Ottobre Summer Basic Running Top

When I first discovered that you could buy wicking fabric a few years ago, I bought some questionable prints and colors in a coop, just because I was so excited about the existence of such things.  And they've been sitting in my stash ever since, because well, kind of fugly.  But with the convergence of the Spring Top Sewalong and the Spring Race Challenge, I decided to just dig in.  I wear a lot of things when I run that I wouldn't be caught dead in otherwise (see: super short skirts and leggings as pants), so I figured why not make a crazy top?

When I brought this fabric upstairs, Ray gave it the serious side-eye.  I'm still not sure how I feel about it, but I think it's better sewn up than it was as yardage.

I used the Summer Basic top pattern from Ottobre Woman 2/2013.  It doesn't get much simpler than two pattern pieces and some binding!  This is a straight size 36, but for future makes, I will grade to a size 34 from the waist down.  I like my running tops to have a looser fit through the middle, but where it comes in at the hips is just barely snug enough to stay up above my bum.

I followed the instructions as written, other than leaving out the clear elastic on the shoulder seams.  I didn't think it would be necessary with this fabric and also was concerned about potential chafing on long runs.  I even did the binding the Otto way, which I think is only the second time ever that I've done so.  I usually go for the serge on and topstitch method.  I'm really happy with how it turned out, especially the double needle topstitching.

I cut the neckline binding on the crosswise grain (I think? I always get lengthwise & crosswise confused) to get the stripes to to go the other way.  Since this is a 4-way stretch fabric, it worked fine.

I wore it on a 4-miler after I finished it up and was really happy with it.  I can definitely see more of these in my future, both for running and casual wear.

What do you think about this print -- hideous, cute, or somewhere in between? I honestly can't decide.  I also have a pale pink with tiny black flowers (everything about that is so not me) that is destined to be an XYT tank in the near future. 

Gifts for the Runner

Well, we're both runners, but the husband is much, much faster.  Much.

I rarely make him gifts, so I was quite excited to have not one, but two ideas for him for Christmas!  See, there's been a pile of race bibs and medals getting shuffled around the sewing room/office for a couple of years, and I was 
a) concerned they'd get lost amidst the rubble, er craft supplies
b) irritated every time I had to relocate them
c) ready to cut the pile in half

So when I saw these medal holders, I thought, "Hey, I can make one of those!"  I got a long wooden plaque from Hobby Lobby and ventured to the hardware store to buy hooks and those picture hanging things that look like jaggedy teeth. I assume they have an actual name, but I can't remember what it was.  

I sanded the board, not nearly enough, which I didn't realize at the time, and added a few coats of white acrylic paint.  While I was waiting for it to dry, the following conversation occurred with the husband in the room: 

O. (whispering loudly): We need to get a hammer for those H-O-O-K-S for Dad's present.
Me: You know Dad can spell, right?

The next step was to paint the words.  I tried to come up with something clever, but failed and went for stating the obvious instead.  I used this nifty trick (oh, thank you, Pinterest!) to help, but still needed to make a Christmas Eve Day run to Hobby Lobby for a smaller brush.  I'm not sure why I thought one of O's paint brushes would be adequate??

Lettering done, I spent a ridiculous amount of time marking where the hooks should go, only to realize after the first one splintered the wood, that I'd need to use the drill, which I only sort of knew how to do.  So, back upstairs I ran to ask the husband for instructions as vaguely as possible.  I think I was unsuccessful, but the drill helped tremendously. 

I really love how it turned out.  The husband keeps talking about how I need one too, now (although my medals are all finisher's medals; he actually has placed in his age group a few times!).  It has yet to be made clear which one of us will be making said medal holder.  Honestly, if I had a do-over, I might just buy one from the original seller instead of making my own -- painting the letters took a loooong time -- but now I would like them both to match.  Hmmm...

The other part of his present was a scrapbook for the race bibs.  I know I saw the suggestion to use an 8x8 scrapbook for this on a blog somewhere, sometime, but I'm not sure where anymore.  I spent some quality time with the internet, looking up race results, and then even more quality time with Photoshop trying to make the results look pretty.  This was one of my favorite gifts that I gave this year.  I may even have emerged from the sewing room/office when it was done and proclaimed that I had just won Christmas...

Hey, if I can't be competitive pace-wise, why not be competitive about gift-giving?  ;)