Y’ello 🙂
I’ve been making stoof. Please bear with me while my photo-taking catches up…
Firstly, my new top of stretchy cotton sateen. I must be dreaming of spring already, I think!
This is a stash-busting success story. I fell deeply in love with this autumnal gold/orange/scarlet/khaki rose-print fabric from Tessuti’s in Melbourne last year, and threw down my credit card with blithe abandon. So my colours! Close-up, the print has that slightly scratchy spotty appearance of an old polaroid. Love it.
Difficulties arose when I got home and had to come to terms with the fact that for some dumb reason I had bought only 70cm. I have no excuse for this insanity. Yes, I was an idiot. I’m blaming that state of mad fabric drunkenness brought on by places like Tessuti’s. Note to self: get at least a metre from now on.
So I made a simple little pull-on Tshirt top because fortunately you don’t need much metrage for this style. This is the bodice from a dress pattern, Burda style magazine 08/2009, 128; elongated a bit. I have made this pattern up twice before, firstly as a dress and then as a top just like this one, so I already know how much I love this flattering boat-neck style. It has bust darts in the front and two long vertical darts in the back for shaping. No zip or closure is needed because the neck opening is wide enough so that you can just pull it on over your head.
I could not make the sleeves as long as the pattern intended, as in my previous two versions. This is the very longest I could get from out of my meagre piece. I would really prefer them to be about 12cm longer, but meh. I can cope.
Details:
The neckband is finished with facings. I always always under-stitch facings on a garment that I wish to look sorta dressy, or just not-so casual. Top-stitching always makes things look a bit more “casual” imo, and often you want an edge that smoothly and cleanly rolls under to the inside, with no top-stitching or anything visible on the edge. Under-stitching (the red stitching in both photos below) always provides a nice clean and minimal look on the outside; and safeguards against facings popping up and out.
After under-stitching, the facings are stitched to the sleeve cap seam allowances just inside the previous sleeve cap stitching, and stitched-in-the-ditch down to the shoulder from the right side of the garment, to hold them firmly in place.
While I am really enjoying wearing my crazier leggings and tights, I guess we all agree that plain black tights are kinda the most useful type to have, and a must for winter, right? So I made a second pair identical in every way to my previous pair. I am wearing these in the photo above too.
And I have made two little Tshirts too, one for me, and one for my husband, both self-drafted and custom-fit, using the very last of my 100% merino wool stash, bought from the Fabric Store in Melbourne last year. Now we have matching his-and-hers thermal tops, haha. Quelle romantic, non?
I am thrilled you managed to get a little top out of the meagre allowance you gave yourself. I guess the price was a little much for the head, on the day. T's and tights very useful additions 🙂
What a great print.
And I think I'll need to try your leggings tute to overcome baggy knee syndrome.
I am really in love with your bright rose fabric! You created a very stylish outfit. Beautiful work as always:)
I'm so impressed that you managed to squeeze that top out of 70cm of fabric – those colours really look gorgeous on you. The merino basics look great too, but do you find the tights a touch itchy at all?
no, it's 100% merino which feels so soft and beautiful against the skin. For comfort, I prefer merino to synthetic fabrics for tights and/or leggings, but unfortunately it is not as hard-wearing and so doesn't last as long.
Beautiful top, fresh pattern and I like the 3/4 sleeves there must have been some pattern jiggling there to get it all on 70cm! Jo x
I actually like the shorter sleeve length, and the fabric works perfectly with the black. I still can't believe you sew tights and I want to have a go – however my biggest problem will be finding the right kind of fabric I think. I guess it needs to be fairly light-weight??
Whole look is wonderful however this weekend/week I couldn't even think about wearing tights your summer finally arrived in the UK.
I'm amazed you got that lovely top out of 70cm, with sleeves! Think I need to think more about pattern placement on fabric. Thanks for the link to your earlier post on neckband construction, there seems to be so many different ways of doing this. I also hadn't read about reinforcing the shoulder seams before and now wish I'd done that on the maxi-dress I just made, oh well next time!
Sweet that you have matching black thermal tops! Have you tried pounding down your joining seam before you serge the band to the shirt? When I had my son's Cub Scout group make their own sweat shirts, it made it a little easier for them to sew over that seam – and, let's face it, for a bunch of boys, just the pounding was the best part.
