Here's the lowdown: I have no nice shirts for uni, but heaps of dresses. I cannot wear dresses to pracs. Despite this, I continue sewing dresses. I'm slowing starting to crawl my way out of this predicament thank goodness! Here's my first effort. Is it a success? Maybe. Comfy? Mildly. Does it exude a strong pyjama-top vibe? Definitely.
I disciplined myself on Australia Day to sit down and make a comfy top from an old sheet I thrifted for $2 from Red Cross. I dug up McCall's 7562 "Make it Tonight, Wear it Tomorrow" Pattern and set about altering View A.
First off I copied the bodice onto greaseproof paper and extended it down past the natural waistline to about hip-level. I (stupidly) forgot to flare the bodice out around the hips, so it sits a little snug. No matter, it's a good learning process to go through.
See the flappy-thing at the front? This had to go, so I restructured the neckline to allow for the bib. I quickly drew out the shape for the bib and began to pintuck it. I actually love to pintuck! Weird, I know, but I find it really soothing. It was a bit fiddly sewing the bib and lace onto the bodice, but I managed to get it done without tears.
Everything else was pretty smooth sailing thank goodness! The instructions for the pattern didn't really produce the neatest garment, so next time I use it I'll probably make it up myself. Here's the front:
The back isn't as nice. It looks a bit saggy:
All in all, it's not too bad. I think it treads a very fine line between a casual blouse and a daggy pyjama top. But hey, I have another top to wear to uni :D
Does anyone else have those days where you want to sew something, but can't find the right pattern or fabric in your stash? Or do you constantly say 'I have no fabric' when you have cupboards filled with the stuff? I have this problem all the time, and often ends up producing shirts like this one here.
I used patchwork fabric (bad idea), which is too heavy to drape like the pattern intended. Instead it balloons out from the waistline much like a maternity top :S I also cut the top too short - I like my shirts to hang over the edge of waistbands, not sit just on top. My skin also reacts to the bias binding I used on the arm and neck holes... Weird!
Although this top is going into my I-will-never-wear-that-except-under-a-rather-large-jumper drawer, I'd definitely recommend this pattern to beginners. It's very quick and easy to make, although like most Burda patterns the instructions aren't too flash.
