Are you bored with lycra yet?
If you recall, I’m sewing three different pieces of running gear – leggings, a vest top, and a long sleeved top. The vest top has stalled while I wait for my new coverstitch binder to arrive, but I was able to finish my leggings this weekend and cut out all the pieces for the long sleeved top.
When I went to look through my stash for fabrics, though, I realised that the long sleeved top needs three different fabrics in order to get a contrast on the upper body, and again at the hip pockets. So I’m using the black supplex for the top and sleeves, leftover turquoise for the lower back and front hips, and the same turquoise but overlaid with olive green stretch lace for the front body. I’m thinking a bit of lace in the running community won’t go amiss.
But now this top is stalled while I await more short, black invisible zips (which should arrive with my binder!) for the pockets and the upper front!
It’s realistically looking like I’ll only have my leggings ready for the Paris half marathon on Sunday, so I needed to take them out for a test run last night prior to the big event.
Be prepared for a totally unflattering, post-hour-long RDC session photo…
(I’m wearing the blue Nike pinny over my jacket ‘cos I’m a group leader!) Overall, I’m really happy with the fit. The ankles are still a bit baggy (even after I took them in a bunch!), but the fit everywhere else was perfect. I was a bit concerned about chafing since I don’t have a flatlock machine so my overlocked seams make small ridges inside, but they were absolutely fine, and the waistband was very comfortable and sat exactly where I wanted it to be with no shifting or tugging. Result! I’ll totally be making more of these from my customised base pattern…
Unfortunately, I didn’t get any proper photoshoot done at the weekend because it was GORGEOUSLY WARM AND SUNNY all weekend! So my weekend consisted of:
- Friday night – curry with friends (I wore this dress so as to not stuff myself silly. It didn’t work!)
- Sat morning – long run (20+km/13mi) with a friend
- Sat afternoon – lounging around on deck with visiting friends, doing loads of boat maintenance
- Sat night – cocktails and dinner with yet more friends
- Sun morning – SLEEP
- Sunday brunch – baked some bread (barn brack)
- Sun afternoon – staining loads of deck furniture James built
- Sun night – dinner at yet more friends
So I didn’t get much sewing done since it was so warm outside – it felt like May! I did finish the hem and waistband of the above leggings, though, and I also had a request from our friend Arran – he broke his arm, which is now in a sling, and when he puts his double-breasted coat over his shoulder, it blows off right away. So he asked if I could sew something velcro-y to go through a buttonhole on each side and hold the coat closed like a cape.
No action photos, but you’ll have to trust me that it’s a nice little bit of sewn usability!
I’m off on another run tonight, then packing Thursday night before driving down to Paris on Friday, so I’ll probably not have anything more to show you until next week. Though if you’re up and around on Sunday morning 10am-12ish Paris time (that’s 9-11am UK time, or 4-6am Eastern), please consider leaving a reply for me on dailymile or twitter during the race. If you reply on either place, reply directly to the post which says “Runmeter will speak your comments” and I’ll hear a little robot lady read your comment to me in my headphones while I’m racing! It’s very cool, and very helpful! Au revoir!