Hello! This is the latest thing in my little “use 12” challenge… a little top using this very small remnant given to me by my friend N when she cleaned out her stash. I really loved the colour of this scrap and was determined to save it… the colour reminds me of Sherbies which was one of my favourite lollies when I was growing up.
Sherbies are more pink and not quite as orange as their wrapping… I couldn’t find any pictures of an unwrapped Sherbie to show it so I’ll go out and buy some, take a pic and replace this picture when I do! this is my own picture… check out that gorgeous coral pink colour… mmmm
But the piece was tiny; quite narrow and only about 70cm long…. Honestly, this seems to be the story of my life lately; squeezing things out of the tiniest pieces of fabric… there’s a challenge going on at the moment where you’re supposed to use up 30m of your stash. I think I could do this because it sounds like fun! however if I’m only going to be using up 70cm of fabric with each thing that I make it’s going to take me forever!!
cat for scale
So, as usual I really didn’t have enough fabric to cut out even a small top… because the pokey out bits on the sides of all the pieces that enable your armpits to be covered actually use up such a lot of the width of your fabric, and if you cut out the pieces as is you end up with a lot of long skinny pieces of wastage. Eventually however, I discovered that you could fold back the said pokey out bits of your pattern pieces, and cut a gusset out of that bit at the top between the armscyes on each piece. Here’s a very rough drawing to illustrate:
You put the gusset in the underarm area to make up the shortfall from where you folded back the pokey-out bits, like so:
Yes.. it’s not very elegant and looks bit funny maybe, but it works and I’m happy. It’s pretty close to a zero waste design, which is such a buzz-word at the moment but is one I’ve always aspired to really, so that’s a good thing!
Not enough fabric for bindings… I finished all the edges using bias binding cut from leftover poplin from masks/mask lining I made for the family…
Seven down, five to go! I’m so please with my little capsule wardrobe and how it’s coming along… I can’t wait to see all the pieces together in one lovely collection once I’ve finished them all!
Really a great idea with the gusset…I’m forever trying to get a tank out of just a bit of fabulous fabric
Clever. Clever. Love that fabric. It looks so cozy and yummy. The colour makes it moreso. I’ve done a similar thing with pants, as in trousers, when I didn’t have quite enough. It also worked well.
Because my big bust is lower, I’ve been known to use gussets to give myself a better range of motion without bagginess right there over my full bust in line with the bottom of the armscye. It’s a handy little thing.
Aah Sherbies….loved them as a child but would not want to risk a tooth these days! Can’t wait to see how your capsule wardrobe comes together.
Thanks for the drawing illustrating how the underarm gusset allows one to get a top out of a smallish remnant. In my attempts to minimize fabric scraps, I am often looking for ways to squeeze in pattern pieces on strangely shaped remnants. This is another method to add to my tool set. Thanks!
Thanks for mentioning the gusset. In your place, I’d consider making this as your next pattern release… long sleeved and short sleeved versions.
Love it, and am very impressed you managed to get a proper, comfortable garment out of such a small piece.
Lovely use of a remnant of fabric. Thanks for showing the gusset solution! I love how sewing continues to be so challenging! Now you have a great excuse to go out and get a sherbie!
I think your armpit gussets are very elegant!
For some reason, gussets thrill the heck out of me – nice! But I’m interested in the binding. Do you find using a woven cotton like this gives you better edge stability?
I love the colour of your top. I also think the gusset solution is a very elegant way to save on fabric. I’ll have to look into this or as Mary wrote above you could make a pattern. I also love the combination with your skirt and scarf. All the best from Basel Anita
so I have long mulled over gussets. when you make the gusset do you just use the shape and size of the overlapping bit that doesn’t make the fabric width as the template ?
OOOH now that’s clever! It’s a lovely final shirt too. I’m feeling invigorated to go look at a few biggish scraps I thought weren’t quite biggish enough…