ITY very often because I feel the coldness of it. I also struggle with seams that rub against me and notice how my clothes touch me. Soooo… these have texture and somehow I forgot about my texture issues until I put this pair of leggings on my body.

I instantly felt them and was not so sure about how it felt to constantly feel every part of the texture. Especially since it is not a brushed feeling but a bumpy one. I plan to use these only for work outs and probably won’t be wearing them for extended periods until I can get more accustomed to the feeling. I noticed even just standing and modeling them that I started to like them more and more. The look on my husband’s face was also pretty priceless!

What do you think? Are you a fan of the honeycomb fabric? If you have worn it, did you notice the texture and like it?

Resources

1. Enchanted Garden ABP – This print is on sale this month in the Pick A Print section. It is part of the Styled Magnolia’s Monthly Preorder.
2. Athletic Honeycomb Fabric
3. Cami Pattern
4. Lift Leggings Pattern
5. Inspire Tights Pattern – This is the pattern I used initially when I made my floral leggings. I modified the pattern to have a cuff and a pocket.

The Cami Pattern

The Greenstyle Cami comes in sizes B-M, which includes full busts measuring 30 to 61 inches. It includes crop, high hip, and full length options as well as 2 different strap widths.

I did the skinny straps on both camis that I made. I did high hip length on my white cami and crop length on my purple cami. I chose the length based on the leggings rise height I made to go with them.

The pattern includes a shelf bra option with a built in liner for cups. I used supplex fabric as my shelf bra and Greenstyle mist fabric as my liner to hold the cups. The cups are not sewn in but are removable because the liner has openings on each side so you can remove or adjust.

For my shelf bra on this white tank, I used a fabric as close to my skin tone as I could find in my stash so it was not so obvious underneath the white. You still can see the shelf bra underneath slightly (mainly the underbust elastic, but it is much better than trying to wear a full bra underneath a fitted white cami!

I consider the shelf bra low to medium impact. I can do jumping jacks in mine, but my sewing cup size is a B cup (2 inch difference in over and full bust) and I used a fabric with really nice recovery. Fabric choice and bust size will change how you feel about the impact of the shelf bra.

The pattern is drafted for knit fabric with at least 50% 4 – way stretch. The look, fit, and purpose of your cami will change based on the fabric you choose. I used athletic knit for both of mine and they have a more secure fit to them and work well for activewear. If you want a cami to wear for layering underneath tops or sleeping, you may want to choose rayon or bamboo spandex, rib knit, or a cotton spandex.

The only caution I would give on fabric choice is that thinner or lighter fabric will show every little bump underneath when stretched over your body so you may not be as happy with your cami if you use a lighter fabric and plan to wear it without an overlayer.

The pattern includes three options for strap placement – straight over the shoulders, a v placement where they meet in the middle of your back, or crisscrossed.

I chose straight over the shoulders for my white one and then the v straps for my purple. I love this V at the back! I think it helps to give the impression of a more hourglass shape.

Do you see the pattern sneak peak? These are the upcoming Lift leggings, and just as the name suggests, they give SERIOUS lift! Watch out for these to release by the end of the month!

My Cami Sewing Notes

I consider this an intermediate (to possibly advanced!) pattern. I rarely say this about the patterns I sew because (for the most part), I feel like sewing is like following a recipe. Even if you are a new sewists, if you know the basics, you can follow projects step by step, take your time and seriously impress yourself. I do not rate the difficulty level of this pattern based on the amount of time it takes to sew. In fact, it is a rather quick project! My rating more has to do with the binding aspect.

With sewing a cami, you really need to be confident with doing binding. I did a single fold binding on my tanks, which means that I sewed the binding right sides together to the cami, then after sewing, I wrapped it around to the back. I did not fold the raw edge underneath to hide it but topstitched it with one layer on the back and trimmed off the excess. Your seam allowance needs to be whatever you want your binding to finish at. I also sewed clear elastic for stability in all the strap parts as instructed in the pattrn, and I am so happy with how secure they feel.

I used my serger to sew the binding on. If you want your binding to finish wider than the width of your finished serger seam, you will want to use a stretch stitch on your regular sewing machine when you sew your binding right sides together with your cami.

