Summer is right around the corner, or already here if you are in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer to me means tank tops - and I have just added a new sewing project to my ever growing list. Jocole comes through with the awesome Shoreline Tank in both women's and girl's sizes. And the both have optional ruffles to jazz it up and get a variety of looks. Grab one size, or both to do adorable Mommy and Me looks like Cassie and Katie!

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Hi all! It's Cassie, of Lily Shine Boutique, here to review the Ladies and Girls Shoreline Tanks by Jocole Patterns. I started sewing with knits about a year ago, and am still getting better and better with each new knit project I complete. I love sewing with knits! They are easy to use once you build your basic techniques, are versatile and can be substituted in most woven patterns, and seem to sew up much faster than woven items. The Shoreline Tank patterns are made completely from knit, and are what I consider an intermediate pattern. My friend and her daughter loved modeling these tanks for me, and sure made them look good!

The neckline and arm bindings are the trickiest part of this pattern. I love that Jocole patterns come with a huge section dedicated to giving you tips and tricks for sewing with knits. The techniques I've learned by reading through those tutorials are invaluable. Once you get the hang of sewing the straps and neckline, the rest of the pattern is a breeze!

Both patterns are very similar in direction but have unique options to make them appropriate for ladies and girls separately. The ladies version has a shelf bra option, which is perfect for summer time or layering. I wear a white shelf bra tank every day! No joke! The Shoreline Tank pattern is a comfortable fitting tank. I love that it is long and covers up my back when I am bending down to pick up a child or reaching up high to get something out of the cupboard. The ladies pattern offers a wide range of sizes, XS through XXXL and can be sewn with less than a yard of knit fabric. There is a great sizing chart with finished measurements that will help you select the perfect size. This pattern is also paper conscious, and only requires 5 pieces of paper for printing your pattern pieces!

The girls' tank pattern comes with a ruffled neckline option that adds some extra girly flair, but can be left off for a basic tank look. Here in Hawaii, the temperature is typically in the low 80s and my daughter and her friends love their Shoreline tanks to wear everyday. They are an easy on/off for those young girls still getting the hang of dressing themselves. You can really play around with the fabric combos in the various pieces of the tank to help the pattern details to pop, or make it all from the same fabric for a fresh and simple style. The girls pattern includes instructions and pattern pieces for sizes either NB through size 5, or 6 through 14. Sizing charts are included as well as handy cutting charts on the pattern piece. I love when I don't have to go back to the top of the pattern to check the measurements for my bindings and ruffles!

As summer is drawing near and you are stocking up on your warm weather patterns, The Shoreline Tanks are a great choice. Shop around and find some great knit and get sewing!

Lily Shine Boutique www.facebook.com/lilyshineboutique

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It's been a joke in my family for as long as I can remember that my "uniform" is a tank top and flip flops. What can I say? I grew up in South Florida and like to be comfortable! I can appreciate shopping for new styles and fashions, and certainly have my fair share of gorgeous-to-look-at high heels and wedges. I just feel most comfortable in a tank top and flip flops. This is my first attempt at making my own tank top, and boy am I glad I did! The Shoreline Tank is another super quick and easy sew from Jocole, and the bonus is that the same pattern is available in my daughter's size. She pretty much ran around telling everyone that we had matching shirts; this made her week!

She and I were at Joann's a couple of weeks ago, when the red tag fabrics were 50% off, and she spotted this chocolate brown stretch lace. I kind of loved it too, so we decided to make our shirts have a lace overlay (I used a cream colored knit underneath). It fancied up our tank tops a little, and we love them.

I love the fit of this tank, absolute perfection. I meant to add the shelf bra option, but a stomach bug ran rampant through the elementary school this week and we all suffered. I was pressed for time and skipped it, but will absolutely be adding it to my next one. Without that, my shirt literally took me about 35 minutes to cut and sew.

Lilah's took a bit longer because I added the ruffles. I love the clear elastic method of gathering ruffles that Jodi teaches; I have never tried it before and it resulted in perfectly gathered ruffles.

Alright, let's get to the pattern details!

The women's sizing goes from xs-xxxl. That's a nice range! Measurements are provided for bust, waist, and hip, so you can mix and match which size you need.
Girl's sizes include NB-5T and then 6-14 for the older girls. You can match all the ladies in your family ;)
Includes options for ruffles on both the ladies' and girls' versions.
Includes links to tutorials on multiple neck and strap binding options, including using fold over elastic.
The women's pattern includes 5 pages to print, and the younger girl's version is 2.
The measurement chart for the ruffles and binding strips is also printed on the pattern pieces, I LOVE that in a pattern!
Instructions are provided with clear pictures/drawings showing each step, as well as a text version without pictures for the seasoned sewist.