Peacock Silk Top for Grand Reception

***Edited in Purple---patternmaking, side-back princess seam.

I had signed up to attend the Grand Reception, held on the night before the quilt show opened.  This is a semi-formal affair, so I needed something 'special' to wear.  I decided to try to copy a Watters H2O top that I had tried on during my MOG dress-shopping marathon.  And I had just the right fabric for this...a peacock-colored silk that I had picked up at the Fabric Collection in Jackson, TN, on one of the MOG dress shopping trips!

Here, you can see me in the final top...along with Etta McFarland (my travel buddy!) and Jim West, the Managing Director of the IQFOI and founder and CEO of Travel Alliance, Inc., which operates the Sew Many Places travel company who organized the tour for us.  We were walking along talking with Jim when we stopped to take a photo...but look at how well we 'match' the quilts in the background!  And who doesn't love a man in a kilt? :)

To make my top, I began with the basic blouse pattern with side and waist bust darts as well as back shoulder dart.  I used the program settings to widen the neck opening, but had to manually create the neck shape I wanted.

Notice the shape of the sleeve pattern:  I have found that I get the best sleeve cap shape when I keep the wrist circumference very small...too small!  Widening the wrist narrows the cap (a program flaw that I have been complaining about for years now!) so it is best for me to draft with a small wrist then redraw the sleeve below underarm level manually.

I used ZERO bust ease* and 4.5" hip ease. 
I wanted the waist darts to measure 1.5" wide, so I adjusted the ease level until that width was drafted.  The waist ease setting ended up being 3.5".

*Knowing what I know NOW, if I was doing this over again, I would use a bit more bust ease.


I rotated the side bust dart to the shoulder. (Why not just start with the dart there, you may ask.  PMB cannot keep the armholes constant when the dart is rotated, so I start with this same side bust dart and make my changes manually.)

I also drew in the 'princess' line, which I wanted BESIDE (not 'ON') the bust point.
I also located the 'V' portion of the neckline.

I copied/mirrored the front pattern to create a WHOLE front, drew the new curved neckline, then eliminated the portion beyond the princess line on one side....this is a wrap front style.

Next, I drew a circle on the bust point, radius = 1.5". 
I used the LOCATE POINTS tool to divide the edge of the wrap (between waist and neck) into four sections...locate three points.
I drew lines from each of these points to either side of the bust circle, as well as to a point located on the sideseam that was 3.125" below the underarm.  These lines were to become the pleats.  

I used the SCISSORS TOOL to CUT the CF line into segments...this is important.

I measured that shoulder bust dart, then rotated HALF to the first pleat and HALF to the second pleat. 

When the pleats are opened, those CF line segments change their orientation.  That TOP segment will eventually become the grainline for this pattern.

At this point, I copied the pattern and extended the top CF grainline, then rotated the pattern so that the grainline was vertical.  Now I had the pattern for the LEFT side...and instead of pleats, those would be sewn as darts (so as to reduce bulk).

I continued working on the RIGHT side.  I drew in another line BELOW the waist...now I had three lines (including the waist) that still needed to be converted to pleats.  I did NOT rotate any of the bust dart to these lines...it was ALL put in those top two pleats.  These were simply rotated open to add fullness so they were equal in width to the other pleats...this was done AFTER I had separated the SIDE FRONT from the CENTER FRONT section.

Again, the top CF line segment was extended and the pattern was rotated to make it vertical.

Now I had a pattern for the left front, one for the right front and one for the side front.

Time to work on the BACK. 
As mentioned before, my back neck opening drafts NARROWER than my front neck opening...which is bad.  I am told it doesn't happen to everyone...depends on the measurements.  Anyway, I shift the back neckline (PINK) laterally by .25" and redraw the back shoulder dart (RUST)  smaller to control the length of the back shoulder seam.

