Ruched Sleeve Turtleneck(s)

I like ruched sleeves and turtlenecks, so I thought, “How about a ruched Turtleneck?” I was not sure how I wanted to do the ruching until I saw it in a RTW garment. The store had it only in black and the price was great considering the quality, so I bought it with the clear idea to copy it in other colors (which I did - in white and gray). BTW, the original top is by Miss Me, a line that delivers as-of-the-moment fashions at an affordable price.

Fabric: The RTW top is made from tissue-weight jersey (the black in the middle), whereas both mine are made from lightweight jersey – white and cobalt gray – from http://www.gorgeousfabrics.com/

Copying: For the purpose of copying RTW I like to use Glad Press’n Seal Multipurpose (indeed!) Sealing Wrap. It clings to the fabric and I just mark the lines with a marker, and then transfer to paper. The sleeve, of course, I could not copy this way. I basically redrafted it using the width and height of the sleeve cap. Finally I did a test garment and the sleeve needed very minor adjustments only.

Construction-wise, the interesting part about this top is that instead of bottom hem, the bottom edge is finished with a 3.5” wide band. Also, the front neckline is fairly low, more like it would be on a crewneck tee.

Personally, I love this style – a basic bodice and a different enough sleeve!

Below is something I found while browsing - it is a 3.1 Philip Lim Rosebud SleeveTurtleneck:

Fairly similar, right!

Draped Asymmetrical Top Inspired Obakki and the Slapdash Sewist

Inspiration:
I saw this top in the latest issue of Lucky and looked it up online (www.Obakki.com). I liked the casual cool about it and the asymmetrical, yet sophisticated drape.

Drafting:
I started by drawing down the shape of one of my favorite tank tops that are not tight but skim the body instead. Then I added the drape and cut my 1st muslin. This muslin proved a need for a cowlneck adjustment and I cut the 2nd muslin. I used the 2nd muslin to establish the bottom hem and the precise lines of the right armhole. The 3rd and final muslin (on the photo) had all things figured out plus the bias established, but something was still missing… It was just like my inspiration but I did not like it because it was too geometrical and did not gel with my personality, if that makes sense. It was then when I remembered a cool detail that the Slapdash Sewist had added to a dress of hers (see here: http://theslapdashsewist.blogspot.com/2008/07/goddess-dress.html), i.e. a twisted shoulder detail. So, I added some length to the right shoulder seam and twisted. I liked it and went with it.
There was the question about finishing the neckline and the armholes. I wanted something as clean and unobtrusive as possible, so I went with facing. The thing about this particular facing is that it is cut with the garment, as one pattern piece. Essentially there are only 2 pattern pieces to this top – a back and a front with the back and front facings incorporated in them. The draped left “armhole” is where the facing extends from the front/back. It worked because a/the top is cut on a bias and b/because the fabric is oh so soft and between light- and tissue weight.

Actual garment:
Fabric: Lightweight rayon jersey in black from www.gorgeousfabrics.com.
No interfacing and/or stabilizing, however, the facing is understitched to the seam it faces.
The draped left “armhole” is not pressed at the crease, rather, left soft.
The garment was left to hang overnight (but did not stretch) and only then the bottom hem was finished with a 1 ¾” narrow coverstitch.
The bottom edge of the facing is left unfinished, just pinked.
Finishing touches:
I wanted to add a waist-cinching option, just in case I wanted to wear it that way. It did take me some time to decide on how to do the belt since I only knew I wanted to mix up the knit fabric with some different texture. I ended up weaving the fabric with organza ribbon, tying knots and adding some plastic beads. When wrapped around the waist the top has more of a dressed up-eveningwear look.
For a more everyday look I took some large very dark irregularly shaped beads and made a choker (first time beading and it was fun).

Ruched Sleeve Tee

I was inspired by this 3.1 Phillip Lim cotton T-shirt with ruched sleeves and high neck - http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/33023# . I particularly liked the bold sleeve detailing.

The material for my tee is actually sourced from three RTW t-shirts (because of the flower design on the front that I felt in love with) that I cut up - used one to cut out the front and back pieces from my pattern, and the backs of the two other tees to cut out the sleeves. I am now left with two fronts and 6 short sleeves:), I may make a beach dress for DD from them.
And here is the tee finished:

The slideshow below illustrates how I drafted/draped the tee. For the bodice I used a tee block that I made a few years ago and the sleeve was draped on a dressform.

Sleeve: SAs presses towards the bodice to control the “puff,” hem – unfinished, sleeves rolled up

Neckline: stabilized with bias tape and stitched down.

Bodice hem – coverstitched.

Conclusion: It was a first for me to drape a sleeve, I have no idea how a sleeve should be draped, so, my process was based solely on improvising. In any case, I like the result and will use my experience to drape other funky sleeves.

