Sporty summer sewing

Press, 3 October 1979, Page 10

Sporty summer sewing

With summer on the way, the time is right for planning your warm weather wardrobe. Long, hot days and longer summer nights will encourage you to get out and about on the tennis courts, the swimming pools, the jogging tracks and the beaches, however lightheartedly you take your sports, you will need suitable clothes to wear during and after the game. For active sports such as tennis it is essential that the outfit is comfortable and gives plenty of room to move. Cottons and cotton-polyester mixtures will help you keep cool, are easy to care for and reasonably priced. A new fabric on the market is a white sports crepe, very light-weight and practical, with woven tennis motifs repeated throughout the cloth. The design is attractive and subtle, and the wash-and-wear qualities of the fabric make it perfect for tennis frocks, shorts and tops Soft stretch terry towel is available again this year in a wide range of colours, including the new bright shades. A stretch-stitch is necessary to sew these fabrics, but the patterns are generally simple and the finished garments look stylish. The tracksuit has recently made an appearance on the fashion scene, being worn for all casual occasions, both sporting and social. Stretch towelling is suitable for most patterns, giving a softer look than the thicker knit fabrics. Colour will be important this summer in the sports clubs as much as in the streets. Tennis “whites” are becoming more colourful with contrast trims, bold co-ordin-

ates and bright accessories. • The two patterns illustrated are both Butterick designs. The tracksuits are sized for men and

women, pattern number 5199 for women in sizes 6 to 14 and pattern number 5200 for men in sizes small, medium and large. In a size 12 the pattern takes 3.20 m of 115 cm fabric.

The jacket features a draw-string waist, long sleeves set into knitted cuffs, a full-length zip, collar and side-pockets. The trousers have an elasticised waist and straight legs with a contrast stripe down the side seams. The contrast is repeated on the jacket sleeves. The tennis dress, T-shirt and shorts pattern is avail-

able in sizes 8 to 16 and comes with an iron-on transfer. The dress in a size 12 takes 1.70 m of 115 cm fabric and has a drawstring waist, scoop neck, short raglan sleeves and a patch pocket. The. T-shirt and shorts take Im and 90cm of fabric respectively. Sized for moderate stretch knits, the pattern is Bulterick number 5378.