Beryl; an excellent idea! The term used in dress-making circles is actually "spanking the seam". I kid you not!
Isn't it crazy how we find fabrics we love and then don't buy much of it! I guess we get so excited about our find that we have a lapse in our thinking. LOL Everything looks wonderful!
I can see why you like this fabric. Roses are my favourite flower. I really like the colour combination in this top. The pattern is also a winner. I really like tops with shaping.
You certainly can't go past wool at this time of the year for warmth without bulk.
Ooh I love all your new pieces. They will fit in perfectly with the rest of your wardrobe. The colours on the top are so autumnal and look great with your colouring as well.
That fabric is lovely – less than a yard wouldn't even do my sleeves!!
Lovely, lovely, lovely! The top is great, and looks fantastic on you.
Gorgeous top and the colours are divine. Great basics as well and those custom made t-shirts look very impressive as do those tights.
That rose print is absolutely smashing! Who can say no to a rad boatneck? You're on a roll 😀
Love your new top and found the way you extended the facings into the sleeve head quite inspirational. So simple, but sometime we need someone else to point out the obvious!
Fantastic top, love the colours and the boat neck.
I love the colours in your top and can see why you snapped it up. Very impressed that you managed to squeeze the top from 70cm!
I like the new top (and sleeve length)! Good, practical sewing too 🙂
Love your top and the colors and the fabric, you look wonderful. Great job on the black garment sewing.
very nice! the rose top is fabulous, and i'm a sucker for a simple tee. great job all around!
I'm really pleased with myself having just made a circle skirt (made from a cotton curtain) and putting bias tape on an old white t-shirt – the first garment sewing I've done in years. It too me forever (but hours passed in minutes I was so engrossed) and they are far from perfect, but never mind. They are for the WI fair next Sunday and I think of them as a Halloween costume of sorts, so I wasn't too worried about perfection. My rule was to only use what I had in the house to make something I'm so unlikely to wear again. Then again, I might change my mind.
Floral tops and black underwear aside, what I want to know is how many hours a day you and your husband spend at the gym!
Thanks for the implied compliment! Craig swims or jogs a couple of times a week, and I do no exercise apart from housework, and walking and biking my chores. I use my car as little as I possibly can 🙂
Love that flowery top!! I have this pattern, I have to sew the top version! I am amazed with your leggings and tights, very great job Carolyn.
Those are really your colours! The top looks fantastic, you always make the most of every situation. I agree about the understitching for facings. I always do it too, and try to avoid the topstitching. Looks neater in my opinion. Loving the thermals too.
great top and how clever of you to use a dress pattern for a top. pattern multi-tasking!
Fun top! I would have thought it was a knit if you hadn't specified that it was a woven. It really does have that t-shirt silhouette to it. But way to work such a small amount of fabric!
Perhaps you were short fabric because it was the end of a bolt! Lovely tops!
That is one cool ensemble!
Great outfit. At least you did get something very wearable from your 70cm
Lovely Top! You look great in it!
Your top looks great especially with the bright colors. And also the finishing details, so perfect!
I'm a little bit jealous.. you have self made merino clothes! MERINO! I own some RTW merino pieces and love them a lot. In my opinion the best fabric you could wear on your skin. Maybe some day i will have the courage and buy some merino fabric to sew myself merino clothes. (So sad, its summer in germany… to hot for wearing merino :D)
Your sateen flowery top is absolutely beautiful!! Love the fabric you chose, thank goodness there was enough for the top.
Yup. Merino. Gotta love it. My fave summer equivalent is knitted linen. But there's not much recovery in it so best for loosish style. The autumn tones in your roses fabric is fantastic with your hair. I do the less than1 m thing all the time. I usually end up with a short skirt so thanks for the inspiration! I have exactly that measurement of some lace fabric that I also bought from Tessutis. What was I thinking? I keep pulling it out, fondling it and putting it away again. Off now to spank some seams. Just need to get my leather gear out:)
That top is so beautiful!! I have that issue of Burda Mag and never would have thought to modify that dress into a top. It worked so perfectly!
It's beautiful! What fabric wizardry to make it all fit.
Pingback: a travel wardrobe; Scandinavia | Handmade by Carolyn