Last week, I wrapped up my series on my Handmade Wedding Dress. As much as I love making beautiful dresses and blouses, sometimes I need something practical. And sometimes, that is a very specific practical. I made this Lago Tank from Itch to Stitch* to meet some very specific, practical criteria.
When my husband and I started dating, we went on a lot of outdoor adventures. He’s always been very outdoorsy and I…have not been. We frequently went on hikes around northern Alabama and southern Tennessee, but I really didn’t have the right clothes for it. I quickly found that I don’t like hiking in leggings or shorts, so I had to get some hiking pants. Initially, I would wear whatever t-shirt I wanted on our hiking days, but I found that many t-shirts do not breathe or dry well. Here in North Alabama, we have very humid summers, so this became problematic. I slowly started acquiring various hiking clothes. I’m not a huge fan of most of the hiking clothes out there, mostly for aesthetic reasons, so I wanted to make something as well.
The Fabric
While placing a Mood order, I added some wicking performance jersey to make some sort of top for the great outdoors. When it arrived, I was thrilled. It’s soft and thin, but not too thin. The color and pattern are just whimsical enough to be fun, but not overwhelming. It does come in a few other colors but this is my favorite by far! I knew it would be perfect for this project!
The Pattern: Lago Tank
I’ve made the (free!) Lago Tank pattern* from Itch to Stitch before. It’s a quick, easy make and I knew it would fit the bill for this tank. Because I had made it previously, I simply used the size I had previously made and did no additional alterations. On the last version, I had to take in the armholes, but that was not necessary for this one.
The Final Product
This tank turned out wonderfully. It was quick and easy and works wonderfully for outdoor adventures. We took most of these photos while rappelling at a local mountain. Between the quick-dry fabric and the easy-to-wear pattern, it is the perfect tank for warm-weather adventures. I would definitely consider making another one of these, and perhaps even a long-sleeve shirt in this fabric as well. Over even more time, I have found that I prefer sleeves on many adventures to provide some sun protection.
This tank even made its way to the Grand Canyon for a backpacking trip last fall. We backpacked Rim-to-Rim in October, starting at the North and making our way down to the river and back up to the South Rim over three days with my husband’s family. This was actually my first time meeting them, and it was a great adventure to go on together! It was a bit chilly but also very sunny, so this Lago Tank stayed beneath my hiking shirt, but I was glad it made an appearance. I hope to continue to make some fun workout and adventure clothes, so stay tuned!
Quick note: This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click these links and purchase from them, I may receive a commission. These are denoted with the * symbol. I will never endorse anything that I do not absolutely love myself, and I will always be honest about my opinions on the products and patterns I use.