Hi Everyone!
At last I'm ready to show you another project. I've been working on patterns (soon!!), writing newsletters, and helping to create another special project (also coming soon).
But I'm so glad to have time to show you another way to use one of your Cutting Line Designs patterns.
As you know, I've been sewing a casual, comfortable summer wardrobe over the last couple of months. I began with some plum linen, some green linen, and some prints that could work with both. Once I made the green linen pants from Easy Ageless Cool, I knew I could make a couple more tops to go with them, expanding this summer wardrobe even more.
I had a very lightweight white cotton with little flecks of green thread woven into it. It would make a floaty, cool something, and I decided to lengthen the shell from Putting It Together to make a sleeveless dress. Here it is:
And a side view:
As I began working, I realized that this might need to be a top with long side vents to allow movement over the pants. I can't really wear it as a dress with such high vents (at least in public), but that's ok as I really was after a new top anyway. But you might want to think about this detail if you decide to make this same top. You are your own designer! Once I was all finished, I decided this would get a lot of at-home wear.
The first thing I did was trace the pattern and make it longer.
I made it just a bit bigger through the hips for more ease over the pants. Look closely at the right side (side seam edge) of the pattern to see that I added 5/8" to make the side vents wider. I thought they would give a more finished look to the garment and add a bit of weight so it would hang better. (The x's are boo-boos!)
I drafted the side vent/hem miter. For more info on this, search for miters in this blog or read all about them in Louise's article in the September 2020 (issue 210) Threads Magazine.
I used the neckline facing from the pattern but decided on a lighter finish for the armholes. I cut 1" wide bias strips of white fabric and used my tape maker to make single fold bias tape. If you haven't done this, be sure you press the folds just as they are coming out of the tape maker. Otherwise, the tape unfolds. It's an easy process both for finishes and to make embellishments.
I trimmed away 3/8" of the seam allowance from the dress's armholes (side seams are not sewn yet). Then I stitched the tape to the armholes in the 1/4" foldline on the right side of the garment.
I pressed the seam allowance away from the garment, maintaining the second pressed fold in the tape. Here's the view from the right side. It's helpful to press from both sides.
And from the wrong side.
Next, I pressed the tape into the armhole, favoring the seam a thread or two to the wrong side of the garment.
I then pinned the side seams, with the tape turned up away from the garment so I could sew it as part of the seam. I turned it back down and trimmed away the excess.
After sliding strips of Steam-a-Seam under the bias tape, pressing lightly, and removing the paper backing, I pressed the tape again to fuse it in place. Then I just edgestitched the bias tape. It was a quick and easy finish to the armholes.
I pressed the side vents to the inside. With the added 5/8", they are 1-1/4" wide, of course.
At this point, I was ready to press up my 1-1/4" hem, stitch my miters, and try on my new dress/top.
I hope this inspires you to try playing around with your Putting It Together pattern. You could make your new top any length, from a fingertip-length tunic to an ankle-length dress that would be great to wear while we are all at home so much.
