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Gosh, I feel embarrassed that it’s been so long since I posted anything and it’s not because I haven’t been sewing but my time is also occupied with cooking. I am a Thermomix consultant and sell the most amazing kitchen … Continue reading
I saw this on Facebook this morning and just had to share it with you all. Apparently it comes from a Singer Sewing Manual from 1949 – isn’t it just gorgeous?
One-piece Scoop Neck Asymmetrical Top
“Drape Drape” is the name of the Japanese pattern design company and you actually buy the entire pattern book (in this case Drape Drape 2) and it contains 14 different draping patterns, some lovely and others slightly weird.
If you read my previous post you’ll remember that my first attempt at making this was fine (although fiddly) up until the final pressing when I accidentally melted a huge hold into the front of the t-shirt! Oops! So after destroying the first top, I dived straight in and cut out another 2 tops (at the same time), different fabrics, and sewed away. Both were successful and I love them both so much.
The replacement to my melted top!
The orange version
You can really see the asymmetrical design of it with the 2 sleeves being completely different and not even the same length! The orange coloured top was much easier to sew and didn’t need any toilet paper backing (see my previous post about a trick I learnt to stop the wavy seams that sometimes happen with lightweight stretch fabrics). It worked so well under the overlocker and therefore took next to no time (not surprising really when you consider this was my third version in as many days!) to whip up! The fabric I used for the black top is unknown but semi sheer and very stretchy… The orange top was made of this:
I love how the fabric colour is called PAPRIKA – makes it look much nicer than orange!
I’ve gotta be honest and say that if it wasn’t for Sew Busy Lizzy’s version of this same top, I wouldn’t have even dreamt of buying the pattern. I mean, look at the photo in the pattern book:
To me this just looks like a boring, baggy t-shirt.
I know these days they don’t get models to smile because it’s all about the clothing (and not the model) but am I the only person who likes to see that the model is actually enjoying wearing the clothing she has on? Seriously, her body language just screams BORING and FRUMPY! grrrrrrr!!
The pattern is extremely unusual and it’s made up of just ONE pattern piece (oh, and the neck binding). Look at it here:
Unusual pattern, eh?
And then all you do is fold it down the middle like the next photo and follow the instructions in the booklet to sew it all up!
Very unusual shape once assembled…
I used the overlocker for the side seams and the shoulder seams and did the neck band differently to the instructions. Instead of cutting an 85cm length for the neck band, I cut it at about 65cm and made it into a loop, folded it in half and then stretched it to fit around the outside of the neck using my sewing machine’s overlocking stitch (you know, the “straight, straight, zig-zag” stitch). Folded the seam back into the shirt, ironed it (using a Rajah cloth) and then top stitched it to hold it into place. I made my first top according to the instructions and it was a lot more fiddly and I actually ended up hand stitching it which took a lot longer and still didn’t look nice and flat. I’m really happy with the way I did the other 2 tops. All other hems were sewn using twin needles.
Using a matching coloured thread I attached the neckband using the sewing machine.
To finish up, I’ll add a few different angles of the shirt for you to see…
This is where the fold is… (so no side seam on this side!)
Rear view
I really love the neckline and the way the fabric drapes – so flattering and comfortable to wear. I think I might even alter current “normal” t-shirt pattern to have the same neckline as this. It sure feels nice to be wearing something new and unique again and while I’m on a roll, I will try to finish a dress that has been cut out for a couple of months already!!!
Oh, and the last 2 pics are so I can introduce you to my new pup named Zasha. The name is Russian and means “defender of people” and it suits her down to a tee! She’s the love of my life and there’s never a dull moment any more!
Meet Zasha… she’s now 14 weeks old
I think I just copped a kiss in this shot! xx
Happy sewing everyone!
