Tuesday 11 November 2014

Crazy Bunnies on the Loose: V8877

I'm getting so behind with posting what I've been sewing that I think I'm going to need to cut back on my verbiage... hmm and also get less fussy with my photos! Let's give it a try :)

So here's another easy top I made soon after getting back to Sydney - it's big and loose, and it's MUCH better than I expected!

UpSewLate: disregard the floor please, it's V8877 on the loose

Fabric
This cool, crazy bunny fabric came from Tessuti's remnant table last year. It's got bunnies, birds and what look like possums on branches, and now I've made the top I can see the odd tank floating past at random - quite odd!  

Initially I planned to make this fabric into an adult t-shirt, then it was going to be a child's dress (but my daughter hated the fabric), then finally after time away from the stash it was back on my adult t-shirt ideas list.  Phew. And I actually like the way it's turned out, after all that indecision.

UpSewLate: V8877, tucked in
Obviously these photos were taken before the floors got washed! We had just had a built-in wardrobe installed after getting the ceilings and cornices replastered, so there was plaster dust everywhere.  I was taking advantage of our having moved all the furniture out of the room - oh, and of the family being out too - but it didn't even occur to me that the dusty floor was going to feature in my photos. Priorities, priorities!  


Pattern
The pattern is one I muslined earlier this year in a lightweight cotton voile, Vogue 8877 (view A).  In a lightweight woven the pattern fitted me badly with tension in the bust area, and I really couldn't see how to adjust it even though the pattern is loose fitting. Anyway, I hated the muslin fabric, so no great loss, and if I make this again it will not be in a voile.

This pattern looks so much better in a drapey knit fabric - I wish I could show you the improvement, but I hated the muslin so much I cut it up for scrap fabric.

UpSewLate: shoulder line, seam lines on the front of V8877

Fitting
The pattern IS recommended for a variety of fabrics from drapey wovens (challis, crepe etc) to jersey. As I mentioned above, the pattern didn't work for me in a non-drapey woven (cotton voile), but worked really well in a knit. That's without any fitting adjustments; both versions were made in a straight size M (12-14).

So based on my experience I'd suggest you at least verify your size by measuring the pattern pieces if you want to make it in a woven - you may need to go up a size, or figure out how to make an FBA.

UpSewLate: and shoulder line, seam lines on the back of V8877

I wouldn't have thought it, but this curved shoulder shape with no arm scye seems to make my mini shoulders look normal-sized.  


Pattern Adjustments
As you can see above, I added a centre back seam in the body pattern piece - purely because I didn't have enough fabric to cut the back piece on the fold. And otherwise, my only changes were to the details. Instead of finishing the neckline with bias binding (I'm not good at that!) I turned the fabric over to the inside, encasing some clear elastic under the fold, before stitching the neckline with a twin needle. I sewed all the seams with an overlocker and finished the hems with the twin needle straight stitch on my normal sewing machine.

Hey, that was so quick to write!


See you soon
- Gabrielle xx

15 comments:

  1. The McCall Pattern Company11 November 2014 at 02:44

    Love it! Interesting, this pattern didn't work for me either in a woven. But as a knit it's fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I LOVE that fabric. It brings back lovely memories. I made my daughter some pyjamas in that last before last Christmas - we called it christmas fabric because of the reindeer! I think I like your top better - makes me wish I used it for myself instead!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you, I'm glad to hear it wasn't just me with the woven version! I love it in a knit too - it's my current favourite knit top :).

    ReplyDelete
  4. OMG I missed the reindeer! I've just gone back to look for them - I've got a chopped off reindeer in the front (cut off by the hem) and another chopped off reindeer in one shoulder, but no whole reindeers :). I remember that, it was a nightdress I think you made her, back in Sydney? Well if it makes you feel better my daughter now wishes I'd used the fabric for HER.... and I'll bet your daughter loved those pyjamas!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I really like this an adult t-shirt! The print is fun and it looks lovely and soft and drapey. It's so interesting how the type of fabric changes the fit of a garment.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is a great tee shirt and the fabric is perfect for this pattern. I have not seen this Vogue 8877 before and I really like how versatile it could be for using up stash remnants.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yay for crazy bunnies! I love this Gabrielle, I'm so glad you went ahead with it. I'm also interested in that pattern. It reminds me of my fave RTW tee, I might have to check it out.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Fabulous shirt and love the bunnies!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love the shape and drape of this and the fabric is quirky cool!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love this! The fabric is great and while I might have looked past this pattern... I think it might join the stash in the next Spotty sale...

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am so glad it turned out to be a tshirt for you! Love it and the little pop of orange looks great on you.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love the comfortable, easy feeling of your top; look how it drapes in the second photo, when you tuck it in at the waist on one side. I had skipped over this pattern before but see its possibilities now.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Melanie Y (Miss Piggy)16 November 2014 at 20:54

    The print on this fabric is AMAZING!!! At first glance I thought the orange was goldfish...love the orange. I also love the floaty style of the top...looks so comfy for summer.

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is great and as a fellow narrow shouldered person I will add this to my list!

    ReplyDelete
  15. The print certainly looks good on you. It would have hidden any one who's my height or less:)

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...