Well, wonders will never cease – two blog posts in the space of a week! This is a quick description of my latest make, a top drafted from my Sure-Fit Designs bodice block with a boat neck and a modified sleeve. The fabric, a very lightweight viscose I think, was from the bargain stand outside Abakhan at Mostyn. It was a roll end with about 10 m on it, I can’t remember how much it was but it was very cheap. There is a flaw in the fabric at intervals but there’s still plenty of it even allowing for cutting around the flaws.
The bodice drafting is very simple: bust darts, and back waist darts reduced to give more ease. I guessed the drafting of the boat neck and I can only just fit my head through it but I’m way too lazy to make a proper opening in the back!
The sleeve was also a bit of guesswork, albeit based on having seen others draft something similar on YouTube. I sewed the sleeve based on this tutorial. I found that using the edge of my presser foot as a guide gave exactly the right size channel for the elastic. Anyway, here are some pics of the scruffy pattern and the inside of the sleeve.
I’m pleased with the amount of sleeve fullness, I think when you’re not very tall it’s important that you aren’t overwhelmed by your clothes!
I finished the hem this afternoon and will be wearing it this evening when going out for tapas with my family – ¡olé!
Fabric Engineering 