Carola x
Oh, it’s been such an exciting week with my Drape Drape 2 pattern book arriving and I carefully sat down and transferred all the required pattern pieces onto my butcher paper to create the perfect pattern for me! Did I tell you which pattern inspired me to buy the pattern? It was Sew Busy Lizzy’s version of pattern number 4 in the book (if you’re not following her, then you’re missing out coz she’s a fellow Aussie and her photography is just beautiful. She lives near the ocean (but about 4,000km from me on the east coast of Australia!) and all her photos have such a beautiful background… go check her out and tell her I sent you! :)
Anyway, did you look at Lizzy’s version of pattern number 4? Seriously the most stunning t-shirt I have ever seen and so I went out searching for fabric that would work. Found a cheap fabric at $10/m that I thought would work for the first version so I could check fit, and drape before spending more money on an expensive fabric. It wasn’t a difficult pattern although it’s a bit of a task transferring the relevant pattern pieces onto my plain paper and then joining them together to make one pattern piece – yes, that’s right: ONE PATTERN PIECE (plus neck binding)!
In the above photo you can see how I’ve highlighted the various pattern pieces that make up the ONE garment i’m wanting to make… actually had to draw all three up and join them! Not too hard but I found it easier to trace the correct size with a highlighter first.
a one-piece pattern for a stunning T-shirt
I cut out the fabric which was slightly sheer and stretchy and practiced my stitching only to find i couldn’t get the overlocker’s tension right and no matter what i changed, i ended up with very wavy seams so went to the sewing machine instead.
Using toilet paper, i managed to get flat seams… it’s amazing what a difference toilet paper makes (clean, of course!) but by using it as a backing, your fabric has more stability and it sews a lot easier.
See the toilet paper behind the dress fabric? It helps to make the seams flat!
Here’s what it looks like when I flip the fabric over… and all i need to do is tear the toilet paper away (and any that is left will dissolve in the first wash)!
the back of the toilet paper… and what it looks like once torn away.
Anyway, I finished the garment but had to iron the neck seams flat and used a Raja Cloth to protect the fabric… and, oops! I moved the iron off the Raja Cloth ever so slightly (by accident!!) and now I have a hole melted into the fabric and I’m so, so sad! Shit, shit, shit, shit!!!!! Such devastation! (I actually cried!)
Oops! It’s irrepairable! :(
And here’s what it looks like on! :(
Isn’t the draping just stunning? I absolutely love it!
Anyway, after the “incident” I went out to buy more fabric and I was pleasantly surprised that the fabric had been since placed on the “reduced” table and was now only $4/m and would therefore only cost $5 to redo (from scratch!). Oh well! Lesson learnt and hopefully the second version (same fabric) will come out a lot quicker than the first one seeing as now i’ve figured out the easiest way to get flat seams, etc. Stay tuned coz the next copy won’t be far away! :)
I’m glad I’m not one to give up! (That personality trait does annoy the heck out of me!) So if you also end up making a huge mistake like I did please don’t give up. Just start again and you’ll feel so good in the end!
Have a nice night!
Carola x
I haven’t had time to sit down and sew for the last 2 months or so and haven’t even had time to sit down and read the blogs I follow but this morning I brought my laptop into bed with me and caught up with many inspirational reads and am now chomping at the bit to make something new again! I’ve just bought the Drape Drape 2 book online and CAN’T WAIT for it to arrive on my doorstep! Oh, please hurry Mr Postman!!
The wedding we attended last week was lovely and the bride (my friend’s daughter) was just gorgeous and even though I don’t have any photos of her at this stage, I do have photos of what I wore to the wedding… my first formal outfit and it really was such an easy garment to put together. The pattern is McCall’s 3436 and I specifically chose this one as I needed something full length to hide my ugly black moon boot and I thought a two piece garment would be easier to fit (I think I was right with that!).
The fabric is what got me… I saw the olive green fabric with a roll of lace next to it and I was sold because the tones of gold, bronze and copper complemented the olive green so beautifully and I just HAD to make something up in this fabric, regardless of price (well, actually, I originally was shown another piece of lace that was priced at about $180/m… ummm, no… I don’t think so! I didn’t even spend that much on my OWN wedding outfit!).