To get rid of the back shoulder dart:
I rotated the back shoulder dart to the armhole...at the 1/2-BAH height level.  Then I drew in the princess lines to incorporate the waist dart, curving to create a nice shape.  One side of the princess line (BLACK)  touches the upper leg of the now-armhole dart and one side of the princess line (RED)touches the lower leg of the now-armhole dart.  This incorporates the shoulder dart uptake into the princess seam and eliminates the need to sew a separate shoulder dart.

***see edit, below.
HOWEVER, now the two princess seams, BLACK and RED, are not the same length.  So I measured and found that the red line (side-back princess seam) needed to be lengthened by 0.5" to equalize these seams.  I drew in the BLUE segment (on right image), which is 0.5" long, then ROTATED the lower armhole (GREEN) by 0.5" CLOCKWISE, pivot point = underarm point (PINK CIRCLE). 

***Edited to correct-
On 07-28-13, I was putting away these patterns and I saw a hand-written note on this side back pattern piece with a reminder of something I had forgotten.  After sewing, the back princess seam seemed 'poufy', so I ripped and REMOVED that extra .5" that was added to the back armhole to equalize the princess seams.  So, apparently, it might be better to just leave those seams unequal in length...at least for me!

Now all that was left to do was separate the patterns, add seam allowances, and clean them up.  I added generously at the tip-top of the side back (and side front) princess seams, then trimmed away any excess when I cut out the paper pattern pieces and fit them together.  This one only needed a tiny bit of trimming.

Using this pattern, I cut out the silk dupioni as well as the silk organza (the underlining).  BTW, that organza was white when I bought it, but I prewashed my fabrics together...now it matches.  :)

I started out hand-basting these pieces together, then tried machine basting, but evently resorted to glue-basting the underlining to the fashion fabric.  Those front pieces had LOTS of darts/pleats to baste around!

For my loops, I found a great tutorial on making narrow spaghetti straps on this site. She uses a bobby pin to turn the narrow tube...genius!  Check it out...

Oh!  My buttons!  Would you believe I found this set of buttons to cover in my grandmother's stash?  Again, her stuff comes to my rescue, just as it did with the button for the MOG dress.  This set had just the right amount of buttons, in just the right size...hard to find at the local store these days!

 
My loops, as seen from the inside:

Here are the loops and the buttons, as well as a snap I sewed on near the lower edge to help keep the hem closed.  Since I lined this top with black Ambience, I didn't have any peacock-colored china silk to cover the snap with...so I used it as-is.

To hold the underlayer, I sewed a button onto the lining at the princess seam, catching only the lining.  I wasn't sure if I should try to catch the outer layer (seam allowances) too, or not, so I just caught the lining.  I made a thread loop to go over the button.

Here you can see the buttoned inside...

At one point during construction, I was very frustrated.  I had the neckline all stitched, trimmed, clipped and understitched...but those 'points' were kind of wanting to stick out away from my body.  I had forgotten to trim a bit off the facing pattern and I was afraid this was the cause.  I ripped one side...understitching, mind you!!!...and scooted the seams as if the facing had been trimmed...then pinned to see if that might fix the problem.  I couldn't really tell...

About that time my doorbell rang.  It was my next door neighbor, who hasn't been over to my house in years!  She had come to say hello and see my sewing room.  I took her up and showed her around, then told her about the problem I was having with this neckline.  She then told me about a particular collar that gave her fits (long ago), so she went to the storage room and grabbed some WIRE and sewed it into the collar seam...now she could shape that collar any way she desired!  Well, a lightbulb went on over my head!  YES!  She also said that if the hem of a jacket wanted to flip out on her, she would sew a quarter into the front hem/corner!  Genius!

As soon as she left, I put the ripped-out neckline back as it had been before I ripped it.  I hand-sewed some thin copper wire along the neck corner seamline...bending the ends to prevent pokies.  Worked perfectly!  I could probably have used the heavier gauge wire (in my jewelry-making stash), but I didn't want to be able to feel it (with my hand).  Then, when I got to the hem, I took no chances...a quarter seemed excessive but a dime was just right! :)

Here is the jacket on my paper-tape double...see how my left shoulder blade really sticks out? That makes it difficult to get my back shoulder width just right.   This jacket is 'almost' perfect...for a no-ease garment it is great.  But next time, I would prefer a bit more ease at bust and above, across the back.

