Cloning Ready to wear, copying an interesting top

Last year my friend Heather bought a top from Universal Standard which was really perfect for office wear and fit well.  I think it came in only two colors so she bought both.  One day she showed it to me and said she wished it came in other colors, and actually in different fabric. I took a look and said I thought I could make a pattern from the existing top - without taking it apart. So I did!

Before I forget - we just scheduled a Garment Copy Class with Hello Stitch on Sat. April 13. I haven't done this class in a while and it was really popular back in the day so I'm glad we found a spot on the calendar. 

It's an ideal top as a layering piece, under a blazer or sweater. This version is of a silk that I think I got at a stash sale - I originally made a blouse for myself and still had several yards remaining.  I don't wear much navy blue but as you know if you read this blog - Heather loves it so it was great to use it for this top.  

I will confess that I had to make about 3 test versions of my clone pattern to work out the details of the neckline area. 

Here's a look at the top from Universal Standard. Currently on their website they have a similar one with long sleeves. 

Here are the pattern pieces after I find tuned them, made sure all the seams sewed together precisely and with the seam allowances added. I used 3/8" seam allowances on this as that is what the original had, and it makes it easier to recreate that color which is an all in one facing that folds back at the neckline.

I think in my test versions I worked out the placement and angle of the dart, which is drawn in in pink on the above image. 

This side view shows the pleat that is facing outward. In essence that pleat is another dart creating some fullness over the bust. At first when I started playing around with the pattern I thought it was similar to a top I made last summer but if you look at that blog post which has the diagram, on that top the pleat opens to the center of the neckline. I prefer this one, it lays on the body a bit better. 

Here is a closer look at the pattern pieces with the folds at the neckline shown, that's what creates both the pleat and the self-facing which turns to the inside and covers up the back neck seam. 

Here's a look at the inside of the neckline before I sewed the "facing" down to enclose the seam. I did undo the seam on the store-bought top so I could see what was going on in there, and to measure the depth of the pleat. I noticed they had some lightweight interfacing on the pleat section, going a bit past the shoulder seams so I did the same on mine. I think it supports the soft and slippery silk fabric and makes the back neckline lay nicely against the neck. I also put some interfacing at the center front where the center front seam ended, to reinforce that area. I alway worry about over the head tops like this - that is the point of all strain when you are putting it on and the fibers can fray and cause a tear at that spot. So a bit of interfacing is helpful to avoid that. 

The top inside out on the dress form, the front area folds back and is attached at the shoulder seam, but underneath is the fold that is creating the nice pleat on the outside. 

Another look at the original.

Back view on Heather - you can tell she is not very tall as I made the length similar to the ready to wear, and it is a lot shorter on that probably 5'8" model. I actually made another version previously in a silk print we bought at Britex, here is that version. I think it works in solids and prints. 

So that's the latest on garment copying - it's something I really like doing, it's very satisfying to copy an existing item, for one thing you know you already like the length and the fit. Here's something I copied quite a few years ago - a denim jacket for my mom. And when she wore this pineapple jacket on the plane to Hawaii the flight attendants went wild for it!

Another link to my upcoming Garment Copy Class, on April 13, sign up on that link to the Hello Stitch website. 

Happy Spring Sewing, 

Beth

Another look at Heather in her silk top. This will stand in for my usual garden photo - note that I took that picture on Dec. 12, 2023, and looking at it now I can't believe how much color remained in the garden through December. 

 

A silk shirt post with lots of construction details

It finally feels like fall here in N. California. Not exactly coat and scarf weather but a slight nip in the air, and some falling leaves. Actually today is a swirl of fallen leaves and a red alert for wind and fire danger but we will cross our fingers and hope for the best. This is the scariest time of year and I don't mean Halloween!

Last week my sewing thoughts turned to long sleeved shirts and I decided to use this beautiful silk crepe de chine fabric. My favorite local sewing store Stone Mountain Fabric  has just reopened to the public after being online only during these many months and this silk fabric is the last thing I bought in person there. In fact purchases the very day before we started the first day of lockdown here in California back in March 2020. 

I've been doing a lot of preparation lately for my jacket class that starts next week, so I have construction details on the brain and thought I would share some of my silk shirt construction methods with this post. I used to do more detailed posts and would like to do some more this fall and winter. The problem is remembering to take pictures as I sew!

For this shirt I've used the same exact pattern that I use for almost every button front shirt I make. I like the size and shape of the collar and the way it fits across the shoulders, so why try something different when a shirt pattern is just the starting point. I have changed this same pattern up to do a popover placket, gathers instead of darts, hidden buttonhole placket, cut-on faux button band, faced front and tunic top versions so if you check the search bar on the side of the blog you can see many other versions. It's Simplicity 2339 which is an Amazing Fit pattern from around 7 years ago? 

