Mint Agnes Top & Black Interlock Pants

Two successful makes in a row: happy happy happpy!

The mint green jersey is organic cotton with 5% elastane, bought in Ribes i Casals online shop. The organic thick interlock is the same I used from my previous black dress, and it is gorgeous for pants!

For the top I used Tilly and the Buttons' Agnes Top and this time I decided to give it a full go and make the ruched sleeve heads as well and the front. It is a lovely pattern, I love it, specially with these sleeves. 

I did not modify anything, it is perfect on me as it is. 

The process of creation of the pants was more complicated. I got inspired by Saint & Sofia trousers. They use a lot of thick cotton interlock for their pants, and they seem comfortable, wearable and becoming. I had the perfect fabric, I only needed the perfect pattern. 

I looked through Burda's pants patterns and I found the perfect one. I found the magazine they were published and asked for it to my library-bus, which brought it to me. There, free pattern. Great. 

I went down a size, and they were still very big on my first fitting, so I took two more sizes off, ending up in a 36!! I do not understand BurdaStyle sizing with pants, really. I am not a size 36. My measures are size 42 in Burda's own charts. 

Whatever, It was easy to size down. I had cut really big seam allowances, as I always do with new patterns. 

I kept the pockets, adding a plastic tape sewn to the inside of the upper rim, but I made the lining in a thinner single jersey.

I skipped the zip, though. The fabric has a lot of give, and did not want all the bulk for nothing. I only left 1 cm in the centre front seam and closed the waist piece with buttons. I have to be careful putting them up and down not to break the sewing of the waist piece, but I still prefer that to a zipper in bulky jersey fabric. 

I also added 10 cm to the bottom. 

The pants are perfect. One of those pieces I cannot imagine living without until now. A pillar in my wardrobe. Very happy with them. 

Agnes Jersey Top

  
Both the fabric and the pattern in this project are from London. I bought the fabric, an cotton-lycra jersey, in aWalthamstow shop last year. 

I got the pattern in the Village Haberdashery last April. Personally, I think these commercial patterns sold in the UK and the USA, being from the big 4 or from independent authors like this one,  by Tilly and the Buttons, are far too expensive and not worth the money. But I couldn't resist the temptation in this occasion... I had seen Agnes versions online and they looked all gorgeous, the packaging is candy for ones eyes, and I had had a very nice experience with another Tilly pattern, the Françoise dress, which proved to be a masterpiece.

I love this one too. The bust, the neckline and sleeves' cut is perfect, with just the perfect amount of negative ease for this kind of elastic jersey. Maybe it is too tight in the waist and belly areas for me, although it is perfect to wear it tucked inside your skirt. 
The ruched bust is a lovely idea, and I can't wait to make a ruched sleeve version.

The step-by-step instructions were really easy to follow and very well illustrated by pictures. I traced the pattern into a tissue paper, cut the seam allowances off, and used the tissue to cut the pieces in the fabric with 2cm seam allowance (which I prefer). I followed Tilly's instructions for the rest of the process. I loved sewing the sleeves first and then the underarm and side seams, although this method does not allow for fitting adjustments.

All in all, a beautiful presented and accurate pattern I will make again. 
And a lovey t-shirt for my wardrobe!