In this next ambassador post, Liz has made a fabulous colour-blocked tracksuit using the Sunday Trackies pattern by Modern Sewing Pattern Company, and the Friday Pattern Company Arlo Track Jacket. She used our Cotton Rich Sweatshirting in Light Grey and Rose. Over to Liz:

Over the last couple of months I have found myself reaching for comfortable clothes – particularly when I’ve had a long day at work or I want to spend the day at home relaxing. I have a lot of floaty, tiered dresses but hardly any jogging bottoms or hoodie style tops. So, when it came to planning my next blog post for Backstitch I knew I wanted to dive into lounge wear and comfy sewing.

 
 

Settled on the idea of sewing up a tracksuit in fleece back sweat shirting I did some research to identify what sort of aesthetic I was hoping to create. I fell down a rabbit hole of colour blocked sweatshirts and joggers and instantly knew this was the route I wanted to go down. I have seen the Arlo track jacket by Friday Pattern Company popping up on Instagram loads recently and love how easy it is to incorporate colour blocking. It is a unisex pattern too which made it perfect for all my family members. There are some interesting style lines and I particularly loved the pocket construction. It features a sport collar and comes in three length options.

 
 

The Arlo Track Jacket is the perfect layering piece. It features a sport collar, interesting seamlines, and comfortable front pockets. The Arlo is fitted without being tight and comes with three length options: short 22”/56cm, medium 24”/61cm, and long 26”/66cm. The pattern is aimed at intermediate sewists but is could be sewn up by a confident beginner as the instructions are so well written. You can buy the pattern as a printed pattern or PDF download. It comes in sizes XS up to a 7X with the smallest hip measurement 34-35inches and the largest hip measurement 62-63 inches.

When looking on the Backstitch website for the perfect fabric to create my jacket and joggers. I saw they had a new delivery of the softest fleece backed sweat shirting fabrics in lots of different colours. I am usually drawn to bright colours but found myself being drawn to the grey marl colour as a starting point. I then went through the various colours they had on their website to find a colour that matched the grey. I settled on a rose pink and grey ribbing fabric for the cuffs, collar and hem band. 

 
 

Before I could make a start sewing up the jacket I needed to find the perfect joggers pattern that would help me achieve the look I had imagined. I have sewn up the Closet Core plateau joggers before. They have a slim fit in the leg but I knew I wanted something slouchier and more relaxed in the fit. So, I asked over on my Instagram page and YouTube for suggestions. The Sunday trackies by Modern Sewing Pattern Company was a popular suggestion and as soon I saw the images on their website I was sold. They are a simple, roomy garment, perfect for feeling comfortable on lazy days.

I decided to spend some time sketching the idea I had formulated in my head as I wanted to be sure I was happy with the colour block design I was going for. I am glad I spent this time playing around with the layout as it helped me check the symmetry of the colour blocking and helped me with cutting out the various pattern pieces without making any errors.

With the fabric and patterns chosen it was time to have fun sewing up the two garments. I was able to order the 22 inch open ended zip I needed from Backstitch and I already had matching thread in my stash.

I traced off the patterns and then with my drawings in front of me I was able to carefully cut out the pink and grey sweatshirting fabric ready to create the colour blocked tracksuit.  I decided to play around with different colours on the joggers first and used alternative colours for the front and back trousers pieces. This has resulted in one leg pink and one leg grey at the front and then the opposite at the back. I decided to do the same with the cuff at the bottom too. The pattern itself was really simple to follow and came together in less than half a day. I used cord to finish the waistband, once the elastic had been inserted. I interfaced a small section of the front waistband and stitched two buttonholes to ensure there was a space for the cord to be threaded. I find using a safety pin to thread the cord is the easiest way to thread it successfully.

 
 

In terms of sizing I chose to sew up a UK size 10 and found the fit to be exactly what I wanted. They have room in to move around and feel comfortable and the elastic waist and drawstring means I can pull them as tight or loose as I want dependant on how my tummy is feeling. I used a fleece back sweatshirting fabric but other fabrics that are suitable for the pattern are jersey fabrics like a French terry and they also suggest a soft wool too. As well as cord for the drawstring you also need some 2cm wide elastic.

With the success of the joggers I was feel excited to get started on the jacket. The Arlo track jacket seems like a more intense make so I was naturally feeling a little apprehensive getting started. Again, I found it really helpful to have my sketch in front of me when cutting it out as there are quite a few pattern pieces. On the Friday Pattern Company website you can download a sketch of the jacket , making it even easier to plan your design before you start.

The instructions for the jacket are brilliant and really hold your hand every step of the way. I didn’t find any part of the instructions to complicated and there are illustrations to help you as you work your way through the steps. I would recommend basting your pieces before sewing them in place securely, particularly if you are opting to colour block. This really helped me when sewing parts of the jacket that required precision like the pockets and the zip. I ended up unpicking my zip twice before I was happy with how it was inserted! I was being particularly fussy as the second time I inserted the zip it made the pockets uneven by millimetres. It is worth taking your time making sure both sides match up as it helps to ensure you get a neat finish.

 
 

This jacket is designed for knits with at least 20% cross grain stretch. French terry, sweatshirt fleece, Ponte, and other sturdy knits are ideal for this pattern. Knits that are really drapey are not suitable for this pattern. The fleece backed sweat shirting is the perfect fabric for this jacket as the fleece texture feels so soft against my skin and helps to keep me warm too.

When choosing the size I wanted something that was roomy and would mean I could wear a top or jumper underneath if the weather was cold. The Arlo is designed to fitted without being tight. I looked at the finished garment measurements to help me when choosing the size. I decided to sew up a small size based on my body measurements: 34 inch bust, 28 inch waist and 35 inch hip. I am pleased with the fit of the jacket as it has room to move and layer up without being oversized and I am also glad I opted for the short length too.

 
 

I am really excited about getting loads of wear from both garments together and separately. I can see the joggers going really well with vests and t-shirts I already have in my wardrobe and I know the jacket is going to become a staple in my wardrobe to keep cosy and warm. I would recommend both patterns too. They were straight forward to sew up and compliment each other too. Don’t forget to check out all the amazing fleece backed sweat shirting fabrics and plan your own cosy, colour blocked Arlo and Sunday trackies.

 
 

Patterns: Friday Pattern Company Arlo Track Jacket & Sunday Trackies by Modern Sewing Pattern Company (we don't have stock of these patterns, but we would recommend the Closet Core Mile End Sweatshirt and Closet Core Plateau Joggers to create this look!)

Size: Liz measures Bust 34”, waist 28”, hips 35” Height 5’5”.

About Liz:

Liz is a Mum of two girls and lives in London. An assistant head during the week she also has her own cake business that she runs alongside teaching. Liz started learning to sew in 2017 and has fallen head over heels with the hobby.

Instagram: @thebakerthatsews