When Hobbies Collide

The fabric featured in this post was kindly gifted to me by Minerva as part of their Brand Ambassadors program. All other supplies and materials were purchased by me. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Sewing has been my main hobby for quite some time now, but about a year ago I was really itching for something new. I really needed an outlet that was outdoors, active, and social and luckily tennis fit the bill. But what could be better when one hobby can feed the other! Making clothing for my new hobby has unlocked a whole other level of joy. When I was shopping for RTW tennis clothes I kept accidentally choosing items without pockets, which is annoying because it’s really important to have a few balls on hand while playing. Since I needed a warm layer for the nights I play and I needed pockets, I decided to create a dupe of the Lululemon half zip.

Pattern used

Inspo

I used the Viki Sews Lindsay hoodie pattern for this project. For reference right now I’m measuring a 36 bust and 40 inch hip. I made the size 40 in the 154-160 height range. I did shorten the pattern to be more of a crop fit, taking out about 2 inches. I also added a little tab with the rib knit over the zipper because I find that detail really cool. Overall I think the details of the pattern are pretty interesting, I really like how the pocket turned out, but this is definitely an intermediate sewing level and the directions at times weren't as detailed as they could have been. I did really enjoy sewing athletic wear though and I think this was a great jumping off point for designing my own half zip in the future.

I used the Minerva Core range scuba stretch knit as the main body of this project with the Minerva core range tubular ribbing for the details. I really love the quality of these fabrics and that you can get them in so many colors. The scuba knit is listed as medium to heavy on the website, but I think it feels more like a medium weight when you’re wearing it. It is super soft and feels so comfortable. Overall it sewed up easily too, but it doesn’t hold a press very well. I didn’t want to use super high heat on it since it's a poly spandex blend, but just something to keep in mind when choosing your pattern/project. I think this fabric could be used for so many different garments and it has a nice drape to it too! The product is 63 inches wide, which gives you a lot to work with when planning your projects. The rib knit matched well with the pants and provided those extra details that make the garment special. This rib knit also comes in 144 colors. It can be so challenging to find a matching rib for projects, but Minerva has got you covered! I’m so glad to have this as a resource for future projects.

All my tennis friends kept asking where I got it. It’s always fun to say “I made it” and then share my love of sewing too! I even found out that one of my tennis friends sews too, such a fun full circle moment! I played a few sets after taking these photos so it was great to real world test it and I loved how everything turned out. I made another item with this fabric and I can’t wait to share that too!