Here are a few pictures of the top ON ME!  I felt like it looked good and made a good impression.  Though close-fitting, it was not so tight that I couldn't move, even with the camisole underneath.

At the Grand Reception...not everyone chose to dress semi-formally.  And there were no dress-police there to enforce the code!  But I was glad I looked appropriately attired, even if my hair DID look awful this whole trip!  sigh.

The fellow in the plaid shirt is the official photographer...he certainly didn't dress for the occasion!

Perhaps you can see a little tightness across the back? 
I think I would also lower the armhole just a tiny bit for the next one (in addition to adding a bit more bust/shoulder ease).

Ya know, on the MOG dress, I had made the shoulders TOO wide!  So, when I drafted the pattern for this top, I reduced the front and back shoulder widths...but apparently, I over-did it! 
Story of my life.
Next time...

Cheers!

MOG Dress Construction Pt 2

When it came time to draft the skirt portion of this dress, I was not sure WHAT to start with!

If I chose a Dropped-Waisted DRESS, which seemed like what I was making, the waist of the skirt was straight across...it just seemed odd.

 

So I looked at just using a SKIRT...and adding FLARE.  It had a little curve to the waist but not much.

So I looked at the Empire-Waisted DRESS.  Again, once I cut it off at 6" below the waist, I would be left with a straight line for the waist seam.  Hmmmm.....

 

Next I looked at the Midriff-Waisted DRESS.  This one seemed more promising!  I don't know for sure that the waist SHOULD be curved, but it seemed logical to me that it should.  So this is the one I chose.

 

 

 

On the FRONT pattern, I used the OFFSET tool to offset the waist 6" below it's current level...this is because the midriff of the bodice extends 6" below the waist.  I removed and discarded that upper portion, then duplicated/mirrored the front pattern to create a whole front, adding BIAS grainlines.  Yep, as if this isn't already hard enough, this will be cut on the bias.

 

Again, for the BACK pattern, I offset the waist 6" and discarded the upper part of the pattern.  I chose to add a bit of walking ease to that back center seam...I found KNEE LEVEL on my pattern and CUT the back seam there, then ROTATED (by units) the lower segment outward (CW) by 5".  Bias grainlines were added.

Now I had a layout...I could see how much fabric was required and knew how to layout the pieces.  But I did NOT print the full-size layout...too much paper and assembly!

Instead of printing the WHOLE front, I printed the half pattern, then taped it to more paper at the center line, folded at the center, then cut out the pattern double.  once cut, I unfolded to have a whole pattern.

To cut this large pattern piece, I placed a folded cardboard cutting board on the ironing board and put it right up next to my cutting table.  I carefully layed out the fabric, keeping the cross-grain and lengthwise grain straight.  I rotary-cut what I could on the large mat, then used scissors where I had to.

 Once the front was cut and set aside, I carefully pulled more fabric up onto the cutting table and again smoothed it into place, trying to get the grainlines straight.  I cut one back and then the other.

When it was time to sew, I found that the seam lengths were unequal.  Well, long story short, eventually I compared my cut fabric pieces to the pattern pieces.  Oh dear!  One back was close enough to 'right' to be used, but one was way off!   After cutting other pieces, I no longer had a nice straight cross-grain to align with the matt when pulling up more the fabric on the table. 

I had just enough fabric left to cut ONE MORE back pattern!  And this time, I carefully aligned two cardboard cutting mats on the floor, then carefully aligned the cross-grain with a line on the mat, while carefully aligning the selvedges with other lines on the mat!  I even pinned the fabric to the mat to avoid distortion!

