Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Well, Poop!

I haven't done any sewing of clothing in a very long time.  (Other than Susan's infamous apron challenge a couple years ago.  We all remember how much fun that was.  No, it really was.  Right, Carolyn?)  This winter I had every intention of making some light, cool, loose-fitting tops to wear in the garden this summer.  Don't ask me where all my time went over the winter months, but I didn't get around to even starting this project other than purchasing a couple of patterns that appealed to me.


Then this spring I found and bought this fabric I really liked.

Last Sunday when we had so much rain, I finally got around to cutting out one of the tops I wanted to make using the fabric shown above.


I chose the sleeveless version of the top.

After dinner last night I got the facing put on around the scoop neck and tried it on.  Ummm, something was not right.  I liked the fit of the body of the top which was loose and comfy, I could see the length was going to be good with a narrow hem, and the armholes (as of yet lacking the facings) would fit quite nicely.


But the neckline . . . uhhhh.  The neckline is WIDE.  And DEEP.  The shoulder pieces sit way out on the edges of my shoulders leaving my bra straps hangin' out in full view.  The scoop of the scoop neck is so low my knees show the top of my bra shows.

Now I'm left wondering how I can salvage the project.  There is some gentle gathering on either side of the front seam with a cute bow tie in the center.  I think if I take the neck facing off and make the gathering much heavier, it might pull the neckline in enough.  Maybe.  I'm not looking forward to taking the neck facing off, but I don't know what else to try.

Anybody got any other suggestions?  As I say, poop.  Poop, poop, poop!  Not a very good start to getting back into sewing some clothes.

21 comments:

Carolyn said...

How about a fake "layered" look? Like a patch of light colored fabric right underneath to give the scoop, less scoop where your, uhm, endowments are showing?

Sparkless said...

I'd add some fabric around the neck and to the arms like Carolyn said. Right now I'm wearing a t-shirt that has a too big scoop neck and I use a pin to fold it in to the middle to make a couple of pleats taking away the gaping in the chest area.
You can see from the picture on the patten that the scoop neck is quite low. I hope you can fix it because it is such pretty fabric and cute pattern.

tpals said...

I agree that adding a yoke of fabric (maybe the dark blue of the background) would save it nicely.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Gosh, I can't help. I just got Mom's sewing machine and have only made a goat coat with it. I have not done any sewing in so long. I do like the style though.

Endah Murniyati said...

I do like the flowery pattern.

Mama Pea said...

Carolyn - I hadn't thought of that . . . good idea. Thanks! Endowments? Is that another word for knees??

Mama Pea said...

Sparkless - Ha! Safety pins may well be the easiest answer!

Mama Pea said...

tpals - Gosh, you gals are all so smart!

Mama Pea said...

Kristina - I wonder how many non-homesteaders would read "goat coat" and wonder, "What the . . . ? ;o}

Mama Pea said...

Endah Murniyati - Me, too! I was immediately attracted to it when I saw it in the store.

Kelly said...

Carolyn had a great idea!!!! I hope it works out, it's a really pretty shirt :))))

Susan said...

Gee, I haven't worn a sleeveless top in....decades. That is a great pattern - and I LOVE the fabric! I think Carolyn's idea is great.

HeatherD76 said...

From looking at the picture, it looks like there is a drawstring in the neckline and it is pulled to close it a little and tied. Kinda hard to explain. I have a shirt like that. If I don't pull it and tie it, it hangs down to show off the girls. Love the pattern though. It is totally something I would wear.

DFW said...

Wish I could help ... I have made exactly ..... 1 shirt in my life & one sleeve wound up tighter than the other. Still wearable but I always knew it wasn't perfect.

Mama Pea said...

Thanks, Kelly. Didn't get to work on it yet . . . but I will!

Mama Pea said...

Susan - No sleeveless tops? Gak, how do you stand the heat? (The biting insects would be so disappointed if they never had my whole arms to feast on!!)

Mama Pea said...

Heather - It's not made as a drawstring, but that's a darn good idea! Thanks for the suggestion!

Mama Pea said...

DFW - Putting sleeves in a garment is kind of like knitting socks: after you get the first one done, there's that darn second one to do! (And it's SUPPOSED to match!)

Lisa said...

Ooooo, I love the fabric you chose!!!!! When I made my first sleeveless version out of quilting cotton, I had no problem with the neckline, but when I made my long-sleeve version with more stretchy-cotton had lots of problems. One idea, you could take the center back in at the top neckline area to help with the 'wideness', same adjustment could be made to the front center seam. Both would require the binding to be taken off. Also, you could then 'gather' it a little more to see if that would help. With the long-sleeve version I added the binding as a, hmmmm, still not sure of my sewing vocabulary, maybe more of a facing or trim and it raised the low-ness by doing it that way. You probably wouldn't be able to have the ties with this idea. Good luck and let us know what worked for you! It will be a terrific little top for you when it's done.

Mama Pea said...

Lisa - I still can't figure out how I went wrong because I used a quilting cotton for my attempt at the top. But in the end, the heavier gathering on either side of the front placket made it okay. I'm finding patterns are a little "different" from years ago when I did so much clothing sewing! I really appreciate your time in writing out this reply for me. Hugs.

Lisa said...

What I've found, is that my measurements fall into one size, a size 12 usually, but actually a size 10 fits me perfectly. You are right, patterns are perplexing! Also each pattern company's 'fit' is different, and I've just lucked out that the NEWLOOKs seems to work well for me. Hugs back to you!!!!