Retro Summer Top and Pants

This fabric was love at first sight for me! It reminds me of the 70's and has all of my favorite colors in it. I thought B5216, a simple little top gathered on a tie, was the perfect accompaniment for it. I made View B but lengthened it a bit and put elastic at the waist:

I intended to wear this top belted at the waist as the orange top above but it just didn't work on me. I needed some shape through the middle. I used double fold bias tape and pressed out the center seam to make a casing. It was then the perfect width to thread 1/4" elastic through. The complexity level of this pattern is on the same scale as the drawstring duffel that most of us made at summer camp when we were 12. Sometimes I really enjoy mindless sewing where no direction is needed and I can just sort of be flying by instruments, as my mom used to say. I did take scant 1/4" seams making the tie a little wider to add a some additional bra strap coverage:

I found this fabric at Joann's. Usually I am casting dispersions at Joann's but since they were purchased a few year back by the same outfit that bought a large portion of Whole Foods, they really seem to be upgrading their fabric quality and providing a much better selection. And the attitude of the employees has improved 100%. It's a refreshing change, at least here in Houston.

The pants are made from white cotton and spandex denim and using one of  my TNT pant patterns, Sandra Betzina's V1197:

The Texas bluebonnets have started to bloom so spring is officially here! It won't be long before I can wear this cute top...the fabric just makes me happy!