Three Cielo tops and a Persphone Pant

I've been admiring all of the boxy tees that seem to have taken the sewing world by storm lately. Several of the ones I most admired only come in larger bust sizes-- for example the Torrens Top really caught my eye, but alas, I'm several inches below the smallest bust measurement. 

There are of course dozens of other boxy tops out there, and as I was searching through them, it occurred to me that I might already have a perfectly suitable pattern: the Cielo top by Closet Case Patterns. Somehow the dress version took precedence in my mind, and I had forgotten there was also a shirt version. 

There was one small catch... I really wanted a long sleeve top. While the fancy "statement" sleeve on the Cielo is lovely, I really was looking for a more basic sleeve. So I lengthened the short sleeve into a long sleeve using a tutorial from Grainline on lengthening the sleeve of the scout tee.

This is what my sleeve pattern looked like. I took my best guess at a 3/4 sleeve legnth by measuring my arm, and drafted a wide hem or cut-on cuff, depending how I folded it. 

The first one I made was the burgandy top, which sewn from a light weight wool-cotton blend fabric I found at Homespun Trumansburg, my favorite local fabric shop. I just love the soft wooliness of it, it is so light and warm.

I added about 4 inches to the longest shirt length on the pattern, then made a deep hem (1.5 -2 inches?). For me, this make sit long enough that I can wear it out or tuck it in to a mid-high waisted pant.

I made the 14 shoulders, then graded out to the largest hip size, which is a size larger than my measurements... I wanted it to have a little extra ease around the belly and hips. 

The pants in these pics are white bull-denim Ginger jeans that are my favorite jeans right now.

The second is made from Atelier Brunette viscose crepe in Chestnut from Imaginegnats. I got the end of this roll, sorry! This fabric feels like a substantial silk crepe, but without the static. The drape is divine!

The pants are black linen Persephone pants (by Anna Allen). I made these over a year ago, but they are just now becoming one of my favorites. I made them from a non-stretch linen, but I find that they stretch out considerably over the course of a day, and by the end of the day they'd be down on my hips.

I recently solved this by adding buttonhole elastic to the back waistband. When they start to fall down halfway through the day, I can tighten in the elastic and then they stay up where they're supposed to. Now they are a go-to pant for me, and I want to make more!

The width of the neckline on the Cielo tends to show my bra straps, since I tend to wear cross back bras. I think that to narrow the neckline I'd have to add a closure, and I'm not sure I'm into that right now.

And finally, plaid. I haven't been a plaid person... but now I sort of can't get enough. I saw this fabric at Homespun when I bought the burgandy wool, and I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I went back for it.

I don't usually pick cottons, but this one is so soft, almost brushed like a very lightweight flannel.

The shoulder yokes on the back are cut on the bias, for fun and to avoid matching!

These tees have added some new life to my wardrobe, they are great under blazers and cardigans that I haven't worn for years. They've been the perfect project for a quick and satisfying sew in between the demands of work and home life.