A few more fails, a fix and a finish
I’ve been itching to make a garment. I saw the Agustina Boxy Top on my IG feed and thought it looked perfect: free download, I knew I had fabric for it in my stash and it was super simple. Ah, not so:
I consider this my muslin and I had hoped it would be a “wearable muslin”. Unless you’ve sewn a pattern before, it’s always a good idea to make a muslin so you know what adjustments you’ll need to make. This was so simple that I thought I didn’t need a real muslin. Hah.
This top would be best made out of linen, but I only had some plain white PFD linen and I wanted to save that. I found this double gauze that I had intended to use for someone’s baby quilt but…. I wanted a lightweight diaphanous fabric; I thought this was a good choice.
The length is good on my short body, hitting at the hips. But it was way too boxy for me. Little people look overwhelmed by too much ease in a garment.
I really don’t like the back. I do have a wee bit of a hump and my shoulders throw forward about an inch, something I automatically correct when cutting any pattern. The shoulder seam does perfectly hit my slumped shoulder but ick, this is not flattering. I decided it was the fabric, let’s make another!
So far, garment lessons learned:
– Always make a muslin of new-to-you pattern.
– Make sure the lines of the garment fit your body type. It can look dog-gone cute on someone else and awful on you. See above!
I don’t know why I thought fabric would make this right:
Oh this one is worse! That fabric is divine, not sure where I got it, but I’ll bet it was Fine Fabrics of Santa Barbara. It is a knit that stretches just one way and the other way acts as a woven. It has beautiful drape and sheen, a very high-quality fabric…that I wasted.
I thought it was a brilliant idea to use true French grosgrain ribbon for the neckline facing. Not. It does not mesh with the rest of the garment, just sits there shouting. True French grosgrain ribbon is divine, it will steam into any shape and is super flexible. I could have made it lay better with more steam but at this point it was clear to me this was not a go.
Adore this detail, the only thing I like about it except the fabric. I added the label to the outside of the back neck to cover the grosgrain join. Cute huh?
Back view: Scrubs? Pajama top? The way it lays on my neck is very unflattering.
Operator Error produced a longer back than front, something I went with, a detail I liked. I would have finessed the finishing if I was to actually wear the garment, but I won’t.
In my little mind, I tried to like it. But the ultimate question for a me-made garment is always this: If I saw this in a store, would I buy it? NO! Done. I have no desire to “fix” either of these.
Another garment-making lesson:
– The more simple the garment, the more on-point details must be. Like the finishing above. It really does need to be perfect. You Do Not want to be asked, oh, did you make that?
I did finish my SAQA donation piece, well almost, as it still needs a sleeve and label. It is sheer, therefor reversible. Which do you prefer?
Detail:
Or this one:
Detail:
Once it was done I liked the “back” a little bit better because it was bolder. I used a more colorful thread in the bobbin. But the stitching is a wee bit rougher because it is the bobbin side. Also, it goes “left-handed” since it’s the reverse. Does that bother you?
Summary of materials: Three layers of hand-painted silk organza free motion quilted.
And, a fix:
I purchased a fabulous batik panel from Turtle Hand Batiks in Houston around 2012-ish. It was so special I was hesitant to quilt it. I finally quilted it, trapunto’d the flowers and stalk and quilted the rest with a variety of designs. I can’t believe I didn’t get a full photo of the quilted panel before I “fixed” it, but here is the unquilted panel:
I love the way it turned out and I wanted to hang it in my Den. But the green of the leaves just did not work. At the suggestion of Donna Brennan, I “fixed” it by using Inktense pencils and bringing the leaves to a color more appropriate for my decor.
I was hesitant. This is a small batch panel made by artisans in Malaysia, a work of art in itself. I wondered if it was right to take someone else’s art and alter it this way. I ultimately decided it was okay, I was keeping the original intent of the maker, only altering the green. I was so afraid I would ruin it so I started with some very light markings, liked the resulting color, then continued on until I got this:
The leaf on the left is “altered” and the leaf on the right is the original green. I’ll keep going and probably have a completed piece to show you next week. Stay tuned!
I link up with Nina Marie’s Off the Wall Friday. BTW I didn’t have time to play with my Applipops this week, have you? If you have, do tell!
I rather like the double gauze version…I think it is very wearable. Have you washed it since you made it? Washing seems to fix a lot of issues with double gauze – the stuff stretches if you look at it!
The blue one…that white at the neckline is jarring…I would make it a vee neck instead of the boat…and face the neckline with the same fabric…if you want to try to save it.
Good point about the washing Suze. I will do that and given that it is a double gauze, it may shrink enough to make it look better. I don’t think I’m doing anything to the blue one, it’s a goner!
