Tag: kimono sleeves

Tops That Pop – Kimono Wrap Top

Published on by ellegeemakes17 Comments

IMG_1168Hi all – I love a good challenge and so I couldn’t resist the #Tops that Pop challenge, created by the talented Faye of Faye’s Sewing Adventures. What a brilliant theme! Who doesn’t want to sew a top?

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I’ve been wanting a kimono sleeved wrap top for the longest time, so I was thrilled to find McCall’s 7627 on sale at Joann’s.

 

When I first looked at it, I didn’t think it was the pattern of my dreams, primarily because I was focussed on the statement sleeves that went with view B. Yes, those sleeves are interesting and very fashion forward, but I can tell you, they are just too much for me :).  So I combined the sleeve in view D with the short wrap bodice of version of View B.

Fitting Challenges: Because I’m short-waisted, fitting a wrap dress/top is a bit tricky. On this dress, after a paper fitting, I could see the waist was way too long, so I shortened the bodice by a full inch. My other fitting dilemma on wrap dresses is that I usually get a front gap at the neck because I have narrow shoulders. To prevent this, I took out a 5/8″ in the back shoulders. This helped tremendously.

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Fabric: McCall’s suggests crisp fabrics for this top. I chose a softer rayon (Fabric Depot) because I wanted it to look drape-y.  I love this rayon – it’s so soft and comfortable and was a dream to sew.

The pattern was pretty well designed and the instructions were clear. I’m not wild about the darts at the shoulder though….not sure why they’re necessary since they aren’t very flattering.

 

IMG_1212 All in all, I do think this pattern is a keeper. I may make the dress version at some point, and may take out the shoulder pleats. But there are so many patterns and so little time, so who knows if I’ll make it back to this one again.

Thanks to Faye for creating this fun challenge. She’s posting all of the #Tops that Pop on her blog, and there’s lots of inspiration there.

Happy sewing, and thanks for stopping by!

Kimono sleeves or bell sleeves? That is the question!

Published on by ellegeemakes12 Comments

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For months, I was sure the sleeves on this top were called ‘kimono sleeves’ until I was corrected by a clerk in a local fabric store. “No,” she insisted. “Those are NOT kimono sleeves. Kimono sleeves are cut as part of the bodice. Those are definitely bell sleeves.”

Really? I was doubtful. But, well, yes. According to the Craftsy website, she was 100% correct. Bell sleeves are are always narrow at the shoulder, wide at the bottom and they are never cut as part of the bodice. Live and learn.
For me, the Bell sleeves are the major attraction of this otherwise simple top.
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I fell in love with those fun sleeves all over again this Spring, when I noticed them in the Chanel resort collection.
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And this is by Oscar de la Renta….
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 I’ve been a bit obsessed ever since for reasons I can’t explain. Perhaps, it’s because they’re a bit retro?
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Or is because they’re so comfortable? Who knows?
I used Butterick 6175 for my bell sleeved top, a semi fitted pullover top with sleeve variations.
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Since the top has a very simple design, it seemed to be the perfect opportunity to use a not-so-simple fabric. So, I chose a Japanese border print I had in my stash. It has a large floral design as the main motif, with a contrasting (but subtle) checkered print as the border. I cut  the bodice from the flowered motif and the sleeves from the checkered border.
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The tricky part was laying the pattern out in a way that captured the directional focus of the floral print. Because the pattern’s ‘repeat’ is widely spaced, it was a bit tricky, since I’d purchased a (very) scant yard and a quarter (when will I learn to buy a little extra to be on the safe side?). I also wanted some pattern at the neck for interest.
After struggling for well over an hour to get it right, I decided, I’d had enough torture for one day. So, I simplified things and made the liberating decision to cut the sleeves from the contrasting border print, which didn’t have a pattern repeat to contend with.
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 I made one slight variation to the pattern. I skipped the back neck line slit, as I am not a fan of that look and used a short zipper in the back instead.
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The construction of the top was easy. But do I like the finished product? Hmmmm.  I’m not altogether sure. In hindsight, a boxy, cropped top probably isn’t the best choice for a short-waisted girl like me.  But I do like the fabric, so I’ll probably wear this top, anyway. I guess I could always add a couple of eyelash darts to the back to give it a bit more shape (?). Regardless, the project was worth the effort as I learned a lot from the challenges posed by choosing a fabric that has a one way print with a repeating pattern. Next time (if there is a next time) I vow to buy way more fabric than I think I need!!  And, I do love those sleeves!
How do you modify patterns to make them less boxy? Or do you just skip the look? Thanks for stopping by!