Back To Basics 2018

When Katie of the Creative Counselor asked me to join them on their Back to Basics Tour I wasn't sure if it was something I wanted to commit to. Being pregnant, running a fabric shop and just trying to stay alive has been basically my whole life lately. But then I remembered several VERY important things.

#1- I NEED basics. I mean, my wardrobe was pretty well finished before I ended up pregnant. Now I'm trying to sew fast enough to not have to resort to DH's sweat pants and over sized t-shirts (I'm failing horribly by the way).

#2- I was going to be sewing these types of items anyway, so I might as well.

#3- My previous forays into the Back to Basics series always left me with a much more practical wardrobe (which I REALLY need).

In previous years (like here), I talked about all the ways you can make your basics less "basic." I mean, basic doesn't have to be boring, right?

I could have easily done a blog post about how to make a bunch of fun t-shirts. I've even done a live video on my fabric shop page with 4 separate lace back hacks for a simple tank.

But this year was definitely time to tackle some pants. The most common thing I read when it comes to pants is, "I have this pants pattern I love. I want shorts just like it." And all I can think is, so make them shorts... Maybe it is just easy for me to see that the transition from pants to shorts. Your best basics are patterns that can be turned into other patterns. Fit once and sew many times. That's the best way to get your best pattern value.

As much as I wanted to grab a new pattern, I knew that my collection is vast AND I also know a pants pattern that included instructions for a shorts hack. So, the pattern I picked was the Jalie Vanessa Pants. The Vanessas are supposed to be for flowy wovens, but I love throwing caution to the wind and doing my own thing.

To pair with all of the bottoms, I used Everything Your Mama Made And More Asymmetrical Drape Top. It doesn't look at all asymmetrical right now but it was made with zero modifications for the pregnant belly. I'll probably make a few more as they look like they'll be comfy for post partum.

After a muslin that confirmed I needed a bit more space in the front quad I cranked out my first pair of Vanessas as pants in Simply By Ti Stretch Chambray. This chambray is not flowy enough to really do this pattern justice. But these are SO comfy. To accommodate the pregnant belly, I shortened the waistband by about an inch. That's it. I still had plenty of butt coverage and I could literally sleep in these.

Now it was time to have some fun! Up first, Simply By Ti Stretch Leather. After following the Jalie Tutorial for making "jogging shorts" I knew the Stretch Leather would be SO fun. Even though our faux leather doesn't breathe well, this looser fit means these shorts won't get too sweaty. To keep the waistband comfy, I used our rose glitter french terry instead. These certainly make this pattern something else. With a pair of heels (unlikely for this pregnant mama), I could even see these being great for date night.

Next, I wanted the best basic of all, black shorts. For these, I used Simply By Ti Stretch Poplin. When

I think about our poplin, I think very firm quilting cotton with some soft stretch. That made them perfect for these shorts. if I ever felt the urge, I could even lengthen them into walking shorts.

Finally, I have been eyeing a pair of lace shorts at our local Walmart. Every time I see them I think, I can do that. So I did. Simply By Ti Stretch Chambray meet Stretch Lace. Of all of the pieces I've made, these are my  favorite. I added a cuffed hem to make hemming the lace easier and I just LOVE how they turned out. I'll need to pair lace with some french terry next to create a selection of fun lounge wear.

These pieces are basic enough to be really functional in my wardrobe, yet fun enough to be worth the time investment of sewing them. And, my maternity hack is so minor, I'm pretty sure they'll transition to post partum easily. They're my new not so basic basics. 😁   

April 23 | Creative Counselor April 24 | Heather Handmade April 25 | Handmade Frenzy April 26 | Harper + Lu April 27 | Sewing by Ti