Pattern 12: The Everyday Tunic

For my next 2 patterns, I've decided to use one of our brand new books that just arrived!  One of my favorites is "Sew What You Love:  The Easiest, Prettiest Projects Ever".

http://www.fiveeighthseams.com/product-p/bk-sewlove.htm

This book contains around 30 projects with the patterns for each project folded nicely in an envelope in the back of the book!  What I like most about this book is the large variety of projects.  These include bags, home projects (like an adorable ottoman), children's projects, children's clothes, and a "personal style" section for women's apparel.  I decided to review an adult pattern in the "personal style" section and had to choose from a pleated skirt, strapless dress, gathered skirt, peasant blouse, knit dress, or the knit tunic.  I chose the knit tunic because so many people come into our store and pick out a gorgeous knit they are dying to use, but they are too scared to tackle most patterns that require sewing on knits.  This knit "Everyday Tunic" has only 2 pattern pieces to cut out and only basic straight line stitches making it the perfect beginner knit project.  It takes less than one hour to cut out and sew the entire knit tunic and look how great it looks!

I am really excited about this pattern, and I can't wait to make many more!  I am very impressed with how simple it is, but it still doesn't look like a homemade shirt.  The author, Tanya Whelan, has done an exceptional job putting great, modern projects into one book with each project being very easy to sew.  This entire book is perfect for the beginner sewer, a rarity among sewing books.  Many other books contain projects for all skill levels (beginner to advanced or even daredevil), but the new sewer usually finds he/she is capable of sewing only a couple of the projects contained in the book because all of the other ones are out of his/her skill range. 
I am going to get a lot of use out of this book even though some of the projects like the "Sweet Baby Duvet", the "Ruffle-Mania Skirt", "Lila Shirred Blouse", "Tiered Skirt", and "Soft Baby Block" are only just for children (which I don't have), but I can use these for gifts for all of my friends' children.
I have flipped through the book looking at all the other great patterns I am going to sew, my next one being the "Go-To Dress" which will be Pattern 13.  I can't wait to let you know how it turns out!