Two more photos of the sleeve:

Draping / Drafting CHLOÉ Tee

The wearable muslin is finished! And it is wearable indeed!
For my wearable muslin I used 3 Mossimo for Target tissue-weight t-shirts (size XXL), on sale.

Making the unwearable muslin:
At this point I made an “overall shape” mock-up by cutting and pinning (time after time) one of DH’s oversized white t-shirts. Eventually I arrived at the muslin pieces as shown in the slideshow. Next, I added a wedge to the upper front for the cowl-neck effect. Lastly, I freehanded the stitch lines to mimic as close as possible the original design. Then I transferred the muslin to paper and trued the topstitching lines so the back and front matched.
From there, I cut out the separate pattern pieces.

This slideshow illustrates the process:

Construction:
Seams are first serged, then pressed tone side, then topstitched with a coverstitch machine (the parallel lines remain on the wrong side).
The lines that are only topstitched I first interfaced with 3/8” bias fine-knit fusible.
The neckline is faced and understitched.
Hem is folded under and topstitched.

These are photos of the WS and RS of the stitching

To do for the contest entry: I do have some tweaking to do, reposition some lines and rethink construction, but really, the style is so loose that I do not foresee any major changes. With other words, the fit was the easier part with this top. Now, I am impatiently waiting for my samples and then fabric to arrive!

Off-The-Shoulder Asymmetry

Typically, when it comes to clothes, I am not in favor in asymmetry. However, as with every rule, this one also has its few exceptions, among which is my flair for off-the-shoulder garments. According to fashion mags, the off-the-shoulder style is very much “in”, however, it is hard to find decent RTW channeling this trend. As you can see, I went conservative with this top and did not do a very pronounced off-the-shoulder neckline, but next time I might be more adventurous:

This top is fashioned after a top I once saw in the ArdenB flagship store in Chicago. It was a long sleeve jersey top that could be worn as an off-the-shoulder garment, as well as a regular top. I remember that the price put me off but I did go to the fitting room, tried the top on, loved it, and quickly sketched it on a piece of paper. I filed the piece of paper together with all my other sewing papers but never got around to making it, until now.
Here is the sketch of the top.

The measurements you see on the sketch are taken in a very *scientific* way - “finger” increments, which is how I measure things in stores when I don’t have a measuring tape :), and since I know that 4 fingers = 2.5 inches, it is as accurate as it gets!

The actual shirt is made from a knit fabric I bought 3 yrs ago from some online store, but I don’t remember from where exactly. The top is sewn VERY fast on account of a simple construction - identical front and back pieces and two rectangular pieces for the lower parts of the sleeve. I first sew the shoulder seams, then coverstitched the neckline. Next, I attached the rectangualer lower sleeve pieces to the body and then serged the underarn seams. Lastly, the bottom hem was coverstitched. It honestly cannot be any simpler than that! Here is the top lying flat:

I really like this top, although I realize that a style like that would not be everyone’s cup of tea.
although it is a very distinctive style, I can imagine making again with a stronger off-the-shoulder detail, out of some luxurious (perhaps mustardy yellow) silk jersey… Now, that would be a great summer, not-over-the-top, meet-with-friends-for-a drink, evening top. For me anyway… And think of it, I do have a mustardy yellow silk jersey in my stash!

Knocking Off a TIBI Blouse

My current project is a knock-off one. I am knocking-off a TIBI top, a label designed by Amy Smilovic.

I saw this top at revolveclothing.com and really liked it, however, there are only so many occasions it can be worn at because as you can see in the pictures, it is fairly evening-wear. So, I thought I’d make it in a fabric that would render more casual look to it.

It took two muslins to get the pattern ready but the patternmaking process was fun.

Fabric:
The original top is made from: shell: 55% cotton 45% poly, lining: 100% acetate. Since I wanted to keep the design but change the purpose of the top to a more casually styled garment, I chose:
- for the shell: charcoal heather doubleknit rayon blend 4-way stretch from Emmaonesock.com
- for the lining: black rayon lining.

Design:

I am keeping it true to the original design with the exception that I decided to onit the back closure (in the CS seam below the neckline) because the muslin proved I could slide my head through the opening with no issues.

Construction: I have already thread traced the shell and the lining. I have never actually thread traced a garment before, at least not in its entirety. This time I chose to do so just to see how it goes. My conclusions: 1. it is time consuming and 2. it is worth it, especially for the rayon lining.

The original top is fully lined and so will be my knock-off. The lining of this top is made partially as a true lining and partially as an interlining. What I mean is that the linings of the bodice and the one of the sleeves are made separately from the shell, then attached to the bottom hemss of the shell and the sleeves. From that point I am going to treat the lining as interlining and baste it to the armscye and neckline.

I am hoping to finish it by tomorrow night and post some photos of the finished top.