Finished: B&W Waterfall Shrug

Once I read that a baby's vision and brain is most stimulated by high contrast colors, especially black and white combinations, I started buying up black and white striped fabrics.

This is a best of both worlds project: Raspberry's need for visual stimulation plus my need for a nursing cover up. It also continues my stripe matching theme. Seriously, if I've learned one thing during Project Bump, it's how to match stripes! 

Really happy with my stripe matching!

Eventually, I'll figure out what I'm most comfortable nursing in, but for now I thought Simplicity 2603 would make a great layer that I could throw over a normal outfit. This pattern has been around and in my stash for years; judging by the number of reviews on PR, I must be the very last person to actually sew it.

I chose view B, which has the longest length waterfall front with shorter sleeves. I'm constantly scrunching up sleeves to my elbows, so why not start out that way?  Plus, I was a bit short on fabric.

I used an absolutely gorgeous rayon jersey knit that I bought at Paron Fabrics. I've been on a real rayon kick this year. I just find it so soft and breathable to wear, and it seems to hold up well through multiple washings. I was lucky that this fabric was unusually wide (almost 90" I think) since I bought the remainder and it was just enough to eke this pattern out. It's only because of the huge width that that I was able to cut it in a way to match the stripes at the side seams. I definitely didn't have enough to even try to match the sleeves to the body, but I'm fine with it anyway.

 
The only fitting change I made was to the armscye and sleeves. The top was a little tight under the arms and through the armpits. So, I let the sleeve out a bit from the bicep up, and I let out the side seam from a few inches below the armscye to the sleeve. It's still a bit high compared to other patterns, but I actually prefer a higher, tighter armscye for added ease of movement, especially in knits.

There's not much to say about construction, which was a cinch. I sewed the sleeves in flat rather than setting them in and did almost everything on the serger. I sewed the miles of hem with a twin needle. Actually, I have to confess that I wore this shrug a week ago to a pre-Thanksgiving dinner with my family before it was even hemmed. Naturally, I got cranberry sauce on it and had to wash it before hemming. So, yeah. It's a winner.

If I have any time after finishing diaper bag sewing before Raspberry's arrival there will be another version or two of this cardi-wrap. It's really just the most versatile and functional layer, and I've been wearing it for the last two days.

Yeah, some days it's yoga pants and sneakers...