I used my coverstitch to top stitch the binding after wrapping it to the front. I show how to do single fold binding on a tank top with a twin needle on a sewing machine in this video here (note: use duck bill scissors to trim. I didn’t have a pair yet when I did this video!). The same method applies to the coverstitch. On my coverstitch, I used a 2 needle narrow setting, but I think a 3 needle would also look great as well. A 2 needle wide may be harder to manage, though, especially if you are doing the skinny binding.

Super Gs

I made another pair of Super G tights also! I used some new fabric I just got from Greenstyle and am in love with this print!

The Super Gs are one of my go to athletic tights pattern. I have made these so many times and love the fit. They have a super long gusset that goes calf to calf and my FAVORITE pockets of all the leggings I have tried. You can see some of my other pairs and how I compare them to the other Greenstyle tights in this video. 

I reverse coverstitched most of the seams in a pretty blue (I didn’t bother doing the last inner leg seam after I closed the leg!). When I reverse coverstitch, I use all three needles and sew with the underside of the fabric facing up, making sure that the left needle covers just over the edge of the seam line and the right needle holds down the seam allowance.

Aren’t they so pretty! I love wearing pinks, purples, and blues, and these fit right in in my closet. The fabric base is called Arete (pronounced Are Tay). In my head I want to say (Uh reet). Anyways, it has a firm recovery and hold. You can hear it snap right back when you stretch it away from your body. It is comfortable to wear all day and still has its awesome snap back at the end of the day. It has a smooth feel but is not so thin that you see everything underneath.

I made the highest rise in the pattern, and this one hits at my belly button. I feel like the Strides and Cavallo have higher rise options than this one if you want super high. The upcoming Lift leggings also have a super high waist that hits more at my natural waist.

Resources

• Greenstyle Cami Pattern
• Greenstyle Super G Pattern
• Watercolor Arete Fabric 
• Purple Fabric was from The Fabric Fairy and is a brushed supplex. I have had it in my stash for 3 or 4 years! This colorway is no longer available, but they have several other beyond supplex solids here. 
• White fabric was purchased locally many years ago as well!

I hope I have inspired you in today’s post!  I would love to stay connected with you. You can find me on Instagram. You can subscribe to my YouTube channel HERE. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

Disclosures

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate your support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.

(1) The Sundial Pattern

The Sundial Leggings are a beginner friendly leggings pattern with the option of three different waistbands – a crossover V, a solid waistband, or a layered waistband that combines the other two. They are quick to sew up with no side seam and are great for showcasing stripes or fabric you do not want to break up with color blocking.

I am having a sew along for them March 1st through the 5th! Each day of the sew along, I will have videos for each step of the way as well as a great prize at the end to one of the participants. 

To get ready for the sew along, you can purchase the Sundial pattern for 25% off using code “GSFITCAPSULE21″ through March 7th !!

The sponsor for the sew along is The Styled Magnolia. You can save 15% on retail fabric (any in stock fabric) using code GSGETFIT2021 from Feb15th to the 21st.

The Sundial Leggings Sew Along videos will be posted on my YouTube channel here, and the daily posts for you to interact, ask questions, and be entered to win a prize will be in Greenstyle’s Facebook group here. If you have anything special you want me to cover, make sure you leave a comment or reach out to me!

(2) Fit Capsules

The Annual Greenstyle Fit Capsule Challenge kicks off today, February 15th. To make it a little more fun, all Greenstyle sewing patterns are 25% off using code “GSFITCAPSULE21″ through March 7th. This is an event where you are challenged to sew at least three items of athletic clothes using Greenstyle patterns that work in a capsule wardrobe. These three pieces can all coordinate together or they can compliment clothes you already have made or purchased. 

If you plan on joining me for the sundial leggings sew along, the pairs of leggings you make with me in the sew along will count towards one of your three fit capsule items (or it can count for all three of your fit capsule items if you get carried away!) You do not have to join me for the Sundial Leggings sew along to participate in the Fit Capsule challenge, but I think it is a fun and quick pattern to get in for one of your planned capsule items!

When I first heard about the concept of a “capsule wardrobe,” I was very skeptical. It just seemed too minimalistic and limiting to me. I sew a lot and enjoy buying lots of fabric. Despite how many clothes I have, though, I still have those moments where I stand in my closet and say “I have nothing to wear!?!”  Or, sometimes, I finish a garment and realize that I have nothing in my closet to wear it with. Yikes!

Enter capsule wardrobing, even if you are a “maximalist” (the opposite of minimalist) this is a way of thinking about your clothes and how you put them together. It is bringing some balance to your wardrobe by having a plan, and on purpose selecting quality pieces that will be more versatile with the rest of what you wear. 

