Model Photographs
This back view shows how a simple tuck can not only add interest to an otherwise boring back view it also demonstrates how its placement can lengthen the torso.
Fraying the edges of a fabric and using tucks is a great way to add a personal touch to your garment. It is this type of detail that sets handmade garments apart from store bought ones.
Just after taking this photo Tracy said that my clothes were great because they are so comfortable it is like being naked! She is not used to finding "dressed up" clothes that are this comfortable.
Asymetrical necklines are interesting to design. The one shown here is the new dress pattern made into a top. The dress has princess seams and much more ease than shown here but I think the neckline makes at great statement. Look for the pattern soon. A curious wrap will accompany it!
Rayon/LYCRA fabric does not ravel or run which makes it the perfect choice for this top. Cut a beautiful, clean edge with a rotary cutter and the ruffle lies beautifully. If the neckline is too low for you, see Altering Pattern Neckline to learn how easy it is to alter the pattern. A pretty camisole is a nice addition as well. This is the size small pattern.
The BaseWear One tank (variation shown at midriff length) has a U shaped neckline that makes a great fitted cami/undergarment.
The Wide Leg pant pattern shown here with a narrow drawstring is perfect for this lighter-than-air fabric. For a woven fabric such as this choose a size to give 2–3 inches of ease through the hips. The waistline ease will take care of itself.
Pattern adjustment for a drawstring waist: Straighten out the waistline seam before cutting so it will fold over and fit to make the casing. Then, just serge the waistline raw edge, make two small vertical buttonholes ¾" from each side of the center front seamline and beginning 1 ¼" from the serged edge. Then fold over 1" and topstitch. Make a skinny drawstring 3 or 4 times your waist measurement and run through the casing coming out the buttonholes. This pattern translates perfectly for woven fabrics and does not get too big in the waist to add extra weight. BaseWear One top is shown right off the pattern here.
Layering these honeycomb lace fabrics was fun! Since this was the first time working with this fabric I wasn't exactly sure how this top was going to look when I started. I made a few initial decisions and let the rest happen when I got to that point. I knew I wanted the armholes and hem sewn right sides together but was not sure about the neckline. This is the BaseWear Two top pattern in a size small. This fabric has a lot of stretch and the top came out larger than I expected. Next time I will use the extra-small pattern to achieve the same finished measurements that I would get using a size medium with this fabric. Another way to control the stretch/sizing is to cut the lining fabric on the lengthwise grain while still cutting the outer layer on the cross grain. This will work best on fabric with a soft hand and soft recovery such as this. After I had everything sewn except the neckline I tried the top on and had fun deciding what to do next. After much deliberation I added a Victorian glass button on a v neckline. There were lots of options and this is a great fabric and pattern to express your creativity. This would also be great with a single layer sleeve of the lining color.
Close-up view of the honeycomb lace neckline.
Right off the rack these Flare Leg Pants fit Tracy perfectly. A pale beige underwear would be a better choice than the fun turquoise polka dotted pair showing here ;-). The darted and shaped waistline with the back invisible zipper gives a beautiful, slim fit without being tight.
Close up of the back Flare Leg Pant pattern.
The Keyhole Top is super easy to sew and when you are done at the serger you are finished except to tack the side seam opening where you turn the top right side out. I love that feature of all the reversible patterns that I have designed. When making a self-lined stretch garment be sure the two fabrics have very similar stretch and recovery.
Matching a shorter version of the A-Line Skirt with the reverse solid of the print Keyhole Top shows the versatility of these patterns and fabrics. With the keyhole left un-tacked the reverse is visible. Combining two solid colors is just as pretty. Try using ¼" elastic a bit longer than called for in the pattern.
The Princess Wrap and Wide Leg Pant patterns couldn't be a better combination than shown her in lilac shimmer rayon/LYCRA. The fabric is not only incredibly soft and easy to work with but it can go from yoga class out to dinner. The banded variation shown makes for a beautiful smooth waistline and tummy. No binding elastic to show underneath.
Banded waist variation for the Wide Leg Pant pattern is easy. The band can be worn smooth, folded or scrunched depending on the desired effect.
Tracy is our Yoga girl. It is obvious that she works very diligently on her poses and one look at her arm/shoulder area tells you that stretch fabrics are for her. Here in the yoga one-piece bodysuit and iridescent netting fabric crinoline slip she shows that fun is fun! Everyone including me thought the slip was great but no one wanted to put it on it! I made it for you to show the young potential sewers out there that sewing can be a lot of fun. I loosely used my A-Line skirt pattern and just sort of winged it! I would be happy to share the particulars if anyone wants to make one. :-)
The Shirred Top proved to be a perfect fit for Nancy. At first she was hesitant about the shirring across the stomach but came to find that it offered excellent coverage. The ability to manipulate the gathers combined with the smooth tummy control under layer makes this top very wearer friendly. Beyond that, the true bateau neckline and banded sleeve variation makes this top distinctive!
The quality of the 100% cotton fabric used to make these Wide Leg pants can only be described at superior. Finely woven, smooth, comfortable, and brilliantly-dyed fun print fabric is a must for summer. Add a few extra inches of length to narrower-than-suggested elastic in the waistline for a looser summertime fit!
I love this dotted mesh. It reminds me of the late 1950's hats with netting worn over the famous faces of Joan Crawford and Rita Hayworth. The fact that this fabric has stretch makes it possible for me to wear a top reminiscent of those great hats. It would also make an excellent overlay for a dress or skirt.
