It’s apparently supposed to be fall here, but we’re back into the 90s today. I’m actually a bit happy, because now I’ll have more time to wear this cat-tastic Lago Tank! (I’m actually wearing it as I type!)
The Lago Tank is a FREE pattern from Itch to Stitch*. I’ve sewn up a few Itch to Stitch patterns (posts: Vienna Tank, Bonn Shirt) and have loved them all, and this one is no different. Kennis pays great attention to detail and all of her patterns are drafted beautifully. I found this pattern when I was in need of some more summer tops. As much as I love my Ogdens, I figured I should diversify.
I used a great Cat Print Telio Monaco Stretch ITY Knit from fabric.com. Sadly, they’re currently out of it, so I’m glad I got it when I did! I still have one more yard of this that needs a purpose, so let me know if you can think of any! 🙂 I needed a fun knit pattern that I knew I would wear, and this pattern fit the bill!
The day before my birthday, I finally decided to make this pattern up. I cut it out and started pinning, but sewed most of it the day of my birthday (when I wasn’t out watching a solar eclipse!).
Let me just say, that this pattern is a great wardrobe staple! It’s super comfortable, and very easy to make. It came together in an afternoon or so. My fabric is on the stretchier side, so I followed the instructions to shorten the neck and arm bands.
As with many patterns, I graded between 3 sizes for my bust/waist/hip measurements. After that, I took the sides in a bit, especially at the armholes. I’m quite happy with the results. I’ll cut the same size next time and adjust as necessary since that may be fabric dependent.
I do have a couple of things that I would change about the pattern itself. First, I would add notches to the front and center backs. This would make it easier to match up the neckband properly. I’ll do this next time I sew it up. Second, I tend to follow notch lengths as drawn on patterns. These notches were too long and in a couple of places, I cut past the seam allowance. Just something worth noting if you do the same thing!
Just for fun, I wore this Lago Tank on the first day of teaching this year, so my students know where I stand on the cat/dog issue. I asked my cat, Hank, to help me model. He wasn’t thrilled, but we both survived!
