Monthly Archives: August 2017

Cold Shoulder Ruffled Tank Top

 

I bought this lovely coral pink silk crepe de chine from NY Fashion Center Fabrics online as I just love the quality of their silks and the color was SO yummy!

coral pink silk crepe de chine

I was not sure what I was going to make with this fabric when I bought it, but I knew that I wanted to make a fun, pretty top for summer.

Once I got my sewing mo-jo going, I decided a good match with this fabric could be this cute ruffled cold shoulder pattern from New Look that I had in my pattern stash since early spring:

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I know, it’s super trendy, we see this cold shoulder trend everywhere, however, I really like it (in most cases, when it is not super cheap-y looking or just a whimpy little peek a boo shoulder). I don’t want to disappoint anyone, so here are just a few inspirational photos I have gathered of this popular trend:

 

Pretty, right?

So, I set forth cutting this baby out from this pattern using my lovely fabric.

Things were going along pretty well, cutting out carefully and sewing it in parts in between other projects and life happenings.

Here I am sewing a ruffle to the side seam:

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I didn’t realize that this top was lined when I was looking at the back of the envelope and the fabric yardage and type needed for best results. It is quite nice that it is lined, but added a little more work and time to this project that I was not expecting. Luckily, I had a nice tan light weight silk remnant on hand that was perfect for the lining. Here I am examining the outer layer and lining of this top:

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I added the ruffle incorrectly, sewing it all the way down to the side of the top instead of leaving it free under the arm to form the “cold shoulder” affect, so I had to carefully unpick the seams and re-sew. It actually didn’t look too bad just sewn down to the side as a tank top, but I really wanted the cold shoulder look, so I took a deep breath, took a seat and got comfortable with my seam ripper.

Here, I pinned the top to my dress form with her little arm attachment thing-y to just see how it was laying before adding the shoulder straps:NL6490c

 

I had some major issues with the shoulder straps. The instructions are not helpful for this part and I think the illustrations are incorrect. I sewed it as best I could, but ended up having to unpick most of it, pin it in place and re-sew it so that it made sense and laid flat against the neck. Not fun.

Making the hem is usually my favorite part of most projects because it means I am almost done! This was an easy one with just a double turned under top stitched hem for both the outer and lining layers:

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I love how the top turned out, although it is quite large and low at the side under the arm (pretty peek-a boo bra opportunity!) and I should have really made some sort of test muslin. Despite all of the hick-ups with this pattern, I’ll be wearing this top very soon as now summer is pretty much over. I hope to post some good photos of me wearing my new top as long as my hair cooperates, and I don’t look like an old lady trying to look young and hip in it. We’ll see…

 

Wish me luck!

PS: I LOVE my new top!

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Kiss me, Darling!

Separates Become One-A Love Story

Something Soft

Something New

Something Silky

Something Blue

Wonderful opportunities can arise out of a last-minute dilemma, which is exactly what happened between my lovely friend (and former co-worker) and myself.

Since she got engaged to an incredibly sweet and very handsome man, we have been chatting and getting excited about all the details of the plans of their small and intimate wedding day. She shared photos of what kind of dress she wanted, how she wanted everything to be very intimate, small, simple, non-traditional and unique, and just a beautiful day to celebrate their love and life together. We even threw out the idea and possibility of me making the dress for her, which I would have (and maybe should have) been delighted to do!

She decided to her dream wedding dress designed and made by a local bridal dressmaker. It was to be a relatively simple gown with a high/low hem, lined in a subtly contrasting color, fit perfectly to her slender and fit figure. They took measurements and sketched out her vision, and then the anticipation set in.

Well, at the fitting just prior to the delivery of the dress, the designer managed to produce a dress that was ill-fitting and too short at the bodice, far too short at the hemline and the neckline she desired all wrong. Plus, the designer had the confidence to make the pattern and the final gown out of many yards silk without making any sort of test garment for her to try on to approve the design and fit. Even I know better than to do something like that!

So, of course, the poor bride was very upset and disappointed, and only had a few weeks until her wedding day and NO dress!

In comes Yours Truly to save the day!

We met right away and discussed Plan B. She liked the idea of doing bridal separates and had a fancy 2-piece wedding gown on rush order from David’s Bridal, but wanted a different top than what came with the skirt.

She was going for a look such as this:

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or this:

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What she needed from me was the simple little silky tank top in the perfect shade of blue.

I got to work right away as we only had about 12 days to her wedding day to get it right. I sent her to Mill End fabric store to the bridal department to find the perfect fabric in the color that she wanted. She brought me this beautiful, good quality polyester charmeuse in a soft pale slate blue and plenty of yardage to make the top just in case…

Elizabeth Fabric

I went to the internet to find a tank top pattern that had the neckline and shoulder strap shape and size that she desired to start with. I found a nice, simple one at the pattern store on Burdastyle.com that would fit the bill, with a few tweaks of course:

Tank pattern 08/2011 #104

 

To make the top more to her liking, I revised the shape of the neckline slightly, took in the sides to make it a little more fitted, and fully lined the top. Easy changes to make to make it to her liking, so I got to work making these alterations to the pattern and cutting the top and lining out of the same material, using the non-shiny side of the fabric as the right side as she preferred (and so did I).

It was an easy sew, making the darts first, then the side seams, then sewing the neckline and armholes of the outer and lining together, sewing the shoulders and finally the hem.

I think it turned out pretty nice!

 

We had a few days before the Big Day to have time to try on the top and make sure it would be OK and go well with the skirt. She decided she wanted a little more taken in at the sides and several inches hemmed from the bottom, but otherwise was delighted with it, which made me so happy! I made the changes that night, gave it a nice steaming with my great garment steamer, and she picked up the top the next afternoon.

She sent me this photo with glee that the flowers she chose would look perfect with the color of the top:

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The wedding day was a beautiful day, and she was a radiant bride in her top and gorgeous skirt! He made a very handsome groom, and the tie that he chose on his own to wear, without knowing what she was planning to wear, happened to match perfectly to her top. It was all meant to be!

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I am so happy for this wonderful and handsome couple, and was delighted to have been able to help her save her bridal outfit and have a small, yet important, part in their wedding day.

CONGRATULATIONS ELIZABETH AND FRANCOIS!

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Love to you both always and forever,

Stephanie