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 This version is of a silk that I think I got at a stash sale - I originally made a blouse for myself and still had several yards remaining.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.