Showing My Stripes

OK, let's get the ball rolling with some photos (sorry that the dress-form is too wide for the shoulders, but it'll give you some idea while I sit here with greaseball hair):

StyleArc Demi-Drape Top - Altered from the first version I made yesterday per this post...Though I realize it looks like the hem is rolling, it's not. I just didn't organize it over the fabric cover of my dress form.

I didn't have the luxury of pattern-matching (mercifully) cuz I was working with an odd shaped remanant of this fabric. The stripes match visually across the arms and back, though, which is a happy accident.

I have so much to say, it's gonna take a while. So get yourself a snack.

For starters, I used up 3 yards of fabric in this two-phased process, which is awesome, cuz yesterday I bought 6 more. What!? I told you I'm on a binge. How can you be on a binge if you don't binge?

Which brings us to Side Bar One:

Here are swatches of what I bought yesterday, all from Gorgeous Fabrics:

Heather grey light-weight sweatshirt fabric, with flat backing

 This is for when I get the urge to make some chic sweatpants or the Victory Patterns Lola dress.

Then I got this:

Cheetah Print Rayon Jersey (a designer fabric, I think)

...because everyone has bamboozled me with Jungle January and now I feel I need animal print in my wardrobe too. I want to make this with it:

StyleArc Issy Top

Um, can you believe this is StylArc's free Feb. pattern of the month. And, I did join the StyleArc club, fyi. Got a free pattern (made replacing the Janet Jacket less miserable that way), will get a gift, special deals and 10% off each pattern. Let's see if this lives up to the hype.

Anyway, I think this top will be very chic in that fabric.

I also got more of that Soft and Lightweight Italian Jersey that I bought in two shades to make the original Demi-Drape top (unphotoed so far, made yesterday).

I really love this fabric and I'm getting more before it's no longer available.

OK, back to the Demi-Drape Top...

I made these alterations:

I added 1 inch at hips, tapering to nothing at waist. And I shallowed up the cowl to give extra fabric for draping over the boobs.

It fits perfectly. (I don't know if I've ever said that about anything I've made before.) So here's an instance where putting in the time has paid off.

Now, having said this, would it have been prudent not to make the shell in wide stripes, given that the thing is very fitted from waist to hip?? I mean, let's say you're trying to hide your perimenopausal stomach. Don't use wide stripes, is my advice. Mind you, I'm going to wear it happily, despite this.

Weirdly, that seagrass rayon I used for the underlay, manages to be 8 colours at once: it's kind of brown, kind of yellow, kind of grey, kind of green, a bit taupe... Somehow, though it's not in the colour palette of the cool blue and grey shell fabric, it works. Who can say why?

So there you go. I'm sure I'm going to wear the pants off this thing. Whatcha think??

This Pattern's a Keeper

OK, I did end up finishing the top today - 5 minutes before going out to dinner. And let me tell you, it's a hit.

The arm adjustments resulted in a pattern that fits perfectly in the arms and shoulders. The drape of that rayon jersey is amazing. BTW, I threw the fabric the washer and dryer twice, on Ann's advice, to ensure there wouldn't be any post construction shrinkage, and it's worn fairly well.

I need make only these changes to the pattern - and if I can find another fabric combo in my stash, I'm making it again tomorrow:

• Use the chain method to ensure that the cowl doesn't flip.
• Add more fabric in the cowl to allow for better drape over my breasts. Right now, the cowl overlay falls directly over the midpoint of my breasts. I love the shoulder position, but I'm going to make the curve of the cowl itself slightly shallower to get the additional fabric I require.
• Add about an inch to the hips tapering to nothing at the shoulder. I sense I need a bit more space in the waist and hips to skim better over my lower abdomen.

I made the size 10 and I have to say I'm really happier to increase circumference at the waist and hips in a slightly snug size than to make everything in a size 12 smaller. Making stuff bigger is much easier to do.  Mind you, I did spend hours today making the armscye and shoulder dimensions smaller and higher by doing all of those adjustments before cutting. So maybe every size needs to be bigger in some places and smaller in others.

In the end, my opinion is that the Demi-Drape top is a very easy pattern to sew. Looks more complicated than it is and it doesn't look particularly hard, I realize. I don't think the instructions are fantastic, but StyleArc assumes you know what you're doing. If you've got tits this is the top for you.

It took me about 2 hours to actually sew the garment, not so long by my standards. Next time it will hopefully go more smoothly because now I know what I'm aiming for.

I really love the end result and the pattern looks good, inside and out. Note: I used a serger, cover stitch and a regular machine). Photos will follow, likely with the next version, because I want to produce a better fitting end product. But I will photo the one I made today on the dress form - as long as the dress form isn't too wide.

It's really great to make something I know I'll wear.

Fast Fashion?

You know what I hate? That it takes me 3 hours (not including pre-treating my fabric) to get to the point that I can actually cut the fabric (something I don't love to do given that I have to do it - as with so much other sewing prep - on the floor).

I know I've bitched about this before but, since I'm not going to have a chance to make the Demi-Drape top by the time I go out for dinner tonight, I might as well do some writing...

How do you fast sewists accomplish this (in addition to your sewing) in 2ish hours?:

• Ironing fussy fabric
• Choosing thread and winding bobbins
• Changing the thread on your serger and cover stitch machines
• Changing the needle on your machine
• Testing fabric swatches for stitch tension
• Altering the pattern per your TNT (I know tons of you do this routinely. I do it for 2 items - any pants (I copy the TNT crotch depth and curve) and knit tops (I copy the TNT armscye and sleeve depth and curve)
• Tracing the pattern - Oh yeah, I did this today and I LOATHE it. Way to waste an hour. I know, I know, if this first version of the top fucks up, who'll be laughing then. But honestly, if it fucks up, I may be to weary too ever try again. (Drama for effect due to weariness.)
• Cutting the pattern out
• Organizing the pattern pieces on top of the fussy fabric (just this takes 40 minutes)
• Cutting the fabric
• Marking the fabric

After this, I get to sew.

You can see how there's no instant gratification which, after the Janet Jacket, I seriously need.

I'm not joking - please fast sewists, tell me how you do it.

At any rate, the difference between the pattern armsyce and sleeve is actually more different than I initially thought (having just pasted my TNT sloper atop the pieces briefly the other day).

To wit:

Altered Back Piece

Altered Front Underlay

Altered Front Cowl

Altered Sleeve

See how much higher, than the pattern's, my TNT armsyces are. At least I think so - I am relying on math and past experience which is, really, so nerve-wracking.

And here are the cut, newly altered pieces:

To remind you, I did not reinvent the wheel here. I'm not actually creating muslins and refining the pattern to determine which alterations are required - well, at least not yet... Nonetheless, there are 3 hours gone.

Oh, and btw, by the time I baste the pieces, prior to serging, I estimate the arranging, cutting, marking and sewing will take a minimum of 3 more hours. If I'm lucky. Cuz I still don't understand exactly what the (non)instructions are instructing.

Thoughts or feelings?