The FREEkin awesome Geo

Around this time last year, I learned about Misusu patterns. I had already pinned a lot of her patterns on Pinterest. I love her geometric designs and cool modern looks. Last year she organised her first FREEkin sewing challenge. And I sewed up 9 garments using her free patterns. I made it to the shortlist and was so proud of myself! That challenge was really formative for me, it felt like a next step in my sewing. A small step, but still it helped me understand a lot about my own sewing and also about how the community works. 

Last month I entered Misusu's testing call for the Geo tank top. And I was chosen to test the pattern for her. I thought it was so cool that I got to test for her as well. Over the last month I sewed up two Geo tops and a hacked dress, I learned a LOT (especially about breasts) and I felt like I took another step forward.

So without more sappy comments, I would like to present Geo to you:

I learned to do a pretty neck band finish, and look at those arm bands!

The most striking feature of the Geo tank top is the square arm bands that come in three different options. Besides this, it has two round neckline options and two length options. In true Misusu fashion, the pattern and instructions are incredibly detailed and clear.

I completely fell for the broad and small arm band option. The first top I made had the crew neck option.

I learned that stripes cause hynotising boob syndrome. But look at those arm bands!

For me, this testing period was all about the breasts. Here's a bit of background on what I didn't know a month ago: sewing patterns are designed with a certain cupsize. Many patterns are designed for a B-cup, which means there is a 5cm (2") difference between the full bust measurement and the high bust measurement. I have a D-cup, a 10cm difference between those two measurements. So if I make this top without alterations two major things can happen:

• it can fit perfectly around the breasts, but be too loose around the neckline and higher chest (this happened with a lot of the dresses I made for myself before I was enlightened)
• the hem can pull up in the front, making the front apparently shorter than the back

Not only does the pattern come with a tutorial on how to adjust the front panel for a larger cupsize, the so called full bust adjustment (or FBA). It even includes a ready made and measured front panel that includes an FBA for a D-cup. To me it shows Elles' (Misusu) commitment to make something for évery woman and to help us all dress in the best fitting clothes possible. And then for her to not only inform us about FBA, but do the work on the front panel as well... I thought it was really cool. Especially given the fact that....... this is a FREE pattern.

I learned to pose and not hate myself in every picture. And look at those arm bands!

Because the stripes are sweet, but don't really work for my shape (do not look at the booooooobs), I decided to do another top version as well. For this one I used a jersey fabric that I only had 70cm of. I had to cut the front panel in half to be able to cut the entire top out of this fabric. I finished this extra seam with black piping to pretend this was an intentional seam. And I like it! I chose the scoop neck version for this top.

More armband action. This is the scoop neck version.

So remember I learned about FBAs and that without an FBA, my selfmade garment will most likely gape at the neckline? The project I made right before I started this testing had exactly that problem! So I decided to go back to it. 

I made the Kielo dress from Named. It is a really cool dress with an interesting shape that wraps around your body. However... that pattern comes with seemingly rushed neck and arm hole finishing (it basically says: you can use binding or fold the edges over. No measurements for the binding or anything). My finished dress was very loose around the armholes and gaped at the neckline, especially in the back. I am wearing it with a tank underneath to make sure that my bra isn't showing. I still really like the dress, but when I met Geo I immediately thought: this can be better! 

So I decided to go for a mash-up. And am I happy I did! Here's how I did it:

I pretty much winged it by placing the pattern pieces on top of each other, lining up center fold and shoulder pieces. And lo and behold: the under arm part of the Geo almost exactly matched up with the arm hole marker on the Kielo. The Kielo was a bit wider at this part, but that only works in favour of what I was trying to do: shaping the bodice. So I drew a line from the under arm to the wing part (and substracted 4cm of length from the part above the wing, because I am short) and this is the result:

My new favourite dress! Perfectly fitted at the bust

Can you tell I love it?

So this was my part of the Geo introduction. Have I inspired you to make this top and/or hack it into a dress? Then go and get your pattern here! It is free if you sign up for the Misusu Patterns Sew & Tell Facebook group.

And now that we're sewing up Misusu's free patterns, we might as well enter this year's FREEkin sewing challenge. This time the challenge is even bigger and better than last year. There are three categories: best hack, best upcycle and best bold. All you have to do is make one of the free patterns and tag it appropriately. You can find all the necessary info here.

I'm off to think up another mash-up, upcycled of course...