To start with I evaluate the fabric and decide which method I will use for the closure at the center front and then which interfacings would give me the shaping I want. For this shirt the fabric was just about the same as this one, which I wear A LOT and whatever I did was successful so I decided to use those methods. (actually if you look at that post there are some god construction details) However I couldn't remember what I used in the collar/collar stand so I unpicked it a little bit at the center back neckline so I could see into the seams. As it turned out I used a combo of lightweight fusible and silk organza. Also I used facings at the front, so there is no sewn-on button band. Sometimes on a silk shirt I think it looks smoother with facings. 

In the photo below I'm getting ready to apply the fusible to the collar, and so I place the fusible on the silk pattern piece, pin it lightly down and then use the paper pattern piece to make sure the shape is retained. Some fabrics just seem to wiggle or change shape and then once you apply the fusible you are stuck with an incorrect shape. I do this a lot with a variety of pattern pieces, particularly V-necklines to make sure they are still the same shape as the paper pattern piece. 

I do the same for the collar stand, check the shape before fusing. For the collar stand side with the silk organza, that fabric is quite stable, it stays the same shape as the paper pattern piece so you can use that as the guide when joining that to the fabric. 

Next up is taking care of the facings. I like to use the fusible which is in fact a woven fabric to finish the edge of the facing by stitching them right sides together and then flipping over the fusible, clipping the seam and then fusing the rest in place. It is a bit of a fiddly process as you don't want to fuse it crooked, or with a wrinkle so I just move the iron about 1/4" at a time from the seam edge towards the other edge. 

The result is a very clean finished edge inside the shirt, and then you have the facing showing where the neck falls open at the top, so you see the right side of the fabric. This fabric has a distinctive different shade of blue on the wrong side and for a while I was trying to figure out how to use that as an accent but it's not really distinctive enough so I let go of that idea.

I wish I had measured the piece before I started cutting it out, it was probably 1.5 yards of 55" wide fabric. So that's enough for me to make most shirts or tops with some inventive cutting out - however I did have to omit the inner yoke piece in silk. In fact I often use some solid lightweight fabric there anyway so it worked out. 

As I was sewing I realized I wanted the seams at the side and in the sleeves to have some nicer seam finishes so I did what I think is a faux french seam, in that I press it open and then press to create two folds which are stitched closed. Perhaps more work than the traditional method of a french seam but I never remember to do it and then have to use this. So often I am just sewing on auto-pilot with something playing in the background. I'm currently watching a variety of British, French and Italian mysteries on Britbox and Mhz channels. And I definitely need the subtitles on the French so that means I pay more attention to the screen than to my sewing :). 

For the cuffs I put both a lightweight fusible and then on one side I put silk organza, that combo gives the cuffs just the right amount of stiffness. I just cut out some "close enough" pieces, baste them on and then trim to match the cuff edge. 

I wanted the back to be loose and flowy so I put a small pleat in the center back. 

For the cuffs on these silk shirts I don't do a tower placket, I prefer the continuous binding which is a bit softer. 

So that's the latest on my start of fall sewing. I am vowing NOT to make any coats this year, I've made 3 in the past 18 months and the red coat only had one wear. I plan to wear that all through the holiday season!! 

It will be blazer sewing from now to Thanksgiving. We start the Live/Online Jacket Tailoring class next week on Tuesday night. There's still time to register, here on the Hello Stitch website.  It's  Tues/Thurs 6-7:30pm so hopefully that works no matter your time zone. And you don't need to have all your supplies for the first class as I will be covering a lot of that information then and you can get your project together after that.

I've now taught a couple of in-person classes at the studio and it was really fun to be there, I think a lot of people either started sewing during the pandemic or decided it was time to learn because we are almost fully booked. In January I think we will have lots more garment sewing classes so I will update when we get the schedule finalized. 

I'm looking forward to wearing my new silk shirt, and this is actually how I will probably wear it most of the time, underneath a cashmere sweater. 

Happy Sewing,

Beth

For today's garden photo, a closer look at those hydrangeas which were a bright lilac blue earlier in the summer. I tend to leave them on the plants and just see what colors they turn. The other day I saw a floral designer refer to this hydrangea bloom as "antiqued" which is I suppose a fancy name for fading flowers. 