Look at those colours! The cost of the olive green crepe was $42/m and the lace was $65/m. Add on a reel of thread, a zipper and some buttons and the dress ended up costing me $250 which at the end of the day is a lot of money but ended up costing the same as what it cost my husband to HIRE a suit for the day (and he doesn’t even get to keep his!!)
Doing the “Couture Dress course” with Susan Khalje taught me an easy way to pattern match and even though it was a bit fiddly doing this with lace, I’m glad i did it. Once I had the 7 pieces of lace cut out AND the 7 matching pieces of crepe, I hand basted the lace to each respective crepe piece, making them act as one piece and then assembled the panels as normal. I actually made myself 3 muslins before I was happy with the fit of the top but somehow it ended up not quite as fitted at the hips… oh, well. It was still doable. Where the buttons close, the patterns match perfectly and it’s those little bits of detail that make me smile from ear to ear!
Here you can see the lovely sandal that I wore on my good foot and yes, the skirt was extremely long, but it served the purpose of letting me feel “normal” for a day! :)
And there is the ugly moon boot that I was trying to hide!
In total I bought 4m of the olive crepe which was 150cm (60″) wide so by being careful how I cut out my pattern, I made sure I had a strip wide enough to make up a matching stole in case it got chilly in the evening (and yes, it did!) In this photo you can even see the matching clutch that made as well!
I didn’t line the skirt because I was concerned that it would all get a bit hot (it’s almost summer here) and the weight of the fabric allowed it to fall beautifully but the only photo i had of the perfect fall it had ended up blurry and I really wasn’t sure it would look ok here on my blog. The inside of the skirt fabric was shiny and it just slid over my body but I did line the top because of the lace, which would have been scratchy against my skin otherwise.
And here you can see a photo of the actual day with my gorgeous husband who certainly scrubs up OK in a suit and tie (note the tie is gold, to complement my dress!) We had a wonderful afternoon/evening and I even got up on the dance floor with Rick and slow danced to a couple of songs… yep, moon boot and all!
Since the wedding, I’ve had 2 cortisone (steroid) injections in my left foot and the pain seems to be easing… eventually I’ll be able to wean myself off the boot and get back into normal footwear again. Looking forward to this very, very soon! :)
Hope you have a wonderful week!
Carola x
I know I haven’t shared much stuff with you lately and right now I want to share but I don’t have time so instead I’ll show you ONE of the things that I made as part of my formal outfit to wear to a wedding that is this afternoon!!
I made a bow clutch purse to match my skirt and top (click the link to see the tutorial). So easy to whip up using left over fabrics and I think it’s completed my outfit perfectly! Unfortunately the colour hasn’t come out looking as good as it does in real life but it’s an olive green colour and a colour that always looks good on me…
Bow Clutch Purse to match my formal outfit
I wonder if you can imagine how the rest of my outfit looks…
You’ll need to wait a couple of days for those photos! I’m off to a wedding now! :)
Wow, I looked at the calendar last week and noticed that my anniversary date had been and gone and I’m now free to go out and buy some clothes! I bought myself a new pair of jeans but that’s all I really feel like buying at this stage coz at the end of the day, I’d rather sew my clothes to get a better fit and to be able to wear unique clothing.
Am I happy with my year of fasting from ready-to-wear clothing? Yes, I am but I’m disappointed that I didn’t have more time to sew and therefore made fewer items than I planned. There are so many unmade garments in my sewing room that I’m dying to dive into and just because the fast is over doesn’t mean that I’m giving up on sewing. On the contrary. I have learnt to be a better sewist and am neater and more accurate now and I get so much pleasure out of creating the clothes that I wear.
A couple of items that I’m in the middle of (ok, not in the “middle” but I’ve bought my fabric and added length to my patterns) are:
OK, so this was just a short update to let you know where I’m at at the moment. Enjoy your week and I hope to show you some more sewing photos soon.
