Help! What do I do with this flamingo fabric? I’m in love with it but I’m afraid I’m going to sew something that will make me look seven years old.
It’s one meter of mid-weight cotton jersey. I’ve photographed it with some leftover modal jersey I used for my Plantain Tee that seems to be a good match…because maybe all-over flamingo would be too much? Maybe colour-blocking is the way to go? The background is a pinkish cream colour (hard to photograph correctly), so finding a solid coordinating colour has been difficult.
Is there a pattern for a top that you think I could pull off with this fabric? The fact that it’s cotton jersey increases the odds that I’ll look like I’m wearing kids’ clothing. I’ve seen some great flamingo-print tops like this one by Lauren of Lladybird, or this one featured on Sweet Shard’s blog, but they’re made of floatier, more sophisticated fabrics.
Should I throw caution to the wind and go for a basic tee, and hope it looks something like this Kate Spade silk-viscose tee below? I suppose it could always be worn as a pyjama top if my unrealistic, high-end-on-a-dollar-budget expectations aren’t met. 🙂
Any suggestions you have would be most appreciated!
Thanks for stopping by.
–Lori
basic t does it … I have a shirt like this & love it ! Although daugher thinks its awful haha!!
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LOL! It’s how the world should be when a daughter thinks her mom’s clothes are awful! 😉
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I vote for all flamingo, like your RTW inspiration shirt!
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Thanks, Gillian!
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or a raglan sleeve tee – like hey june lane raglan?
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Thanks for the suggestion….I think I’ll pick up the Hey June pattern even if I don’t use it with this fabric. Looks like a really versatile basic.
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What about a raglan baseball(?) tee? Use the pink for the neck binding, sleeves and a pocket, and the flamingoes for the body–I think it could be really cool! 🙂
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You know, I had been thinking raglan, too. Unfortunately I don’t think I have enough solid fabric for the sleeves…but maybe there’s still some left at the store. So many options now! Thanks for the suggestion.
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I’d go for the Plantain in all flamingo. I think it will be very Kate Spade in an awesome way!
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Thanks, Sue! Nice to see you here. I wouldn’t have expected anything less from you than to go with full-on flamingo! 😀
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Today so many kids clothes look like adult clothes…
I think doing it like your inspiration-shirt won’t really work, because it becomes more elegant as a woven.
But if you colour block it, it becomes less Pyjama, like the first one in this pin: http://pinterest.com/pin/33495590961245371/?source_app=android
Or you could make it kind of sexy, with a colourblocked neckline: http://eshop.vanessapouzet.com/en/patterns/200-wanted.html
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Thanks, Dalia! Both suggestions are really cute, but I absolutely ADORE the Vanessa Pouzet top. (Perhaps I’m blinded by how gorgeous it is on that model, though.) If I don’t make it with this flamingo fabric, I will definitely try it with something else.
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Does it have to be a top? What about pants made with a one-piece pattern? You’d have enough for that or shorts.
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Hi Barbara! Shorts would be super-cute. Thanks for the suggestion.
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I don’t think it’ll make you look like a kid. The T is great and I was also going to suggest the baseball tee. Or you know what? You could look for a slightly dressier knit top pattern. Could be as simple as a neckline switch, maybe a scoop or boatneck? I’m trying to think of a pattern but it isn’t working because I haven’t had my coffee yet…. (And I just realized the T you showed likely has a boatneck and a curved seam. See? Lack of coffee…)
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LOL! I appreciate your pre-coffee attempts, here, Raphaelle! 😀
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Go the Spade look!
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A Tilly and the buttons Agnes top would be gorgeous in that fabric.
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Cute! I hadn’t seen that pattern before.
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I’m glad you asked because I have the same fabric and am just as stumped! I am leaning away from color blocking, though. I think that would put it more into the kid’s clothes territory.
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I teach a bra sewing class, and one of my students used that fabric to make a soft bra. It was ADORABLE.
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What a great idea! All these suggestions are making me want an entire flamingo wardrobe! lol
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If you haven’t checked out Rhonda’s Creative Life today, there’s a very nice T-shirt at the bottom of the post and the pattern is FREE. I also like Denise’s bra idea. Bra and shorts. Too cute.
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Raglan sleeve top. Body in plain (gorgeous colour!) and sleeves, hem and neck binding in flamingo.
I made a long sleeve raglan top like this – navy body and sleepy cloud sleeves. I love it. I made my own pattern by pretty much just drawing round a raglan sleeve shop bought top and reading about a hundred tutorials online.
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