There are lots of ways to do this – maybe selecting a bra that will go with lots of outfits or a sweater that can be layered and create multiple looks from outfits you already have. You also can start from scratch and make a pair of leggings, bra, and top that you love how they coordinate together! 

This challenge is so fun because it specifically deals with athletic clothes. You aren’t trying to take on the broad spectrum of everything you wear, but are specifically looking at clothes you are active in. 

The contest lasts four weeks! All the athletic patterns will be on sale starting Monday. There will be weekly prizes (including a chance to win a Juki Coverstitch!), and lots of fun. We also will have some fabric discounts from our sponsors! 

Download and PRINT your FREE planning worksheet here that includes all the Greenstyle Patterns you can use. Download and print your FREE blank worksheet here if you want to fill in your own patterns.

Start by thinking about what colors you love and know you look and feel good in. Look at photos of yourself and how different colors make you feel. Also, look at your shoes! I always get so happy when what I sew has a matching pair of shoes!

Don’t forget, all Greenstyle sewing patterns are 25% off using code “GSFITCAPSULE21″ through March 7th, and read the Greenstyle blog here for more details. 

(3) Shiny and Exciting Fabric

I made three new pairs of Sundial leggings – one of them in one of my favorite athletic bases (athletic brushed poly) and two of them in new-to-me athletic fabrics. Let’s chat about the new athletic fabrics I got to try – an athletic rib nylon spandex and a glossy textured nylon spandex.

The Rib Knit

Greenstyle has a new nylon spandex athletic rib knit that is not like any other rib knit I have sewn with. This one has ribs only on the right side of the fabric, which means that the inside is flat and smooth against your skin. The inside feels like a soft supplex, while the outside has this amazing texture.

I cannot stop touching my legs when I wear these. They feel great. 

This color is called rust, and it was harder to photograph than I thought it would be. It has much more brown to it and is not as red as it came out in my photos. I really want to try the pink next!

You will want to cut the fabric out cross grain so that your ribs go up and down your legs. The fabric has the most stretch that way. I did the double waistband option on the Sundials and did the inner solid waistband with the ribs going up and down but then did the cross over with the ribs going sideways. I recommend not copying me on that decision (well, unless you really like a firm waistband that is). Do ALL of your ribs going up and down because my waistband IS TIGHT. Like, the possibility for these to slip at all does not exist! This is a FIRM waistband for intense workouts and not for eating large meals.

The Glossy Knit

The next fabric I have to show you is another nylon spandex that is completely different than the first. This one is from The Styled Magnolia.

I always find it amazing how two fabrics can be made from the same fibers and be night and day different! The two things the rib knit and this glossy knit have in common is that they both have fantastic recovery and make great leggings. 

The rib knit is a structured, more matte appearing fabric that you will want to use for garments that are against your body like leggings, sports bras, fitted tanks, fitted crop tops, fitted rash guards etc. 

The glossy knit has a shine to it and wonderful drape. It can be used for fitted and loose garments. In addition to leggings and tight fitting bras and crops, it would make an awesome dress or loose flowy top. 

It is a printed fabric so the inside is white. The right side of the fabric has a texture that has a nap to it. It kind of reminds me of velvet in that when you rub it, one ways is smooth/soft, but the other way is not. It does not have the raised softness of a velvet but the nap it has reminds me of this.

This is a cold/slinky feeling fabric that you will want for hot summer days or hot workouts. The fabric breathes really well and is not something to go traipsing about in the snow in.

The floral print is so pretty! I don’t plan to wear these together that often, but I love how well the colors in the fabric go with other items I have made (wink wink capsule wardrobe!)

For my top, I used the Greenstyle Scarlet pattern. It is a swing dress pattern with a tank (or sleeve) option. I cut the hemline cropped (it only comes with tunic and dress lengths in the pattern). Another adjustment I made was to add length to the bands. This fabric has excellent recovery so I knew the bands would be too bunched and adding the extra length helped them lay better.

I  thought it was the perfect pattern to show you the swing, drapy feel of this athletic knit. 

Athletic Brushed Poly

I also can’t end this post without talking about my athletic brushed polyester set!