Burda 6429 top in silk charmeuse

A friend mentioned to me the other day that she hadn't seen a new blog post is a while and that is definitely true. Here in the bay area people have generally adhered to the health guidelines and so our chances for socialization have been few and far between. Contact has been limited to close family or friends that we have chosen to have in our "pod".  The normal times of meeting for drinks, a group dinner at a restaurant or going to meetings of various organizations all seem like the far distant past. However the uptake on vaccines is also very high here, most everyone I know has received it so we are coming out of our hibernation and it feels really strange, but in a good way. 

So that's a long way around to say that my interest in making new things for my personal wardrobe had reached a low ebb. Anything I sewed in the last 12 months has mostly languished in the closet waiting for the opportunity to be out and about. Wearing things for Zoom meetings just doesn't have the same effect and I might get some odd looks if I sat down for a video chat wearing my red wool coat. (actually I wore it once just before the lockdown - in fact to the last large social gathering for a very long time). In the last few months I've been occupied with doing online classes. It's become evident that teaching online is no walk in the park - I would say they are a LOT more work than in person and I'm looking forward to getting back to those for many reasons.

But I have made myself a new silk top. This is a Burda envelope pattern, 6429.

And now you can see the state of this corner of my garden. The roses are doing OK as well as all the California native plants which tolerate low water but oh that lawn...it should be nice and green now in May but we had about 40% of normal rainfall this past winter. Very worrying. But back to sewing.

I had a gift card from my last birthday for Fashion Fabrics Club, a website that I periodically order from and have mostly very good luck with. If you hunt around on their website you can find some real bargains. This is called hammered silk charmeuse, so it had a pebbly texture. I have another piece of this fabric in purple but I think I will save that until next winter. This color was very discounted and when it first arrived I wasn't sure about it, too much like avocado green, a color I don't wear (but yumm I love to eat avocados, I must go through 3 a week). 

It seemed like the ideal fabric for this pattern which I was wanting to try. Another contender for the category of "tops that look nice on computer screens".  I made the view on the right, the one without the waist seam. 

If you look closely at the technical drawing you can see that the sleeve seam is quite close to the neckline, only about an inch away. You attach the sleeve into the armhole as normal, but then you run a row of stitching inside which attaches the sleeve head further towards the center. 

I neglected to take a picture on the dress form of the back view which I think is really nice. The pattern calls for a zipper and I basted it in, but then realized that I could easily get it over my head without so removed it. 

The slight trouble with silk charmeuse is that the sheen and texture of the fabric do show some wrinkles, I think they are noticeable on the dress form but not at all in real life where you are moving all the time. 

For a long time I didn't like this type of sleeve but now I do. It needs just the right fabric and probably an open neckline to balance out the coverage of the sleeve. 

As for fit adjustments, I made a Burda size 38 at the neck and shoulders and graded out a bit at the side seams. I like silk tops to be a bit roomy and flowy. I think I made it shorter by about 4 inches. Now that it's finished I think the neckline is a bit wide for me, I always have this problem with tops with that shape of neckline. If I make it again I will pinch out about 1/4' on either side of center of the neckline. To make it stay in place I added some strap keepers which I just make out of some ribbon and small snaps. My hot tip for adding strap keepers is to sew one side of the snap on the garment, then sew the other part of the snap on the ribbon, then snap it shut and only then attach the end of the ribbon to the garment. Then you get it to just the right length.

Now that I've sewn it up I do like the color, a green top that matches my green eyes. (yeah, mine are green but if only my eyes were that color!) 

Soon to be posted: I've just finished a dress that is from an older Burda magazine - I find such gems in the past issues I wish I had more of them but it's probably better from a storage perspective that I don't. 

Up next at Hello Stitch - my online class for June is Sewing Jeans. It's a month long class, meeting two nights a week. Jeans may seem daunting but they go together quite easily. For this class we suggest the Megan Nielsen Ash jeans pattern (stretch denim) which I have made in a variety of fabrics with various degrees of stretch and it works for any of them. Or you can use a different pattern if you already own one. 

So that's the latest - now that summer is on its way and lockdown is phasing out my sewing spark has returned. I just traced some shorts from the recent Burda so I guess that will be one of next projects, along with the jeans..

Happy Spring sewing,

Beth

Today's garden photo, the blossoms are just about gone and now we have tiny little oranges, but oh the fragrance when the orange tree is flowering is just heavenly.