I like your white shirt on you!! And your blue one, I think you just need to turn your facing under and sew it down. Your quilting is beautiful.
Thank you Joey! I guess part of the problem is the feel, it is so loose that it feels like pajamas or something.
Definitely the front for your SAQS donation. To me the design feels elegant and the back feels too rustic/organic.
Love, love, love your panel quilt.
Thank you Donna. I appreciate your thoughtful comments. I hope to show the panel next week.
I have similar hump and shoulders, also my shoulders are narrow, but I am tall. Even when thin I have always felt better in set in sleeves. dolomon or drop sleeve seem to look and feel sloppy.
Huh, so maybe it’s a shoulder thing and that’s why it doesn’t feel right on me. I do like a set-in sleeve but with broad shoulders and larger upper arms, that too can be a problem. Fit is hard!
Oh, I feel your pain with garment sewing! The double gauze top isn’t too bad, though the back seems too wide. I think it works better than the blue one. It’s difficult to fit oneself. The last time I sewed a dress for myself, I did make a muslin, and even that was difficult to fit. Fortunately, the finished garment came out well, since it was silk. I do think the back of your quilt works better. The better value contrast on the back is more important than the orientation of the branch. I think your coloring of the leaf is fine in your second piece. I’m looking forward to seeing the completed piece.
I used to sew garments a lot and I was in my groove then, but not now. It is tricky to fit yourself, always better to have a fitting buddy. Thank you for your thoughtful comments on the sheer piece. It helps to understand why you hold that opinion.
I agree with Mrs Plum about the front vs back question, and thank her for expressing the difference.
I fingered my circles, but my new Applipops have not yet touched fabric. hopefully real soon!
Oh please do report in when you have time to play with you applipops! Thank you for your opinion also Kathy!
First, I agree — I like the bolder “back” of your organza piece better than the intended front. That piece is so cool. Second, I can SO relate to your garment making disappointment. I, too, get the occasional itch to sew a garment, and like you, my standards are that I want a perfect, flattering fit that looks totally professional. Most people would think that both versions of your top came out great, but I understand why you wouldn’t want to wear something you’re not proud of. I hope your next garment works out better. We learn so much more from our failures than we do from our successes, don’t we? Happy quilting!
Looks like “back” is winning so far! And garment making…it is tricky. And yes, I learn way more from failures than successes!
Jenny, that top is so not you! I see so much being offered right now that is loose fitting/baggy. I don’t find it flattering no matter how small the figure. I guess I just like a more tailored look. I bought a loose fitting sweater I thought would be comfortable, but it just looks frumpy! Lesson learned.☹️
Ah Marcia you know me and what works! I hope you are still sewing garments yourself. I am realizing that I too like a more tailored look. Something on the garment has to be a close fit – it can be a loose top but the shoulders need to fit. I think ultimately that is the problem for me with this garment is that no part of it has a fit. I should have known….
I, too prefer the back of your art piece – it just feels so much stronger than the front!
I used to sew all my own clothes back in the day – haven’t sewn any clothes in many years now, as I’d much rather quilt! Kudos to you for still making some clothing, and experimenting!!
I have concluded that for me, garment sewing is about a 50% success rate when I do it infrequently, but much higher when I do it regularly. Thank you for the input on the sheer piece, I’m still wavering.
I favor the back of your SAQA piece. The back background is bluer and your orange design shows up better on it. The front piece of sheer is more yellow and some of your orange design disappears into it. I think it depends on what is more important to you: fineness of the design versus value contrast. Or just what floats your boat! It will be lovely either way!
Thank you for that detailed answer as to why you like the back better Lynne! I am still wavering but have spent more time voting for the back than front as of late.
The crispness of the blue fabric points to the problem area- the neckline. What happens if you pin out a 1/2” ish tuck down center back and center front? It just looks like the neckline is too wide. The softness of the white fabric drape camouflages this by laying closer to the body. On a small figure, there is a fine line between “too much” and “just right” in this garment style.
You are so right about the thin margin of error on a smaller frame. I think the neckline would need an entire redrafting to be successful and I just don’t like that silhouette well enough to finesse it. You are right though, it is the neckline.
Hi Jenny,
Toss the box garment. I like the lessons learned! They will help next time a garment is in the works.
Your SAQA is beautiful whichever way you place it. Can you do the label and hanging so it can go either way? That way the new owner can choose. Best
Yup, that boxy top is a goner. I do have to choose a front or back because the label has to adhere somewhere but I’m still torn, but leaning to the back…but that could easily change!
Make a virtual lable? Transparent?
Hanging triangles that can be reversed?
Just brainstorming here. Love it both ways
I came up with this way of a skinny sleeve and rod with fishing line so that it’s almost invisible. I hope the buyer likes it!