Athletic brushed polyester is my favorite and most sewn athletic base. It is soft and warm to the touch but light enough that I don’t get sweaty when I am active in it. I can wear it ALL day long and feel good in it. I usually use it for sports bras and leggings sets, but I have also made a dress for my daughter out of it and thought it turned out gorgeous! 

This is a striped panel (1.5 yards) called Austere that is in the current preorder at The Styled Magnolia. It will be available to order through February 17th. You can pick any of their many bases depending on what you want to make.

The bra I made with this set is the Embrace bra. You can see my sew along for it here. 

Join me for the Fit Capsule Challenge and Sundial Sew Along! Let me know if you have any questions or need more resources. I’d be happy to help. 

Resources

1. Sundial Leggings pattern
2. Embrace Sports Bra pattern and sew along
3. Scarlet Swing pattern
4. Austere Fabric Panel Fabric
5. Athletic Rib Knit Fabric
6. Glossy Floral Fabric
7. FREE Planning Worksheet for capsule wardrobes with Greenstyle Activewear patterns
8. FREE Blank Planning Worksheet

I hope I have inspired you in today’s post!  I would love to stay connected with you. You can find me on Instagram. You can subscribe to my YouTube channel HERE. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

Disclosures

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.

XO

Sharon

PS It was cold outside when I was taking these photos so I wore a Sunday cardigan I made a few years ago for the rest of the day and in between shots! This one has been well loved. I even sleep in it sometimes and probably did a few nights ago before these photos. So, it is a little wrinkled lol.

Here is the post when I first made it. I think I love my hair much better when it is darker.

The Cavallo Leggings pattern has no inseam. It was created for horseback riding, biking, or running. Well, anything where you are going to have repetitive motion that touches your inner thigh. This pattern will help you eliminate the chaffing and rubbing associated with that inner leg seam. If you are using the pattern for horseback riding, it even has the optional patches for your inner knee area to grip the saddle!

I also think these are astoundingly booty flattering and just down-right comfortable to wear!

This pattern has so few seams that it is just QUICK to sew. I feel like every seam in this leggings pattern is only where it is absolutely necessary – (1) Back yolk – booty flattering, (2) pockets – um, hello everything good needs pockets, (3) outseam – you have to have an inseam or outseam to enclose a leg, (4) crotch curve – because we have two legs, and (4) waistband seam – so your leggings stay on. The waistband is contoured so I didn’t put any elastic in the top, and they still stay put very well!

The pattern includes 2 different rise option at the top of the pants and 2 different rise options on the top of the waistband so that you can technically have 4 different options of rises. On this pair I used the higher rise on the main and the lower rise on the waistband.

The pockets are just HUGE. I really love that the pocket panel doesn’t extend all the way to the bottom of the leg and rather it merges into one seam on its way to your ankle. I have wanted to adjust the strides pattern for sometime to do this, but now I don’t have to worry about messing with the pattern to do that!!

Adjustments and Sizing

I am a petite person who can’t walk into a store and get a pair of leggings that actually fit me correctly due to having short legs and more muscular calves. For this pattern, I made a size D and graded my calves to an E. I started my calf grading right at the knee. I removed 3/4 inch at the first lengthen/shorten line that is at the thigh. Don’t forget to remove the same amount from the main pants as well as all the pocket pieces. This helped move the bottom of the pocket where the seams merging happens right at the knee. Then, I removed 1.25″ at the second lengthen/shorten line and another 1 inch at about 4 or 5 inches below that, and then, I removed another inch from the bottom! Whew. This part of sewing makes me happy. Not because it is easy, but because I know my clothes will look good and fit me right.

See, no inseam!

I made a matching Power Sports Bra for this pair of tights because it means I will wear them more if I have a matching bra!

Let me also show you the first pair I made. It is always good to make a test pair before cutting your good fabric so you can see that your adjustments work out and that you like the options you chose.

On this pair, I did not do any reverse coverstitching so that I could check the fit. If you do not own a cover stitch, don’t be intimidated or think you can’t make this pattern if you do not own a coverstitch machine. Just make sure you use matching thread or you need to topstitch with a twin needle to hide your mismatched thread from showing on the right side.

On this pair, I used the high rise option on both the main pants and on the waistband. The top of the waistband ends at least an inch or more above my belly button so I knew for the final pair to use the lower rise waistband option. I like where the seam connects to the waistband on the pants so I knew I didn’t need to lower that rise option.

