Cropped Tate Top & A Break

First up, a favourite new top. A cropped version of the Workroom Social Tate Top. This is a free pattern which I've made (and reviewed before) as top, a lined silk dress and a teaching top for my little sister. It's a great basic modern top pattern.

I thought a cropped version would look amazing in some black voile eyelet from Tessuti. But, the cropped pattern includes a slightly curved hem at the back and an angled hem at the front, which would mean cutting into the beautiful scalloped edge of the eyelet fabric. Instead, I straightened out the hem line in order to incorporate the scallop and made the hem line even to the longest point of the top. Otherwise, I cut a standard size 8.

As I was using eyelet fabric I decided to line the fabric in some black crepe poly I had on hand. I cut the lining bodice about half an inch shorter than the main fabric so that, after hemming, it wouldn't be visible in the lower scalloped edges.

I followed the steps I used when making a lined Tate Dress. I sewed the darts and shoulder seams on the twop tops separately; sewed them together at the neck and arms; turned the tops right way out and then sewed the side seams, centre back, and lining hem. Again, I used a hook and eye in preference to a zip.

I love how this top turned out and a have warn it quite a few times. Before this version, I began sewing and abandoned a lovely lawn cropped version from fear of it showing too much stomach. I will definitely use this straightened out longer cropped hem for future versions.

Now, to my sewing/blogging hiatus. Before I started sewing I shopped. A lot. I would buy a new garment/item probably every week or two. In 2014, I was so excited by my advancing sewing skills and the ability to make the exact garment in my head for any particular occasion or just for fun. I averaged 2 garments sewn per week, sewing late into every evening. There was little need to shop anymore. As well loving learning a new skill, sewing was also an outlet during a rough patch in my PhD (the inevitable "why am I doing this?" stage).

From about mid-year last year my sewing slowed up. I since sew around once a month and blog less than that. I'm still an avid reader of sewing blog posts and take great pleasure in looking through my fabric stash, but I rarely feel the pull to sew. I haven't reverted back to weekly shoping trips. While I still love shopping, I don't like buying things I know I can make and I also just feel less need to have a new outfit every other week. I sew when I need a specific garment for an occasion. I'm not too sure why my sewing has slowed up so much but I still get so much joy from my occasional making. I'm not going to question it, just sew when I feel like sewing. In the mean time I'll probably blog few items I never got around to.

Playing Teacher: Another Tate Top

We gifted my sister Gen a sewing machine for her 18th birthday. I knew she was interested in sewing and I kind of assumed she had some very basic sewing knowledge just because, well, why not? She didn't, because, well, why would she (silly me!)? I promised her a sewing lesson on Boxing day and arrived with a few bits and pieces that she wouldn't already have. I sat in front of her sewing machine with her. She knew nothing, and I realised just how much there was to learn before even turning the machine on!

I took her through the basics: thread the needle, fill the bobbin, straight stitch, zig zag stitch, stitch lengths and back stitching. She practiced for a few minutes on some scrap fabrics. Gen was keen to get straight into trying a pattern after this despite knowing nothing -  really nothing! I told her the first step was to iron the fabric before we can cut out the pattern pieces. She said she didn't know how to iron...

I chose the Tate Top for Gen because its an incredibly simple pattern with no tricky closures, it only requires fitting around the bust and I had it on hand. Gen cut a size 0, after talking through taking measurements, pattern sizing and ease. I ran through how to cut the pieces from the fabric and we got started with the sewing. 

By the end of the day she had a finished top, made from some spotlight cotton lawn I'd gifted her and she knew how to sew darts, finish her seams with zig zag and do french seams, make a hem, use bias binding, hand sew a hook and eye, and, get this, iron!

The top isn't perfect but it looks great and no one would be able to tell that some of stitching is a little wonky or that it was hand made. I think Gen did an absolutely amazing job and it was lovely to teach someone so keen to learn. In hindsight, maybe I should have started her on a tote bag or something similar but I think she's more interested in sewing clothes, so why not jump straight in to it?

The Real Christmas Dress: Tate Dress

Merry Christmas everyone! I blogged earlier in the month that I'd made a lovely Liberty Alder Shirtdress and that I'd wear it Christmas day as I didn't have time to make a Christmas specific dress. The Monday night before Christmas I changed my mind. I saw some stunning silk on the Tessuti online shop and decided to make a dress version of the Free Tate Top pattern to wear Christmas day.

