Love this Knit Pattern

In December I picked up the book, "I Have Nothing to Wear" by Jill Martin & Dana Ravich at my library.  I've been mostly hating my wardrobe, or at least the body that has been going in it, and so I've been slowly revamping my closet.  Although I don't have a friend nearby that I can trust to give me good fashion opinions/advice (as suggested in the book) I feel like I pretty much know what works for me and what doesn't.  And definitely I know what style is me--and it's not bohemian surfer girl.

One of the suggestions in the book is to get rid of all clothes that don't make you look and feel like a "10".  That means anything stained, really worn, or just plain unflattering and not your personal style.  So some things have left my closet--especially items that I rarely wear, because I don't just LOVE them.

And then,of course, I needed some new pieces to replace some of those throw-aways.

Last pattern sale at Jo-Ann's I bought a couple new patterns.
Love, love, love view ABC on this pattern: Simplicity 1716.



And for $.99/ea. it was a bargain to not have to figure out on my own how they did that funky twisty neckline.  And I have another shirt that someone gave us that is VERY similar to this pattern that we were going to try and duplicate.

I had a cream knit piece I had bought at my thrift store for about $1.50 and decided to use that as my "sample" to make sure I didn't need to make any adjustments on the pattern: i.e. raise the neckline some.  It does have a seam down the entire back, which I don't love, but I did it for this first shirt.  I know that they put it in to give the shirt a little more shape and fit to your body, but I find a seam down the back of a t-shirt a bit annoying.  Not sure I'll do it on the next one.

Really however, I just love this shirt.


Then I used it to make myself a new LBD--little black dress.  Oh yeah!!
I have to say that the fabric probably makes this dress more than anything.



Details:

• Fabric--4 yds. of "fashion" knit at my fabric store for $1.59/yd. on sale with a coupon = $6.36 dress. Actually it would be less because there is enough to make another shirt and a tank top from this piece of fabric.  I actually made View B out of this black for me and then didn't like the flutter sleeves on me.  So daughter #1 has it--I just need to take it in a little for her.
• This is another one of those awesome pieces of fabric that you can throw on the floor and leave it there for days and when you come back to it there are no wrinkles in sight.  LOVE it!

And here's daughter #2 with her version of this top--View C, with the ruched sleeves.

Skirt pattern: Simplicity 2258.

We'll be making this one again.  Super easy and super comfy--elastic waist, pockets.  I'm thinking chambray for me and we have a fun orange piece that will be great for her for Spring/Summer.