My first Reef experience went badly. Here's the top. I didn't like the fit and I didn't like my fabric, and I didn't really like that you end up needing to fit it to yourself at the last minute and cut off a huge seam allowance on the sides.
I've started to notice that when a pattern doesn't suit me, the thing to do is break the rules. If it's a knit, change something. If it's a woven, make it in a knit. So sometime I started to think about making this in a knit, maybe extending the facings or something.
I decided to do a quick attempt just to see what would happen. I widened the upper back pieces a little and doubled them for a clean finish. I added a back band to finish the back. I left the armholes and the neck raw.
The fabric is a lightweight, dubious quality merino from Otara in Auckland. The fabrics in Otara are cheap so it's great stuff to use on these trial versions of things.
The outcome: it's a win! I think what I need to do is connect the front and the yoke pieces into one, and cut the front as two pieces with a seam. That way it would be possible to bind the neckband first, and then use armhole bindings. I also sliced 1 inch off all the side seams of my pattern piece, which was a lucky guess. I had forgotten the delightful shaped hem on this top. My remodel has made me like it anew! I'm not sure I'll go on to make the final product but I'll wear my raw seamed version until it falls apart.
I was going to make a knit pair of Reef shorts too! (I love my reef shorts, here.) But then I thought maybe I don't need them. So for now I'm not going to make them but I'll keep thinking about it.
I've started to notice that when a pattern doesn't suit me, the thing to do is break the rules. If it's a knit, change something. If it's a woven, make it in a knit. So sometime I started to think about making this in a knit, maybe extending the facings or something.
I decided to do a quick attempt just to see what would happen. I widened the upper back pieces a little and doubled them for a clean finish. I added a back band to finish the back. I left the armholes and the neck raw.
The fabric is a lightweight, dubious quality merino from Otara in Auckland. The fabrics in Otara are cheap so it's great stuff to use on these trial versions of things.
The outcome: it's a win! I think what I need to do is connect the front and the yoke pieces into one, and cut the front as two pieces with a seam. That way it would be possible to bind the neckband first, and then use armhole bindings. I also sliced 1 inch off all the side seams of my pattern piece, which was a lucky guess. I had forgotten the delightful shaped hem on this top. My remodel has made me like it anew! I'm not sure I'll go on to make the final product but I'll wear my raw seamed version until it falls apart.
I was going to make a knit pair of Reef shorts too! (I love my reef shorts, here.) But then I thought maybe I don't need them. So for now I'm not going to make them but I'll keep thinking about it.
No comments:
Post a Comment