Crafting A Rainbow

Earlier this year I made a Tried’N’True Pattern section in my blog header, showcasing a few of my favourite pattern, like the Cashemette Concord and the Closet Case Pattern Ginger jeans. It’s time to add another pattern to the TNT Hall of Fame, and I thought I’d do a little post about it as well!

So, the Hey June Santa Fe. Why do I love it so much?

• It is a versatile pattern to start with, with t-shirt and tank variations, plus colour-blocking options. Of course, I hack it almost every time!
• It’s got that swingy volume thing perfectly proportioned. I love how the curved hemline, the scoop neckline on the tee and the cut-in shoulders on the tank all balance out the volume.
• I can make a tank version with 1m of jersey.
• It’s easy to fit, so I’ve sewn it for my sister and my Mom!
• It works well with rayon jersey and ITY, and therefore is perfect with most of my stash!

Let’s dig into some versions, shall we? 

I first made this pattern in June 2016, when I sewed these two versions – and I wear then all the time!

The tee is rayon jersey, and I often wear it with royal blue jeans…

…and this one is ITY, with a straight hem to showcase the border print! It’s exactly the right colours to match half of my cardigans, and I wear it often from spring to fall.

Next, I decided every girl should have at least one top she could wear out for nice drinks somewhere…

This one is a thin crepe knit like I’ve never seen before – again, I straightened the hem and made it just a smidge longer!

Now that I knew the pattern worked for me, it  was time to start hacking… (Yes, this is all still in the first month after buying the pattern!)

I made this coral leopard dress for the Cali Fabrics blog… and at first I thought the black ruffle hem would be fun, but no, it was just matronly! Much better without, don’t you think?

I made this dress soon after… and the promptly cut it down to a tank! It’s a tribute to a favourite band that we were going to see in concert, but the lightweight rayon jersey just showed *every* lump underneath. I haven’t even seen this top all summer, so maybe I got rid of it?

Finally, I decided to use the t-shirt version again…

…to pair with this sheer-ish linen knit. Again, I didn’t love it! I just don’t feel *me* in solid colours!

At this point, fall was starting, so I put the pattern away for a few seasons… then dug it right back out in spring 2017!

I’ve been looking for my perfect summer tank, and really, I should just admit I’ve already found it with this pattern. I love love love this version in slinky ITY!

While I had the pattern out, I made one for my Mom… who I’ve seen wearing it twice since, so I think it’s a hit! This is the tank version with wider shoulders.

Are you tired of Santa Fe’s yet? Apparently I’m not, because there are MOAR!

I decided this summer that I’d like to have a few tunics I could wear with leggings… leggings aren’t pants, but damn they are comfortable! This is another border print remnant with an extra few inches added.

And then, the mother of all Santa Fe hacks…

My Tribute Month cocoon maxi inspired by Oonaballona! I love this dress so much. It’s ballsy and fun and just the right amount of over-the-top.

Honestly, there are more that haven’t ever made it to the blog… but I hope you get the idea that it’s a great basic pattern to play with! Hey June recently released a free tank called the Durango which I’ll be reviewing later in the month, but if you haven’d tried a Hey June Patterns, it’s a nice place to get started. Then again, maybe I’ve convinced you that it’s worth $10USD for the Santa Fe!

Totally no sponsored, of course. I’m just an obsessive sewer of TNTs!