Open the Floodgates

Episodes of annoying mental blocks are always followed by bursts of insight and creativity, and this one was no exception. While organizing my patterns last week, I ran across one that I had copied several years ago from a beloved Liz Claiborne tunic. I looked it over yesterday, compared it to some of the patterns I have used more recently, and made up a version with some rayon spandex from my stash. Then I made a second one. More on that in a moment.

As I worked, I watched a Sew Sew Lounge episode on YouTube. I haven’t watched one of Toni’s videos in a few weeks. When she popped up on the screen, I looked at her and thought to myself, “Wow, she’s a figure 8 and she has hip dips.” The subject of the video was a review of several New Look patterns she had just purchased. She talked about the patterns she had bought and why she chose them, referring to her body shape and the kinds of silhouettes she prefers. Unlike me, she likes low-rise jeans because she doesn’t like the feel of anything tight around her waist. However, we both share a preference for tops and dresses that skim past that area of our bodies. I loved every single New Look pattern she chose, and as soon as they hit our Joanns, I’ll probably get most of them.

One of the dress patterns she chose had French darts. That’s a style line I haven’t tried yet, but now I’m itching to do so. A French dart starts lower on the side seam and angles up toward the bust apex. Sometimes it is curved. Because it essentially combines a bust dart and a waist dart, it can provide some subtle waist shaping.

The French Dart Shift by Maven Patterns is a hugely popular pattern in the sewing world. New Look 6145 is very similar:

I am sure I will have to make a full bust adjustment no matter which pattern I choose, so I’ll probably try the New Look pattern first. Megan Nielsen has a blog post on doing an FBA on a French dart.

Back to the Liz Claiborne tunic: There has been a method to my madness when shopping for clothes all these years; I just didn’t have the language for it. I liked that tunic because it angled out slightly under the bust and skimmed past my waist. I think that is also why I like the Laundry Day Tee, although the LDT is more of a swing top because it gets wider faster. I am wondering, now, if I would do okay with an empire waist style, although I’d have to do a full bust adjustment for that, too; otherwise the waistline would try to ride up.

I made up that Liz Claiborne tunic pattern in a floral print:

After tweaking a few parts of the pattern, I made it again in black rayon spandex. (I am in desperate need of some basic black, white, and navy tops. Boring to sew, but necessary.) The sleeves on the original tunic were 3/4 length, and I’ve kept them that way. They could be lengthened or shortened as needed.

The sleeve shaping on this pattern is interesting. I think that original Liz Claiborne tunic was purchased during the period of time when Isaac Mizrahi was designing for the label. (I’ve been buying Liz Claiborne for decades, and kept some of my pieces long past their pull dates because they fit so well.) The sleeve cap is much taller and narrower than any sleeve caps I’ve seen on other knit garments. I like the fit very much and may frankenpattern that into other tops.

You’ll probably never find me in a wrap dress or a shirtwaist style, and that’s okay. I am going to avoid silhouettes with obvious waist shaping from now on, although I really do want to try making something with a French dart.

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February is a busy month. I’ve got a couple of local classes early on, and I’ll be getting ready for my Sew Expo classes at the end of the month.

The husband ordered a solenoid kit for the BMW. He says either the solenoids are bad or the seals are leaking; either way, he’ll get in there and fix the problem. He’s also got the parts to fix the climate control system as I haven’t had heat in that car since October or so. I should have an entirely rebuilt car before long.