Too much ruffle? Burda 110 from April 2018

Ok, here's the deal. Now I'm just making random things to pass the time. Yep, we are barely out of lockdown here in N. Calif so it's more than 6 months of work-at-home, not much socializing, no parties, classes or group meet ups. Yeah, it's getting very tiresome. On the plus side, this summer I discovered that I actually like swimming for exercise. Who knew? Growing up with a pool but not swimming competitively I always thought the the back and forth of swimming laps was boring. To me swimming was a means to all the other water activities I love, like snorkeling, scuba, surfing, etc. But this year with the gyms closed and the air filled with smoke the backyard pool seemed like a good option. I discovered you can really relax and let your mind drift to other things as you swim back and forth. Which means that now I'm a little crabby because swim season is just about over. The weather is cooling off (which is good after the scorcher of a summer we've had) but the pool is getting a bit too chilly. So I'm putting away my swimsuit until spring and figuring out other exercise options. 

While swimming I thought about what to sew next, and whether I wanted to plan some projects or just follow another whim. I have come up with something of a plan, but one last whimsical item snuck in and here it is.  This pattern intrigued me for these many months and I finally decided to give it a try.

Perhaps this is the ultimate shirt for a Zoom call - lots of visual interest around the neckline. Maybe too much. I had serious doubts as I sewed it but once finished I think it's starting to appeal. But it feels VERY ruffle-y when worn.  

This fabric was given to me by a friend who was destashing - she gave me a bin of things and they have been a gold mine. Including the green wool I used for two different coats (tri-color coat and peacoat).

This fabric is a silk crepe de chine. I really love the cornflower blue shade and the print is nice - the only feature I don't care for is that weird yellowish flower but like the pattern it's starting to appeal as well.  

Here's the pattern drawing and the photo from the BurdaStyle website. It may not be noticeable but in their version they call for a contrast fabric, like eyelet or lace as the insert in the center front but I decided to use the same fabric.  The pattern is from the Burda April 2018 # 110.  One of these days I'm going to have to do a bit of analysis - I think I find the most patterns to make from the April issues followed by October (although I think this Oct. 2020 was a complete dud).

Once you cut out all the pattern pieces it's time to play Burda pattern puzzle :) .  Actually there were a few small pieces that I had to look closely to see how they fit together. I should have followed my own advice of a few months ago when I posted about how to use Burda patterns and matched all the "join" numbers. 

There are the pattern pieces laid out on my table, basically in the same relationship as they sew together. All that is missing are the ruffle pieces, and the button band.  You can see that it is a 2-piece raglan sleeve, and then a front and back inset piece (which look like facings) to create more seams where you insert the lower ruffle. 

This is looking at the center front, with button bands attached and ready to finish off the neckline with the band which extends into long ties.  The lower ruffle is caught in the raglan sleeve seam in the front. 

So much ruffle!  It feels very nice to wear but when I catch a glimpse in the mirror I feel like I'm channeling one of those Elizabethan portraits of the fancy people with their big neck ruffs.

By the way - those are my Ash jeans, 3rd pair made in slightly metallic denim. My fav summer jeans although I don't think I put jeans on more than twice in the last 3 months. Too warm! I just finished another pair of flare leg Ash jeans in corduroy. With more Ash jeans to come, I'm sure!

Whether I will wear this top is an open question. I probably will wear it for a video call one of these days and see how it looks on screen. But this is just the type of pattern I do like to make, plenty of detail and a bit of a pattern puzzle. 

Now back to my sewing planning. As I said this summer was all over the place, but now I'm in the mood for a specific project. I've decided to go all in on this pattern which I picked up at a Bay Area Sewists Meetup sometime in the past year. It is a single size pattern, my size 12, which is probably why I picked it up. 

Despite looking like a fairly straightforward blazer and pants, it has 9 pages of instruction sheets, fully detailed tailoring steps and seems just the thing to pass the time once we jump ahead with our clocks and I will be spending even more time at home. Yves St. Laurent - tres chic right? I will try to make all 3 pieces and see how it goes. I have a couple of ideas for fabric - but the idea of a burgundy color jacket as the center one pictured is looking so good to me.  (I think I had some shoes just like that, in burgundy suede, alas long gone). So that's the tentative plan, and I will try to document and post as many details as I can along the way.  

We have hit our stride with the Hello Stitch Sewing club, the Tuesday evening portion is instruction, videos I've made to illustrate specifics, and sewing techniques. Then the Thursday evening sessions are like office hours combined with happy hour, a time to hang out together, get questions answered, sew together and talk. I miss teaching in Berkeley but this really nice considering the constraints we are under - plus you don't have to be local to do the class. I think next month we will be sewing this pattern. 

Now I have to dash - it's time to pick my last few oranges before some varmint gets them. And do a bit of shopping for the garden - it will be time to plant the tulip bulbs soon 🌷.

