Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Peasant / folk t-shirt I designed

Here is a muslin of another go at designing a tshirt. I´ve just watched the original ice-dancing section of the 2009 Olympics and I loved all the peasant and folk costumes the skaters wore. This tshirt was supposed to be gathered at the neckline, with another underlayer at the neckline, like a peasant shirt, with cap sleeves. I think I´d like to try something like this again, but with a woven fabric peasant shirt.
The neckline on the paper-pattern is a very defined flat U-shape, like a folk peasant shirt, but made up in a knit material it curves alot more, like a scoop neck. I´d might make the U-shape sharper neck time.
The neckline is a 1:2 increase for gathering, just at the base of the neckline, and 1cm up on the neckline curve, (but no additions on the sides). I did the increases as per Cal Patch´s book Design It Yourself:Patternmaking simplified. I took the sides in slightly so that the shirt would not be too baggy due to the extra fabric along the neckline.
The fabric is some lycra from my friend Anna - thank you! The purple is cut off an old scrap tshirt.
Lyttleton Harbour, South Island, New Zealand

Friday, November 19, 2010

Amy Butler Cabo Halter

Here is my first go at the Amy Butler Cabo Halter. I made the Medium size. I didn´t alter the length, however, I did do a SBA (or more accurately, a NEBA), so that the neckline didn´t gape, by altering the angle of how the front top meets the front bodice. I sewed it together as per the pattern using 4.5cm stitches to see what size gape needed fixing, undid it, then moved the front pieces about 2cm down in the centre. (not at the sides). This was great and solved the problem, until I edgestitched the top bodice, which somehow stretched the fabric marginally (but enough to gape again). I´m not sure what I would do next time, as I think the bodice does need edgestitching and joining as the halter top is very low cut. Perhaps, do sba fitting after edgestitching.
The left hand pic is with the top worn as a halter top, which gapes a bit imho. The ties just reach to the back upper bodice, so I could turn the ties into shoulder straps - the right hand pic is with the ties pinned as shoulder straps instead. Still considering which option to do.
The pattern is easy to follow, and I´ll definitely make some more (with a better SBA). Also, it is very low cut, and I think I´ll add 1/2 cm onto the neckline next time.
Wellington Harbour, from our old flat, North Island, New Zealand