To begin with, I sewed the shoulder seams of both the dotted mesh and the nude mesh, and then the side seams, then sewed the necklines right sides together. Turning the top right side out, now showing a finished neck edge I edge serged the bottom hems separately. Using my home serger set up with one needle, three threads and a very small scarf edging stitch I stretched the fabric to give a cute ruffled edge. After machine basting the armhole layers together I serged in the sleeves and edged serged the hems. Black mesh as the under layer would give an even more opaque look.
Choosing a print for the Wrap Dress pattern is a great idea. Large prints look best at the knee or shorter. For this dress I wanted to use the mesh in the armholes and around the neckline but wasn't sure what would work best. I started with one layer of cut mesh and realized that would not be enough. I then doubled the mesh and beveled the edges. Knowing that the neckline of a wrap top can always use a little stability I decided to cut the neckline insert with 4" of negative ease and the armhole with 1 ½" negative ease. Keep in mind that the mesh is really stretchy and soft and 4" is not that much in this case.
When applying the mesh to the neckline I stretched the mesh slightly around the side of the neck and mostly from just above the bustline to just below the bustline. This worked perfectly and I achieved a nicely curved fit with no gaping. I single needled the mesh to the outside layer first then serged on the inner lining layer. Next time I will remove ½" from the armhole fabric before applying the mesh as I thought the mesh strip extended too far onto the shoulder.
The cropped pant shown here is the new Flare Leg Pant pattern for woven fabrics. I simply cut the pattern at the length I wanted plus 1" for the hem. They are so cute in this fun print. The black rayon/LYCRA Shirred Top tones down the bright colors in the pants although a brightly colored top would be cute too!
The Straight Shirt pattern when used with a woven fabric needs the sleeve widened a couple inches from the elbow down to the hem. This lightweight Pima cotton with the embroidered flowers is perfect buttoned up as worn as a topper. I have lots of variations for this pattern, which you will see, used with the linen fabrics in this collection. Remember to mark the dot on the neckline where the collar ends. There should be room for a button at the very top.
I love the positive/negative fabric combination used here. At first I didn't think I would like it but once I saw the outfit I loved it! Jan said it was very comfortable to sew in!
Leggings are back in style! I love my leggings pattern and have never stopped wearing them. I have some that are 18 years old made with my cotton/LYCRA fabric that are still in great shape. Leggings are a nice option shown here with the Straight Shirt. The shirt is fingertip length and the leggings looks cute with Jan's sandals. Just cut the pattern plus ½" for the hem to any length you want. Bike shorts, Capri length or ankle length are all cute!
The Keyhole Top with long sleeves made with white Rayon/LYCRA looks and feels wonderful. This fabric is knitted on a silk machine, which makes it unbelievably fine and opaque. This outfit could not be more comfortable yet look so sophisticated. The quiet combination of simple design and quality fabric speaks volumes.
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The Long Sleeve Wrap Dress and Shoreline Rayon/LYCRA are a perfect marriage of pattern and fabric. The 4-way stretch helps tremendously in achieving a comfortable yet snug fit on the wrapped bodice. I love how the split cuff falls open when the arm is raised.
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Same Wrap Dress – different fabric – different results.
Jan had this matte jersey in her fabric ‘collection’ and decided on another wrap dress. It was a lesson in stretch & ease. While the two dresses look like they fit the same, the matte jersey feels snug and not as comfortable as the Rayon/LYCRA. She said she will probably wear a black cami with this for modesty since it doesn’t feel like she will stay covered. This was a lesson in following the fabric stretch guidelines on the pattern.
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Linens are a must-have for your summer wardrobe. The Coconut Beach Wide Leg Pants have 3 tucks added near the hem. What a simple way to add designer detail to an ordinary pair of pants. Pair the Swing Shirt made of Sunset Celebration with these pants for a cool, casual, easy-to-wear outfit. The hems of the shirt and sleeves have been fringed to highlight the contrasting threads of the cross-dyed fabric.
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Get a polished and sophisticated look by using the same fabric for the jacket and pants even though the fabric has a casual feel. The classic black and white of the Harbor Light makes a great ‘suit’ using the Trouser Pant and the Fitted Jacket. Put these on in the morning and you’ll look pulled together for the office, but separate these two pieces and the options are endless. The jacket would look wonderful paired with the white pants seen earlier, your best black pants or even your favorite jeans. The pants would look great with the Black Shirred Top, the White Keyhole Top or any of the summer brights in your closet.
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Now the printed linens are just plain fun! The Flutterby linen and the Shoreline Rayon/Lycra were made for each other. The tank is Jalie 965 and the Wide Leg Pants were widened at the hem by 1.5 inches on each side. We washed and dried the linen twice before cutting and sewing. This resulted in a spongier texture, perfect for these casual pants.
Jan had enough fabric left over to make a top to match the pants. She used Burda 8987, View B. The result is a comfy-as-jammies outfit for weekends around the house.
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The retro look of the Sea Trail linen made a super pair of pants from the new Trouser Pattern. I would probably dry clean these pants in order to retain the crisper feel of the unwashed linen. The Cappuchino Cottton/Lycra pairs well with this print. Jan just happened to have a Cappuchino turtleneck from Three Tees in her closet!
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Jan was on a roll with the Shoreline Rayon/LYCRA. (She loved the color, plus had sandals and boots to match!) Since she made a tank to go with her Flutterby pants, she decided to whip up a skirt to go with the tank. She chose the short straight skirt with flounce from the Basewear Two pattern. She ended up with a little capsule wardrobe of mix and match pieces. Her shrug/wrap is out of Twilight Birch from the Fall ’05 Clothesline and she used McCall’s 4929 View A. She revised the pattern by cutting each piece twice and self lining the wrap. It’s a fun, extra piece to have and only took 1 yard of fabric.
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