I hope everyone is staying well and like me you are thankful for any and all creative outlets we have.

Happy Sewing, Beth

Garden photo for the day, everything is fading and dry but the hydrangeas manage to look interesting even at the end of the summer. This one was bright pink back in May. 

More new tops, a New Look and a Burda

With sewing you win some and you lose some. Fortunately I don't generally end with too many things in the loser category. Although when I do then out they go. Meaning I don't try to make myself wear it just to see. Either they go to a friend that might like it, or I cut it up to use for something else. Actually it doesn't happen too often as I stick to a color range that I like so it's mostly due to trying a shape or silhouette I'm not sure about.

Thus I have a tale of two tops, one is nice and wearable, and the other will be transitioned to lining pieces or something like that.
Let's start with the good. Early in our quarantine time I happened to see this pattern somewhere, probably on eBay which I occasionally peruse when drinking coffee in the morning and scratching the proverbial online shopping itch.

This is New Look 6471, designed for wovens, with long or short sleeve options and the plain gathered neckline which I sewed, or it also has a tie neckline.



I sewed it up in this remnant of silk twill, fabric I bought at Metro Textiles in NY in 2016. Oh that seems an age ago - how I want to go back and do all the NY things again.
The fabric has a lovely sheen and I really like the colors, however it's really tightly woven, it has no give at all and is probably better suited to something less fitted around the shoulders. It's not too small but not as comfortable as other tops I have.






I think it would be nice with a skirt, perhaps tucked in the fabric would look better. A navy blue wool pencil skirt would be just right. However I don't have any possible need or place to wear something like that!



So I will revisit this pattern, it could even be sewn in a knit or a rayon challis which has more give and would I think drape a bit better. This silk fabric has a tendency to stand out from the body which ends up looking weird. On the plus side it doesn't wrinkle which I like.

Onward to top number two, which maybe looks better in these pictures than it does in real life :)
This is a Burda Magazine pattern, from the January 2018 issue, # 116. My friend Pauline made this and I loved her version.  I thought it might go well with the boucle jacket that I finished in April.



But I kind of hate it, for two reasons. First, this fabric is a polyester that I had in my stash, and I just used it because the color was nice. However, it's just not suited for this top, in fact some poly fabrics are not suitable for anything, hard to sew, show every pucker etc.
It has that interesting seaming on the sleeves, but after I made it I remembered that I'm just not a fan of that neckline shape. Which is what, a boatneck? wide jewel neck?  whatever it's called I don't find it comfortable. But there is a bigger reason why this is going in the scrap pile....






See that very first word in the description? STRETCH. Ok, I hadn't noticed that and as you can see in their recommended fabrics they say "blouse fabrics with some body" but no mention of stretch. I know that Pauline's version was a knit, I think a lightweight ponte, and it worked perfectly. My purple version is not comfortable at all, that seaming of the armhole makes it feel too tight even thought it isn't. I think in a knit it would be great. Also a lot easier to sew, as getting those poly sleeves into the tricky poly armholes was a nightmare. Can you tell I hate this top?






Pauline made her version with elbow length sleeves, with elastic at the bottom which lightens up the whole shape. As it is I think it veers into that pirate shirt territory now that I see the sleeves.


What do you think? Should I give it another try or move on?  I do like that interesting armhole shaping. You can perhaps see that it has both pleats and gathering across the shoulder which is a lot for one sleeve :)

Onward to something that I like a lot better. I've been trying out various culotte patterns with varying success -I have a specific shape in mind and not really getting there with patterns I've tried. And will probably toss that idea and make a pair of longish fitted shorts. I want something dressy but not a skirt. I'll have to ponder this idea a bit more.

Up next, not sure. I have a few things in process, I finished a cotton blazer and just cut out the matching pants so that's in the works and then I have a DKNY dress pattern which I think will be my summer favorite. I might save that for a bit later so I can sew it and wear it when we get out of the house. I did order some fabric this week which came and now I'm ready to sew for summer.

The other day I was tracing a Burda magazine pattern and thought about showing the steps to finding the pattern pieces in the big confusing mess of lines. Actually once you know the system it's not that bad. I'll take photos as I go next time and then post my method.

I hope everyone is well and I'm looking forward to seeing people in person again, which here in N. California is inching closer to reality. Although indoor meetings of large groups, activities and work doesn't seem like it will happen for a while.




Take care and Happy Sewing,
Beth

Today's garden photo, it has to be those bright yellow snapdragons which have come back bigger and better now for 3 years. I don't plant all that many yellow flowers but in the spring they seem so cheerful. Which we all need right now.