Purple Explosion

I've been on a top-making binge lately.  Between last Wednesday and today, I've made three tops and am half-way through a fourth.

The one I'm most excited about is my second Avocado Hoodie made from the awesome heathered purple fleece I picked up from my recent trip to the Textile Discount Outlet (Blogged here. I called it maroon in that post, but after playing with it for a while, have decided it's more purple.)

Pattern: Avocado Hoodie by Disparate Disciplines. I made option B, non-overlapping hood with back pockets.

Fabric: Super soft, super awesome purple fleece from the Textile Discount Outlet. I could not stop petting this in the store. I also used purple jersey left over from this dress for the pocket lining picked up in the Vogue Fabrics remnant room.

Size and Modifications: Even though I said I would modify the size a bit after my last hoodie, I lied.  I used the same sizing as before - size 6 on top and size 8 at hips. Since this fabric is much thinner and more drapey than my first, it fits looser.

I also did elect to interface the pocket tabs with some lightweight fusible interfacing and tacked down the tabs just a bit in the corners. This helped them not gape open as much as my first hoodie. (That one isn't bad, these just lie flatter.)

Close-up of my lining:

Underneath , I had on my latest Renfrew.  This is the millionth time I've made this pattern, and there's no end in sight. This shirt was made from purple burn out jersey picked up from, you guessed it, the Vogue remnant room. Seriously, most of my Renfrew fabric comes from here.

As you can probably tell, I've been on a major purple/maroon/burgundy/wine colored fabric binge lately. But hey, if the color works, why not stick with it?

My First Avocado Hoodie

 My first Avocado Hoodie:

I'm calling this my "first" because there's definitely going to be more!

Seriously, I love this!

Pattern: Avocado Hoodie by the amazingly talented Mari of Disparate Disciplines.  I choose Option B, non-overlapping hood with back pockets.

Fabric: Double-sided sweatshirt fleece from Vogue Fabrics in Evanston. It's chocolate brown on the outside and a lighter tan on the inside. I used green jersey left over from my Burda gathered top for the pocket lining.

Size and Modifications: I cut out a 6 at the top and graded to an 8. The only other intentional modification was that instead of using clear elastic to stabilize the bottom pocket edge, I used a strip of the fleece selvage. Time will tell how well this holds up.

By "intentional" modifications, I kind of made a few mistakes along the way with construction. The instructions are great, but I just spaced out from time to time and forgot to follow them in a few places. It's all on me. Most of the time, it just meant me spending some quality time with my seam ripper (we've been very close the past few weeks), but I will need to go back in an either redo the topstitching along the neck or tack down the facing. I was in the home stretch and didn't see that I was supposed to sew 3/4" from the neckline. I think mine is about 1/4".  It just means the facing sticks up a bit, but I'll probably go in and correct this soon.

Check out the back pockets!

I do have just a bit of bunching around my hips and lower back. The instructions do suggest using a fabric with 4-way stretch if you have a swayback or a proportionally larger bottom (Check and Check). They also suggest making sure you have positive ease. I haven't measured, but with jeans on I should be right at the finished garment hip measurements. None of this bugs me in the slightest because I think it still rocks and is super comfy, but I will probably grade my next one a bit larger at the hips, or pick a lighter weight fabric.

And can we talk about the thumb holes!

I'm thinking of stealing this pattern piece and adding it to other tops because I really do love this.

The best news, my husband wants his own hoodie! There are a few (hundred) projects ahead in line, and I'd have to figure a way to grade the men's pattern up for him because he has crazy huge shoulders, but it should be fun!

I'm just sad that the weather is so nice out, because I really want to wear this more (or at least for longer than this photo shoot)! This is some seriously warm fleece, and I'm pretty sure I'd die if I wore it outside this coming week.