Resources

• Cavallo Leggings Pattern
• Highlighter Explosion Fabric – this fabric base feels so good to wear!!
• My top is the Lacy Slope Tank top in Fine Lines Fabric. I straightened the hemline out on this so that it does not have a slope. The ease is perfect for a knotted tank!

Thanks for stopping by today!  I would love to stay connected with you. You can find me on Instagram. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

*Disclosures

I received this pattern for free as part of the testing process to give the designer feedback about the instructions and fit. Also, this post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.

For myself, I made the Greenstyle Power Sports Bra with the nursing option and the Greenstyle Super G shorts.

Video Tutorials

You can watch me sew the nursing option of the Power Sports Bra HERE. If you want to see how I cut the Super G pattern into shorts, you can watch that video HERE.

I am nearing the end of my nursing journey, which is bitter sweet, but I am glad I took this chance to memorialize it and record how to sew the nursing option of the power sports bra! Hopefully, it can be helpful to those who are still in that stage or sewing for someone who is. I really struggled with finding good nursing sports bras before this pattern was released, and I just can’t say enough amazing things about how well this fits and how easy it is to make! I have at least a dozen in my closet and would happily make a dozen more!

I also sewed myself a new Muscle Up tank to wear over my bra. You know, I can’t just walk around in a bra and short shorts all day. 🙂 I used cupro for this one. It is such a buttery fabric with low stretch and good drape.

I LOVE the armscye on this pattern. It is a unisex tank, and I also have made several for my husband. It is my go to tank when I want a looser fit for a breezier tank. I prefer it in fabrics that have nice drape.

For my daughter, I made the Sofilantjes Litore.

This dress has a fun strappy back and several skirt options. I chose the high-low circle skirt on the pattern.

It is really good that I am able to sew because this girl does not have a typical shape for store bought clothes. She has had the same chest, waist, and hip measurement since she was like 4 or 5 months old. She seems to put all her growth in the upwards direction and has stayed in the 75% for her height, though. This means that store bought clothes are way too baggy if the length is correct.

For this dress, I made her the 18 month width and a 2t for the height. I probably could have made her the 12 month for width, but hopefully she will get a little extra tummy some time soon.

We had a fun goose come and visit us during photos. It kept her very happy and occupied while taking photos! It got very close to us, which made me a bit nervous. It never did anything but honk at us a lot, though. Has a goose ever attacked anyone?

She loves that I put pockets in her dress! Of course, my shorts have pockets too!

Resources

• Fabric: Feather Bound is on preorder at The Styled Magnolia through May 17th on multiple fabric bases. Of course, my fave and the one I used is Athletic Brushed Polyester.
• Fabric: Cupro, not sure where it is in stock at the moment. I have been looking for more!!
• Patterns: Power Sports Bra, Muscle Up Tank, Super G Tights, and Sofilantjes Litore
• Video Support: Nursing Sports Bra, Super G Shorts, Muscle Up Tank
• Other Supplies: Bra Cups, Clear Elastic, Soft Waistband Elastic, Nursing Clips

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you find my nursing bra tutorial video helpful! Let me know if you have any questions.  I would love to stay connected with you. You can find me on Instagram. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

*Disclosures

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.

I received neon pink ABP and atlantic blue arete (pronounced ar-tay) fabric from Greenstyle Creations, and it is perfect for making a workout set for spring. I also made good use of my scraps, and made a workout set for my daughter.

The pink is a very bright neon, and I swear it glows in my photos! It is very happy color and perfect for brightening up my workout clothes. The fabric base is an athletic brushed polyester that is 190 gsm, which means it is perfect for tank tops. It is thick enough to not be see through and light enough to not be hot. It is one of my favorite bases of fabric to make tanks and tees out of. Since it is brushed it is soft to the touch and does not feel slippery or cold. It is a great fabric for adults and kids, and I was happy to have enough of a scrap to get her a summer tank out of it too!

For my top pattern, I chose the Lille by Greenstyle. I love the racerback and the fit of this tank! You really can’t have enough Lille’s in your closet! The arms and neck can be finished with binding or with bands. You can watch videos of how to perfect your single fold binding, double fold binding, and bands from the tank sew along we did together last summer.

For my daughter’s tank top, I used the Stitched Upon a Time Artemis. I love the gathers at the back!