After placing the pattern in postion, I CHALKED around it...carefully!  Yes, this is how it SHOULD have been done in the first place.  But I was trying to take shortcuts...

 

 

Once the chalk lines were drawn, I could then pick up the fabric and carry it to my cutting table, where I proceeded to use the rotary cutter to cut it out.  It is much easier for me to cut this way, as opposed to crawling around on my knees with scissors!

 

Finally!  The skirt was finally sewn to the midriff section!  It is starting to look like a dress now!

 

 

I hand tacked the "waist" seam allowances...above and below the midriff section...to the foundation fabric, just to be sure they stayed smoothly in place.

When it came time to cut the lining fabric, there was NO QUESTION as to how it would be done.  On the floor, with chalk...

 

Once again, the pattern pieces were layed out and chalked around while the fabric was pinned to the board. 

 

The lining went in nicely.

I attached the lining to the dress at the neckline, using NO FACING.   I attached the lining to the zipper, too, and (later) made thread chains to connect the seams near the hem.

 

Now it needed some pressing and a hem...but before I could hem it, I had to find some SHOES!

 



To be continued...

Sleeves, take two!

The new sleeve pattern was MUCH better! 

 

I probably could have even lowered the sleeve cap a bit more for some additional mobility, but I think this sleeve is fine since it is so short.

 

I used a CAP HEIGHT of -1 on this SET IN SLEEVE.

 

Which means I could probably have used a CP HT of -1.5, I think.

 

On the PREVIOUS sleeve, I did use a CP HT of -1.5, but it was a different sleeve choice...

That was the CAP SLEEVE.

 

So, the correct cap height choice depends on WHICH sleeve style you make!

 

 

After printing my sleeve pattern, I was STILL a bit concerned about that dramatic upward swoop of the hem.

 

The shape just seemed so...severe.

 

So I added .5" to the overall cap length by redrawing (with pencil on the paper) as indicated by the blue line on this pattern.  That blue line became my cutting line.

 

I used .375" seam allowance on the lower/hem edge...5/8" on the others, simply because that is what I had used on the dress.

I really prefer using smaller...3/8"...seam allowances, but when the outcome is uncertain, best to use larger!

 

 

I once again cut each sleeve from the lace and from the gold mesh.

I aligned the pieces RST and sewed the lower/hem edge.

Then I understitched that edge, pressing the seam allowances toward the gold mesh.

 I folded the mesh to the inside and positioned the pieces WST, pinning carefully along the hem edge to align the layers without letting either side shift backwards or forward at that hem seam. 

Then I pressed well.

 

After basting the cap edges together, these sleeves were inserted into the dress without major incidents!

 

Lastly, I serged the armhole seam, cutting off most of the seam allowance, as it would be pressed out toward the sleeve and I didn't want a big seam allowance showing through the lace. 

1/4 inch was fine.

 

Yes, it would probably have been nice to bind that seam in lining fabric...I didn't.

 

 

Now it was time for a closure at the back neck edge.

I had already tried a small hook and eye on the inside, but it kept coming loose during try-ons...no way was it going to hold during dancing!

 

I needed a button.

 

Looking through my stash, hoping to find a set of buttons to cover with the dress fabric didn't produce any buttons small enough.

 

So I started looking for 'regular' buttons, holding little hope of finding any the right color but making the effort anyway. 

 

 

 But what do you know!?  In my grandmother's button stash, there was a little plastic ziplock bag containing 6 small purple buttons!

 

 

These buttons were just right! 

Not too big.

Not too small.

Not too  shiny.

Just right!

 

 

So I sewed one of these buttons onto the left neck edge of my dress, then made a thread loop on the right side.

 

 

The dress closes nicely now!

I haven't tried dancing yet, but if it will hold tight long enough for me to put the dress on and get the hem marked, then I think I will trust it for the night!

 

Oh, and have you  noticed the color of these images? 

All different.

This purple shows up as blue much of the time.

No telling HOW this dress will show up in the official photos!

Sigh.