ALL MY RUFFLE DREAMS
At the beginning of the year, I had never shopped fabric online even though I was dying to, and, I think it’s safe to say I had one less top than I do today.
All that has changed now.
Let me tell you how it happened.
I’d picked this lightweight crepe from Minerva because it was crepe and I thought since it’s my first time picking fabric online I’d go with what I knew.
I liked the colours and geometric shapes in the fabric and I realized I don’t have much of those in my wardrobe.
Since we have summer weather all through the year, I’m very partial to light fa-brics, especially for tops.
I was pleasantly surprised when the fabric finally came, it was lighter than I ex-pected but wasn't so see-through that I'd consider a lining, DOUBLE POINTS THERE.
It also had some stretch which was good for fitting but I dislike having to decide how much negative ease to put into a garment, I’m never right.
The weight and drape of the fabric revived dreams of my perfect ruffle, so, I scrolled through my makes wishlist that I'm sure every sewist has and picked a top.
Cutting this fabric made me realize that as much as I love scissors, there are just some things that rotary cutters are better at, cutting slippery fabrics is high up on that list.
Although this fabric is slippery and light, it didn't give the headache you get when sewing silk, etc.
I used a size 9 ballpoint needle but I'm also sure you could use a size 10 ballpoint needle with whatever stretch stitch or zig-zag stitch you prefer, so long as it's not so widely spaced.
I also didn't think the prints on this fabric were directional but turns out that they are, but, only just, no need to go too OCD over it.
I guess it would have been easier to sew the ruffles onto the bodice front and sleeves.
But I've never liked that type of sewing on ready to wear tops so I didn't see why I should sew it on mine, this was a top I wanted to last in my wardrobe.
And while I was all about the ruffles in this top, I thought having them in the back would be too much.
So with the ruffles in mind, the front bodice ended up being 3 pieces and each of the sleeves, 2 pieces.
To make the ruffles I used the spiral method, which I feel saves more fabric. I used two ruffles for the front and one on each sleeve, pretty straight forward.
The not so straight forward part was attempting to sew the hem of the ruffles. As much as I don't like unfinished seams, I quickly gave up on hemming the ruffles because it was near impossible to do and get a clean finish.
Maybe if I had some wonder tape it would have been easier, though I doubt it considering how tight the spirals were.
Luckily, this fabric doesn't fray so I let the issue go.
There was, however, the issue of the neckline and hems of the sleeves and bodice.
I was worried that the curves of the neckline would be hard to sew after my experience with the ruffles, but, turns out I didn't have much to fear, I biased bound it with the same fabric and it was fine.
Then I used my ballpoint double needle to sew the neckline, sleeves and bodice hems, and I must say, I like how they turned out.
I’m pleased with the finished work, no one believes I made it which, of course, makes it ten times better.
The ruffles are the highlight of this makes, they swish, sway and bounce with every step.
EXACTLY HOW I IMAGINED IT.
At the beginning of the year, I had never shopped fabric online even though I was dying to, and, I think it’s safe to say I had one less top than I do today.
All that has changed now.
Let me tell you how it happened.
I’d picked this lightweight crepe from Minerva because it was crepe and I thought since it’s my first time picking fabric online I’d go with what I knew.
I liked the colours and geometric shapes in the fabric and I realized I don’t have much of those in my wardrobe.
Since we have summer weather all through the year, I’m very partial to light fa-brics, especially for tops.
I was pleasantly surprised when the fabric finally came, it was lighter than I ex-pected but wasn't so see-through that I'd consider a lining, DOUBLE POINTS THERE.
It also had some stretch which was good for fitting but I dislike having to decide how much negative ease to put into a garment, I’m never right.
The weight and drape of the fabric revived dreams of my perfect ruffle, so, I scrolled through my makes wishlist that I'm sure every sewist has and picked a top.
Cutting this fabric made me realize that as much as I love scissors, there are just some things that rotary cutters are better at, cutting slippery fabrics is high up on that list.
Although this fabric is slippery and light, it didn't give the headache you get when sewing silk, etc.
I used a size 9 ballpoint needle but I'm also sure you could use a size 10 ballpoint needle with whatever stretch stitch or zig-zag stitch you prefer, so long as it's not so widely spaced.
I also didn't think the prints on this fabric were directional but turns out that they are, but, only just, no need to go too OCD over it.
I guess it would have been easier to sew the ruffles onto the bodice front and sleeves.
But I've never liked that type of sewing on ready to wear tops so I didn't see why I should sew it on mine, this was a top I wanted to last in my wardrobe.
And while I was all about the ruffles in this top, I thought having them in the back would be too much.
So with the ruffles in mind, the front bodice ended up being 3 pieces and each of the sleeves, 2 pieces.
To make the ruffles I used the spiral method, which I feel saves more fabric. I used two ruffles for the front and one on each sleeve, pretty straight forward.
The not so straight forward part was attempting to sew the hem of the ruffles. As much as I don't like unfinished seams, I quickly gave up on hemming the ruffles because it was near impossible to do and get a clean finish.
Maybe if I had some wonder tape it would have been easier, though I doubt it considering how tight the spirals were.
Luckily, this fabric doesn't fray so I let the issue go.
There was, however, the issue of the neckline and hems of the sleeves and bodice.
I was worried that the curves of the neckline would be hard to sew after my experience with the ruffles, but, turns out I didn't have much to fear, I biased bound it with the same fabric and it was fine.
Then I used my ballpoint double needle to sew the neckline, sleeves and bodice hems, and I must say, I like how they turned out.
I’m pleased with the finished work, no one believes I made it which, of course, makes it ten times better.
The ruffles are the highlight of this makes, they swish, sway and bounce with every step.
EXACTLY HOW I IMAGINED IT.