For our pants, I tried out the new Arete fabric that Greenstyle just added to their fabric shop. It is a fabric that works great for athletic tights and pullovers. It has nice compression and firm stretch. It is not brushed but has a more smooth feel to it. It is not slippery or cold like swim fabric and easy to sew with. I like to wear mainly supplex and athletic brushed polyester in the winter months, while in the summer months I prefer lighter fabrics like this one. The stretch is firm enough that I probably should have added more to my waistband seams because the waistband feels tighter as the day goes on (Or maybe, the quarantine lifestyle has caught up with my waistline!) It doesn’t give at all, which on the bright side means that I don’t pull my pants up throughout the day.

Arete weighs in at 270 gsm. It is a lighter weight fabric for leggings so it will keep you cooler. Since it is lighter weight, it will definitely show regular underwear lines so you will need to have the no show brief or the no show thong pattern for undergarments with this one. I think it is a great athletic fabric for the warmer months. I am wearing a no show brief in this photo, and it is pretty well hidden!

I used the Inspire tights for my pants, and I used the girls stride tights for my daughters. She has been wearing the 2t size since she was 9 months and her legs still don’t really fill them out. She only seems to grow up and not out!! The only difference between this pair and the pairs I made her when she was a little baby is that I added 2 inches to this one!

How is your life changed during the COVID-19 epidimic? I am already a stay at home mom to 5 and am homeschooling 4 of them and keeping up with a toddler so life is really  not much different. If anything, it has really helped me in ways I had no idea that I needed!

The first way that it has helped is that I finally took the plunge to learn about grocery pickup (from Walmart) and grocery delivery (from Whole Foods via Amazon). Both are absolutely amazing. I wished I would have done this a long time ago, and I am so grateful for the push to start. I would not recommend Kroger or Target, though. Kroger took a week and got so many things wrong. They also were 24 hours late with their time frame. Target only allows in-store pickup of perishables, and their website is just downright frustrating if you are trying to get both non-perishables and perishables. If you have any other great experiences with pickup or delivery, I would love to hear them!

At first my kids were disappointed to have all their activities and coops cancelled because they really look forward to seeing friends and having social time. Thankfully, after a few weeks, they made lots of neighborhood friends that we had not noticed before (I guess due to differing schedules). It is really nice to have close friends without the stress of driving and arranging play times. So, what initially was a disappointment has turned into an amazing blessing.

My husband thankfully has an office job that allowed him to start working from home during the day about a month ago, and I have absolutely LOVED having him home everyday. I have been sleeping in and catching up on sleep I have missed for the last 10 years. He also is quick to jump in and help with homeschooling or discipline or fun in his breaks through the day. It also has just really been nice on our relationship to spend sometime catching up on shows together and spending time drinking wine without a care or rush in the world. I never realized how crammed our life was and then all at once everything felt freed up – and in such a good way.

Since my husband is at home, though, he has taken over my office where all of my sewing is and so I no longer am able to sew during the day. I really have not gotten much done, and I am OK with that. I have felt a little disconnected and am trying to re-imagine how to still have my hobby within a more limited time frame.

Speaking of disconnected, I have stepped back from social media a lot. I previously posted around 3-4 times a week (and sometimes everyday!) on Instagram or in sewing groups on Facebook, and strangely, I have just stepped back. I think the overwhelm stemming from the virus as well as opinions, mask sewing, and constant barrage of fear were too much for me. I also became irritated with the constant politicizing of the event as well as some really bad choices made by my local county officials (like the golf courses and driving ranges are open and crowded to the max but not the dentist or parks???)  I hope that I can find excitement and joy in the social aspect of my hobby again. I wonder if I am not the only one feeling a disconnect?

Thanks for reading today. I would love to hear how you are doing. Leave me a comment or shoot me a message 🙂

Disclosures

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.

My kids found a goose during photos and spent time with him! It really made their day 🙂

Anyways, without further ado, let’s jump in to today’s post.. 🙂

Reverse Coverstitched Super Gs

I have been sewing activewear for quite some time now, and I have happily been doing so without a coverstitch. I see the question asked by sewists all the time, “Can I make my own leggings (or swimsuits or bras) without a coverstitch?” The answer is emphatically “YES!”

I have been saving up to get one for at least a year! Some pretty fabric or something I needed to get my kids seemed to always jump right in line ahead of it, and anyways, I was getting along so well without one by just using a twin needle on my regular sewing machine when I needed to hem or topstitch something. I also had remembered the tears when I was learning to thread the first serger that I bought (an Elna) so I was nervous to learn a new machine! (Thankfully, my second serger, a Juki, has jet air threading, so the tears ceased once I bought such a friendly machine.)