I only had Christmas Eve to make the dress as well as quite a few other chores to do so I'm really glad I chose such a simple pattern and one I'd already made up once. I modified the Tate Top Pattern by adding 8" to the length from the hem front and back. I also marked the Hem 2"wider at the bottom side seam and graded form the waist notch down to the new hem.  Huzzah, it's now a dress pattern!

I bought this gorgeous Silk crepe de chine called Envy Part One that I can no longer see on the Tessuti website. It was slightly sheer so I also bought some cotton/silk voile to line it. The fabric was gorgeous to work with and I was very lucky to have received some fine fabric pins from my Social Sewing Secret Santa on the weekend which made working with the silk that much easier. Warning: fine silk pins can go very deep into your fingers , very quickly, before you notice and they are even trickier to find on the carpet. 

The Tate top doesn't have any instructions and isn't designed to be lined. I simply cut two versions of the dress (one in the silk, one in the voile) and sewed them together at the neckline and armhole before turning right side out and seams the side and back seams. It's a very easy pattern to line!

I used a black fabric button and self fabric loops for the closure instead of a zip or hook and eye. I really like the way it looks.

The Tate Top is designed with a back hem scoop. I kept this feature on the dress rather than straightening out the seams. I think the curved hem scoop adds to the floatyness of the dress. The dress was perfect for Christmas day, a little bit special as well as comfortable with plenty of belly room for the excessive eating and drinking.

Here's a picture of Tim and I Christmas  morning. Tim's wearing his new Thread Theory Jedediah shorts which I'll blog in the next few days. I have lots of Christmas gifts to blog about and they were all well received. We had a wonderful between my family and Tim's with absolutely stunning weather.

I'm on holidays for the next two weeks and I'm hoping to spend at least some of that time sewing new things for myself. Holidays, Woohoo! Today I'm off to my sister's to give her a sewing lesson on her new machine, and I just happen to be wearing my Alder Christmas shirtdress which is now more of a Boxing day dress. Happy holidays everyone, I hope you had a lovely day yesterday/today with family and Friends.

Sew Cheap December (Final!) Free Pattern Review: Tate Top

This year has absolutely flown and this is my final (!) monthly Sew Cheap Make and Free Pattern Review of the year. I sewed this top up last night after stressing that I still had so much Christmas present making to do. Self sabotage at its best! This is the Workroom Social Free Tate Top Pattern. It's a racer back top with a zipper closure and front neckline darts with options for a square racer back, cropped length or tunic length. The top is available in multi sizing but is drafted for a B cup.

The PDF pattern came together easily with four pattern pieces: front bodice, back version A, and two pieces to make up back version b. I decided to make the traditional racerback version as there are no line drawings or pictures of the square back and I've never tried that style on. I cut a size 8 based on the final measurements in the tunic length. Only final measurements are provided so remember to pick the size based on your bust measurement plus ease.

My fabric is a I-cant-quite-remember-what from Darn Cheap fabrics, bought last year. I bought this fabric as soon as it was made available but I just couldn't picture it as anything. I'm so happy I decided on this top for it. I'm also pleased I took a little extra care in getting the stripes to match up at the seams. 

Changes: I did make a couple of simple changes. I didn't think a zip was necessary so I left a slit at the centre back neckline and added a hook and eye. I much prefer this finish on a summer blouse. I took about 3" of the front, and a bit more from the back before hemming, this also removed some of the curved back hem line. The tunic length was like a dress on me. However, this did make me think what a fun dress this would make by adding 10" or so.

There are absolutely no instructions provided for this pattern. The website states that instructions were provided for those taking part in The Sewing Party classes. However, this top is a very basic design so anybody with a few garments under their belt would be able to put this together. Construction is: neckline darts; centre back seam with zip or slit; shoulders; side seams bias binding neckline and armholes. Seam allowances are included at 5/8". 

I French seamed the side and shoulders seams, but stitched and overlocked the centre back before pressing seam allowances away from each other and stitching around the slit at the upper back neckline. 

 

I really like the way this top turned out and I will definitely use the patten again. what a fabulous summer staple pattern. I can see it made up in a whole range of gorgeous bright silks and rayons. The fit is really good. I definitely recommend giving this pattern a go. However those with a bigger cup size will definitely have to consider a FBA.

Tim took photos this morning as we headed out the door (hence the tired eyes) and I get the pleasure of wearing a new top to a sad goodbye lunch for a wonderful colleague and friend followed by a cheerful celebration dinner of mine and Tim's anniversary.

If you like this post, check out my Sew Cheap: Top Tips,  Sew Cheap: Free Patterns and previous Sew Cheap posts.