Carola x
Oh, PS: The full length skirt I’m making is a self drafted skirt from my own skirt block – maybe, if I get time, I’ll show you how I drafted the pattern. :)
This dress was very spur of the moment as I had a girl’s night out to attend on Friday night and wasn’t really sure what I wanted to wear… I don’t go out much but felt that I’d really like to go out and enjoy a few drinks and listen to loud music. What was I thinking? Oh, but the making of the dress was so much fun and putting more effort into my appearance also made me feel good. It’s the fabric that made this dress so wonderful and being in between seasons at the moment you can never tell if it’s going to be warm and dry or wet and cold. It turned out to be cold and wet and so the 3/4 sleeve was perfect. The fabric was a thin stretch velvet with an awesome print and the stripes are sheer fabric so the dress had to be lined, which I didn’t have time to do, and I bought a slip to go underneath it instead.
Many of you will remember that I had to wear a moon-boot (due to a torn ligament in my toe) for about 3.5 months and even though I’m out of the moon-boot now, I still can’t wear normal shoes so if I was to go out I had to wear my black flat boots – there was no other option! With this in mind, i found a pattern at Spotlight that made me think of 60s mini dresses and when I think of those, I also imagine boots underneath. Teamed with my fabric choice, I absolutely loved the overall effect and it was probably one of the most comfortable and practical dresses I’ve made. I still felt feminine and appropriately dressed and in my mind I looked unique but very me!
The Simplicity 1716 pattern certainly wasn’t difficult but I chose my size according to the chart and found the chart to be incorrect by about one size… I ended up having to take everything in by about 1.3cm (1/2″) and I find this to be annoying. It’s the first time I’ve ever made a Simplicity pattern so I don’t know if this is normal or not.
It has the two standard pleats on the shoulders that give the rouched finish across the bust but it also has an extra pleat towards the bottom of the arm hole creating more rouching underneath the bust and I’m not really sure that I like that effect. Either way it was too late to do anything about it by the time I realised that it was there and the fabric was too expensive to just throw out and start again ($30/metre)
Here are the rest of the photos:
I had a fun evening and even got home before midnight and I can’t wait for my next night out!! Oh, and did any of you notice that I didn’t hem the bottom of the skirt? No, I didn’t think so! I ummmmed and aaaahed over it for a while before deciding that the fabric wasn’t fraying and by hemming it, I would more than likely create a horrible wavy hemline. I thought it all looked fine and went with it. Pretty neat, eh? An extremely easy and satisfying dress to sew up. So what will I sew up next…. I’m certainly on a roll at the moment, aren’t i?
Have a fantastic weekend!
Carola x
See? I have been busy!! OK, this shirt makes up for the green one that I made and had to throw into a corner (for now) – I love everything about it. The pattern is M6512 and the only thing I didn’t enjoy about constructing this one is altering the pattern, but then that seems to be an issue with ALL my patterns because I don’t have a “standard” body. Realistically though, it’s also the reason why i LOVE sewing so much because I can alter patterns to fit me right!
When I look at the photo I think I should have added even more length to the body but that’s something I’ll do on the next one coz I am sure I’m going to make more of these. The pattern was easy to follow and had some amazing instructions on how to alter the bust (doing a full bust adjustment) and having the correct markings on the pattern itself to tell you where you need to cut the pattern, should you want to do an FBA. I think for people who would like to trial a few FBAs then this would be a great pattern to practice on coz it’s easy to put together and the instructions are very clear.
The fabric I chose is actually a lot darker than I had intended but the feel of the fabric was perfect – a light weight 100% cotton with a self embossed stripe. I picked it up in a half price fabric sale and the buttons actually cost more than the fabric! haha! Another thing I found really nice about the pattern is that the shoulder tabs are actually positioned to the front of the blouse… novel, in my books! :-)
And the sewing hasn’t stopped with the shirt! I have a girls night out tonight and am almost finished with a dress that I am making. I need to stop typing though so that I can finish it – I only have about 2 hours left to do this and I will blog about it soon! I hope you’re all well. I follow many of your blogs on my mobile phone but unfortunately I can’t seem to make comments from there so I wait until I am at a computer but by then I can’t remember what I wanted to say anymore!! LOL Either way, I love reading about what you’re doing and I get inspired by seeing pictures of what you’re all making!
Have a lovely Friday!!
Carola xx
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