I bought the Babylock Coverstitch! It is one of the more expensive machines on the market, but I have always seen such good reviews that I knew it would be a trusty machine. To help lower the price, I traded in that old fiesty Elna serger.

I brought it home, and straight out of the box, hemmed some pants, and then, of course, I had to try it with reverse coverstitch so I made some Super Gs! This is the pattern that made me want a coverstitch in the first place. Have you seen the reverse coverstitched yellow pair that Angelyn made in testing?! They are so pretty!

I am so happy with the machine I bought. So far, it just purrs and does not fuss at all. It went over the bulkier seam junctions without even noticing them. I also feel like the machine has really great control. It is sensitive to my touch or lack thereof and does not zoom out from under my feet. I am still not confident to get that very last inseam seam, but maybe one day I can bunch a pair of leggings up enough to do it!

Getting a stand alone coverstitch machine has definitely taken my athletic sewing up just one notch, but I will continue to tell sewists to not be intimidated or feel that sewing activewear has to be super expensive! Getting a coverstitch is nice, but it is definitely EXTRA!

The Fabric

I used Athletic Brushed Polyester (ABP) from The Styled Magnolia for this pair. This particular print is in the pick-a-print section of their website and is called shades of black camo. If you submit an order from this section, it is submitted to the printer at the end of the month. I absolutely LOVE this fabric and had saved it for when I owned a coverstitch to give it the details I wanted!! I only had a yard to work with so I cut the gusset cross-grain since the gusset is longer than a yard. This works fine since the fabric has plenty of stretch both ways!

Two New Tops

The next thing I wanted to make for my capsule was a tank top and long sleeved-top. For my tank top, I used the Lille pattern, and my friend Aimee put the HTV on it! You can find the cut file here. I got the fabric for my tank from Aimee as well! When she moved this past year, she sent me a lot of her scraps! It is a great shade of yellow. I always worry whether I can even pull off yellow, but I know I will wear this top to work out in a lot!

For the next top, I used the free Green tee pattern with some grey jersey I found in my stash. I have been Outlander obsessed for some time now and told my friend Aimee I needed a shirt, so I made the shirt, and she made this HTV for me!!! I need to figure out what I can make her in return because that is seriously the sweetest thing ever. I have watched all of this show and listened to all of the audio books. I have yet to find a book series I like this much. Sometimes, after trying to get into a book that I just can’t, I will go back and listen to or read some Outlander to renew my excitement for reading. Haha! Dana Gabaldon definitely has a gift. Could book 9 be out tomorrow, please?

“Je Suis Prest” is French for “I am ready!” I think it is just perfect 🙂

Yoga Pants

I also made some Everyday Yoga Pants! These are just the coziest pants and work for light workouts or for everyday lounging.

I used the high rise waistband from the Stride tights on them, and it is super nice! The main fabric is a french terry, and the fabric for the waistband is cotton lycra. The french terry is not super stretchy and doesn’t have great recovery so I knew the cotton lycra would be better suited for a waistband.

This pattern is super flattering and bootylicious for lounge pants!

I made my measured size (XXS) for the Yoga pants and removed 3 inches in length total. I have a 27 inch inseam, and the pattern is drafted with a 30 inch inseam.

I am also {trying} to let my natural waves have their way. It is taking some patience, but I feel like my hair is looking healthier. I am doing the “low poo” curly girl method and have found a few products I like. I still haven’t figured out how to make it have larger clumps, and it seriously takes forever to dry it. One step at a time, though… I just wanted to share my journey and hopefully I will have more progress in a few months with figuring out my hair!

I took photos in a big field today, and let my kids run around and get some energy out. My daughter was letting me know that it was time to leave…

Come join me in the Fit Capsule challenge if you haven’t already begun! You can find all the details of the challenge here.

Thanks for stopping by today!  I would love to stay connected with you. You can find me on Instagram. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

Resources

1. Patterns: Super G Tights, Everyday Yoga Pants, Lille Tank, and Green Tee. Greenstyle patterns are also on sale through midnight on 2/29, use code 30KFitCapsule for 25% off!
2. Fabric: The Styled Magnolia shades of black camo on ABP, yellow cotton lycra, grey jersey, and grey french terry.

*Disclosures

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.

XO