Saturday, April 7, 2012

Vogue 7717, A New Favorite

Thank goodness for stockpiling patterns.  Vogue 7717 has been in my collection for years and I'm finally giving it a try....and I love it.  It's a delight to have a lightweight woven top that is easy to sew, easy to wear but has some subtle style too it.  But here's a pattern with only two pieces and I still had to make 2 mock up versions before I was happy with the result.  
Vogue 7717



The original pattern calls for a bias cut front and back piece.  The bias front looked fine on me but the bias back just pooled and flopped on my narrow upper back and high hip.  I tried a center back seam on version two with the bias going down the middle of each piece.  Slight improvement but still not nice.  The third version worked out just fine.  I simply ignored the bias entirely and cut it on the regular straight of grain.  Skims my body with no pouching or ripples so I'm satisfied.  Once again, this just proves that sewing your own clothes lets you tweak the design and fit for your particular body...and the value of making a mock up.
I did lengthen both pieces two inches and from there it's just a matter of selecting fabric, the neck edge finish technique and desired sleeve length.   


I'll put sew some velcro on the shoulder seam because my scoliosis shoulder is very prominent from the back and needs a small shoulder pad to balance me visually.


This is a lightweight brown linen (Fabric Mart, of course) with self-fabric bias beck finish.  Some people are annoyed by linen's wrinkles but I don't mind them a bit.  I think this one has a simple Eileen Fisher look to it.  The front piece has that shaped front that the back does not.  I might make a matching back curve on one of the future versions....and then again, I might not.  


The second version is from a linen rayon blend with embroidery.  I think it is from Fabric Mart also but it could be a long ago Joann's purchase also.  The embroidery is not too open so I don't need underlining or a cami.  I wanted to echo some of that embroidery with some trim.  First I cut the front neck about 1 inch lower.  Then I used silk organza and did and narrow bias facing on the neckline.


Bias organza sewn to right side then pressed
I cut 1 1/2" bias silk organza, ironed and stretched them, sewed the strip with a 3/8" seam to the neck front.
  








inside narrow facing
I ironed that seam to the neckline wrong side and folded under the remained edge.  I hand hemmed this narrow facing but those of you who hate handsewing could just edge stitch the facing in place.  I like this very clean, lightweight facing technique.


clean front edge but too plain
I wanted a more Anthropologie look for this version.  I have a collection of old lace trims, some I believe came from my mother's stash.  I first did a gathered lace collar (2.5 to 1 ratio) but as Mr. Lucky noted, I looked like a Dutch Master wannabe with a ruff at my neck:
Way too much ruff
better neckline lace ratio
Final version with lace cuffs
Dolman sleeves are still not my most flattering look (those sloped shoulders and scoliosis can't be cured) but I do think this is a terrific hot weather t shirt alternative.  I've cut out a few more of these to get through the upcoming summer days in Maryland. 


Before I send this post off to the web, here are a few books I've been reading in the past month.  It's nice having this record so I don't have to get that blank deer in the headlight look when friends ask what I've been reading recently.  
We'll be discussing this one at our upcoming book group discussion on Monday evening.  Took me more than half way through the book to start caring about these characters but I did get interested in their choices and their fates by then.  I do think that having a comparison to a modern day Jane Austen brings a heavy burden of expectation and I wish the book jacket hadn't included that comment.  It does have the same themes of responsibility versus emotion and the corruption of greed and uber-wealth as in Sense and Sensibility.  I look forward to what the others think of it.

This was my lightweight reward for that book group selection.  I'm not particularly a Rob Lowe fan but saw a TV interview last year and was very taken with his thoughtfulness and self-deprecating humor.  I thoroughly enjoyed this one.  Funny, interesting,  humble and grateful for his life and success. I take any celebrity's words with a boatload of salt but I was not disappointed in this read.


From quite light, one afternoon read to two books that were beautifully written but difficult emotionally to get through.  I heard an interview between Nancy Pearl (Booklust) and Stewart O'Nan and picked up these two.  My northen book group had previously read Last Night at the Lobster and these have similar themes of love, loss, disappointment and hurt among working class families.


   


In closing, to those of you friends, family and lovely readers, if you celebrate Passover or Easter, I hope you are enjoying a good holiday with those you love.  I'll be driving further up the Florida coast tomorrow to enjoy a lovely afternoon with my aunt, uncle, cousin and his wife.  Now I'm off to make the key lime pie that I'm bringing.  Cheers!

15 comments:

  1. I love that top and I'm delighted with your idea of a summer alternative to a tee shirt. It looks both cool and fashionable, a difficult combination to achieve sometimes! Off to steal your idea....

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  2. Love both versions but especially the lace one. Very stylish!

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    1. I was a little hesitant about the lace so thanks for your reassurance that I didn't make a "mutton looking like lamb" mistake.

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  3. Love both versions, and I too am going to 'pinch' this idea...Happy Easter from Down Under...

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    1. Happy Easter to you as well. Please, pinch away since I'm going to do the same from your wonderful Cynthia Rowley dress with the terrific collar.

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  4. Two very nice tops for spring. Fun to read about what you've been reading. Thanks for including that!

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    1. Thank you, Dixie. I think sharing our clothing creations and reading selections is an interesting way of figuring out what we'd be like as people "in the real world."

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  5. Those are super looking tops. I always enjoy your book reviews, too.

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    1. Thank you, Gwen. And so happy to see you feel like sewing again. Cheers!

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  6. I have this Sandra Betzina pattern in my stash. It certainly is a flattering style on you. Both versions look cool and comfortable. We are in FLA too. I am reading blogs while waiting for the teens to get up so we can travel a few more hours to our Keys destination. The weather is lovely!

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    1. Seems like you are going to have a lovely FL weather experience. Hope you have a wonderful visit. Thanks for your comment on the tops. They sort of took me by surprise, unlike some other patterns which have surprised me with disappointment:-)

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  7. Both tops are so nice -- they have a great ease to them. Have a wonderful Easter!

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    1. Hope your Easter is a lovely one as well. DH is from northern CA and this is such a beautiful time of year in the Bay area.

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  8. Both tops are casual yet elegant. I love linen, and I love how they have that Eileen Fisher look. They are wonderful additions to your summer time wardrobe.

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