drape top – THE COMPULSIVE SEAMSTRESS

Round 2 of The Monthly Stitch Indie Pattern Month competition is in full swing, this week it’s separates. I had considered all sorts of things for this one, but as I’d started cutting a Gabriola for Daughter No1 before my operation (and got no further) I decided I’d finish that and whip up a suitable top. She loves the Maria Denmark Day to Night Drape Top and as her sister appropriated the other grey jersey version I made, it made perfect sense to sew up another.

This is the first Gabriola I’ve made for Daughter No1, I got her to try on Daughter No2’s Winter Gabriola for size, and it nearly fell straight off! Ok – size 0 with adjustments then… I made the smallest size and then took in an extra 3cm from the waist, grading down to just past the hips. The Sewaholic patterns are drafted with more hip ease, but it was not needed here. Other adjustments were to shorten the waistband – naturally, but I think that next time I’ll make it narrower too. You’ll see in the collage that although I made the waist considerably smaller, the skirt still sits below her natural waist, causing drag marks at the back. I might even draft a shaped waistband, it may fit better. I also needed to shorten the skirt. I took out 12cm in the length and I think it’s perfect, long enough to be a proper maxi, but not so long that it’ll drag in the dirt.

The fabric she’d chosen is cotton lawn with a “hippy” print, a muted colourway with paisleys and half moon shapes. It was bought from Stitch Fabrics at the NEC earlier this year, with the specific intention of making a Gabriola. I love the colours and print, it’s going to look great with a number of tops from her wardrobe and has that washed out, faded summer look. It’ll also soften with washing and I think it’s going to be well worn this season!

As far as the Drape Top goes, I just cut the pattern exactly as I’d done before as I’ve made a fair few versions of this pattern now. The fabric is a dark grey jersey from my stash – never ending jersey! I never use the elastic on the armholes, it just doesn’t work with my sewing machine! As it is, the application around the neck is about as much as the poor old thing can handle. Now I thought I’d try an FBA this time around, but on checking the instructions for doing on on the website the measurements weren’t different enough. But when I look at the garment I’m sure it needs one. Daughter No 1 is happy with it though, the drag lines don’t bother her at all.

Maria Denmark Day to Night Drape Top and Sewaholic Gabriola

So there you have it, a bit of a stashbust and a quick sew, that’s my entry for the Separates category.

Up next is a bit of fun with a super stretchy viscose jersey, it took all my patience!!

This has been a day of extreme frustration for me. It started all well & sunny by unpinning the drapey jersey I’d cut out last night for a Day to Night top by Maria Denmark. I’ve wanted to make this for ages. I bought it earlier in the summer & decided Daughter No1 would get first crack at it. I read the instructions re FBA etc, knowing I’d need one here. Can you believe I’ve never done one? That’s because all the tops I make for myself & No1 are self drafted!

Anyway, I was slightly suprised to note the pattern doesn’t go down to her size, unlike the Kimono tee – but the smallest size is 1cm wider at the bust than the measurements I had. A decision was made to wing it for the toile & see just exactly what and how much I’d need to adjust. The fabric chosen was from the stash, I’d bought copious amounts of this drapey poly-jersey some time ago. I found a couple of packs of clear elastic in the elastics stash too, no idea what I’d got them for initially!

A quick read through the instructions left me feeling confident, lets face it, there are only 2 pieces to this pattern, it’s hardly rocket science. However. My old Bernina refused flatly to have anything to do with the clear elastic I was to sew to the back neckline to stabilise it. I begged, I pleaded. Eventually it gobbled up the first 2 cm – fabric, elastic, the works. Cue much cursing & frantic tweeting – help!! Obviously there was a “tutorial” which wasn’t much help. If I had a teflon foot apparently all my hair pulling & scaring the birds outside my window would go away. I. Don’t. Have. One! Trying to find one for a 42 year old machine is pretty nigh impossible too.

In the end I managed to bully, cajole, persuade (you pick the right word) dear old Bernina to zigzag the elastic to the neckline. Reluctantly it obeyed but I was gifted skipped stitches & pulling where there shouldn’t be any. This didn’t get any better when turning the elastic over & stitching the seam allowance down on the outside. I tried the suggested zigzag again & ripped it out almost as soon as I’d started! In went the twin needle & things were a bit better. Bernina was still sulking & skipped stitches in revenge. The same happened with the armholes.. By now I was thinking this whole thing was jinxed. Shoulder & side seams were fine, the overlocker behaved perfectly.

Pulling on armholes & into back neckline

I put it on the dress form – I don’t think this will fit Daughter No1 over the bust. The waist & hip will be fine, probably even slightly baggy, but the bust line looks pretty darn snug. By this time I was pretty fed up. A walk in fresh air and some loud music in my ears was in order so I left it for a couple of hours.

It fits Daughter No2 fairly well. You can see all the pulling from the neck & armholes clearly and again, it’s snug over the bust. This is the size I’d have made for her, without adjustments. She rather likes it & would be happy to wear it, but there’s no way I’m allowing that thing to see the light of day! I haven’t done such a poor job on a garment since I was 14 in Home Ec!

On coming home from my “clearing the air walk” I thought I’d make another one, but with a different jersey. This time I used some back cotton/lycra blend, also from the stash. Applying the elastic at the neckline was much better, without the slippness of the other jersey, the elastic was easier to control. I still got some skipped stitches but it was far better, as was the twin needle top stitching. I left the elastic out of the armholes all together, just turning under the 1cm seam allowance & using a twin needle to stitch it down. The hem was also stitched with the twin needle. I don’t think I have to say how much better this one has turned out! No swearing, no scaring the birds or wishing for the death of the fabric!

I still need to see if it will work on the missing Daughter No1 (still away visiting the boyfriend) but it looks good on No2.. Will I make another? A proper one? Yes, but I will be oh so careful about the fabric choice! Drapey stuff feels good, and looks good but is a pain in the be-hind to sew & I really don’t need the aggravation. If I buy more fabric to make this top again, it will definitely be of the controllable sort & I might try to source some fold over elastic & give that a try.