Don’t I?
I love this fabric, so soft and light and silky (ITY knit – polyester/Lycra). I thought I should make this lovely summer dress – McCall’s M6922. I traced the pieces for the short sleeve version of the dress and cut out my fabric.
I very easily sewed together the eight panels with a narrow zig zag stitch. This dress had fantastic flare! But it seemed kind of “hang-y”. I tried it on.
It was not only hang-y, the bodice and armholes stretched so much as I was wearing it I could have put my head through the armhole!
I took another look at my notes on this fabric. It was polyester/Lycra WITH 50% STRETCH! I just couldn’t do it.
I resorted to my usual “fix” when something isn’t working out… I changed my mind… new plan… new pattern.. and CUT IT UP!
This time New Look 6940. I had just enough at the bottom of the flared skirt of the dress to cut out the back, the two piece front and the sleeves of my new pattern. I started sewing again.
Elastic string sewed in at the bodice top centre for gathering.
Worked out just fine – I love elastic string.
Seam tape sewed on the shoulder seams to prevent that hang-y feeling.
Single fold bias tape on the neckline, and later on the sleeve hems and the bottom hem.
Spread it open, sew it on, right sides together, running down the fold. Fold the bias tape over your rough edge, pin it all around.
Sew it down, on the edge.
Next I made the Tab to wrap around the bodice top gathering – just a simple tube – wrap it around and sew it on at the bottom. Then the front top and front bottom were sewed together and then the side seams.
Sleeves next. These are different from the usual sleeves as these ones flare out at the hem. I love them!
Oh! There’s a shot of my dessert too! My favourite… Angel food cake, berries and whipping cream…. Nothing better!
The sleeves were done as usual. Sew side seams, set sleeve in armhole, sew in. Hem up with single fold bias tape.
Inside of the finished top, just in case you’re curious!
Outside of finished top!
Now I am happy with this!
You may notice a weird triangle of fabric under the arms. No one else will notice with all the busy-ness of the fabric colours/patterns. Well… This is on both sides and is a leftover dress seam, perfectly balanced on both sides, it looks like it belongs there! And no one else will ever know otherwise, except us. Will they?
Happy Sewing!
What a great save. I would have probably tossed into a pile of ‘I need to rethink this’ items and moved on. But you turned a lemon into lemonade! Perfect!
Thank you! If only I knew computers as well as a sewing machine!
I am impressed. When something I started went south it generally ended up in a garbage can with me growling. Re-creating it to something new I never managed to do. It is beautiful.
Thank you very much! (Waste not, want not!) 😀
Looks great!!! That’s a nice save, and the bias binding provides a nice contrast!
Thank you!
This is so nice! I wondered about using cotton bias tape on stretchy fabric and now I know! Thanks what a great post. Sorry the dress didn’t work out I almost bought that same pattern but decided I need to go on a diet first 🙂
😀 Thank you! The bias tape worked just fine. I just made sure not to stretch my fabric. I am happy I didn’t go with the dress, I like the top way way better!
Lovely shirt/blouse. I couldn’t see the triangle pieces. I like the free flowing pattern. Now….the dessert I noticed. Good job.
Thanks! Good job on the blouse or the dessert? 😀 I’d offer you some but it’s all gone!