I had a few scant hours this morning to spend sewing. In search of something quick, but more exciting than yet another pair of leggings, I pulled out Drape Drape (vol. 2).
I have been wanting to make top # 4 since I got the book, a year and a half or more ago. I actually attempted it last winter, but made the mistake of using a border-print knit with almost no stretch at all, and didn’t modify the neckline, despite reading warnings of its depth. The result was too low for decency (and I am not shy of cleavage) and way too tight in the hips. It gets worn to bed once in a while, but otherwise was basically a waste of a really cool fabric. Bah.
Anyway, take two is in a much more suitable lightweight knit, which claimed to be a cotton but I think has a fair whack of rayon, or maybe just a nice polyester.
Either way, it’s soft, drapey, and just right for this pattern. I re-traced (man is that a big pattern-piece!) and tried again, raising the neckline by two inches and widening the scoop of it a bit more. I also added a tiny bit of width to the hip, straightened the hem (since I figured this would look better than the curve with the stripes) and straightened the hem of the left sleeve, again to look better with the stripes.
I tried to take my time with the construction, reinforcing the shoulder seams with strips of fusible knit interfacing and taking time to press my neck band and twin-needle my hems (after reinforcing them with steam-a-seam).
I am not a big fan of the double needle for knit finishes, despite it’s superficial RTW look. It tends to tunnel, often doesn’t stretch enough, and, most importantly, I tend to kill the needles quickly. This one bit it right as I was finishing the neckline. I had to do two lines of straight stitch across the back of the neck. BLERG.
I wasn’t sure, given the odd shape of the pattern, that matching the stripes across the seams would be possible, so I didn’t try too hard. This is kinda too bad, because it turns out they actually could mostly have matched up really well, if I had tried a little harder. They’re not terrible, but definitely not awesome.
So, summary? Quick, a little crazy, comfy, and most importantly, done!
Now if only that spring weather would come along to go with it!
Tanit-Isis Sews 
This is really lovely and summery looking. I love a good stripe. It has a bit of a Vivienne Westwood vibe too.
Thanks! Good stripes are awesome, aren’t they? 🙂
Love this! I made it recently, without alterations. My fabric was so sheer it needed a cami anyway so the neckline wasn’t a drama.
The stripes look great!
Yeah, you’ve made some lovely things from that book! You have me kinda wanting to make the crazy-low cowl dress, too… sew sexy!
Ah that dress is all types of awesome – and sooooo comfortable!
I love this too. I am so into stripes at the moment. I want one! I seem to eat (read: break) twin needles about 2cm from the end too so don’t feel alone. It is frustrating as they are so expensive here (about $7 ea) and I manage to do about 5 metres of sewing before they break!
Yeah, they are not cheap! I don’t think I even got 5m out of this one… >_< Apparently my old singer has a feature where you can put in two regular needles at once, but I haven't tried it out yet.
Love it! Nominated you for a Liebster Blog Award too. xx
http://thesewprano.wordpress.com/2014/03/16/oh-wow-oh-yay/
Aww, thank you!
I love this top on you. I wish I could figure out how to wear this style with out looking absurd. Great job for a quicky!
Hehe… part of me thinks it would look better on someone with curves, and another part of me thinks I’m too curvy already and it looks best on the stick-like models in the book. 😉 I think it’s maybe just about going for it. Although it doesn’t do much for waist definition. Do you remember that twisty tunic that went around Burdastyle back, oh, three four years ago now? It was much the same idea but I think a bit more fitted…
Love it! Nice make.
Thank you!
Chic little top! Love the stripes.
Thanks! Stripes FTW. 🙂
Every time I see a new post from you I marvel at how you do it all. Very cool top.
Hey, I had the weekend off! Thanks. 😉
That is quite a cool top and I especially admire your neckline finish–the diagonal stripes of the binding plus the twin needle hem looks very polished and I am filing this away in my brain (pay attention, brain) to use this myself first chance I get.
Thanks! I like the diagonal but I was actually thinking that it would’ve been better to go with a vertical-cut strip for this particular style, as the diagonal stripes kind of awkwardly blend-but-don’t-match. I do like the diagonal idea for a regular top, though! 🙂
Oh wow! The stripes really play up the drama of this top. Gorgeous!
What a great top. Stripes are something I generally admire on others and don’t reach for myself. It looks so chic on you.
Super cute top!
Very awesome top! I’m glad you got this pattern worked out (and so quickly made up too!), because it look great on you and perfect in the stripe. Hope spring comes for you southern folk so you can actually wear it!
(Please forgive the late comments – I’m catching up on older posts)
Love this! I so enjoy striped garments, and this is sooooo cool! Very VW.