Ottobre 03-2018 #34 Off The Shoulder Top

I recently bought an off-the-shoulder top for one of my twins. She liked it so much, that I decided to make another out of the (*cough, cough) copious amounts of fabric I have. I bought a very pretty rayon challis a while ago and it was begging to be turned into a girls' top or dress. In diameter, they measure exactly on the size 134 even though they are 11 years old. They are long and lean, these two. I ended up making the size 140 but lengthening it to the 152 length which was about two inches. Thank goodness for that since she needed the extra length. It's a simple top with elastic at the bottom of the arms and elastic around the arms and across the bodice and back. The shoulder ties keep it up on the shoulders.

I made the bodice/back/upper arm elastic a little smaller than they recommended and I probably shouldn't have done that. It's snug and makes the top want to ride up a bit. It's not too bad. We'll see if she gets annoyed. The directions called for making a casing and then sliding the elastic into the casing and then connecting it. Instead, I attached the elastic like I usually do to a knit and serged it onto the raw edge, folded it over and zig-zagged it. It's great except it's not easy to modify the elastic is needed. Dang it. I like the cute little shoulder ties. 

This time of year is always SO BUSY. I'm hoping in the next few weeks I'll be able to actually sew. I am going to PR Weekend and I'd like to make some special stuff but I don't know if I'll have any time!!! 

Jalie 3567–Rova Dress and Tunic

This is another one of the new Jalie patterns. This is the Rova dress (or tunic if you are so inclined). It’s a loose fit tank dress with optional pockets and waist casing that can have a tie or elastic. I chose the tie and pockets for my version. I REALLY like it. Like, really like it. This will make a fantastic throw-on dress for summer. The fabric is from Cali Fabrics (it’s here and it’s on sale right now! No, I’m not affliliated at all.). It’s a rayon challis.

 

See the “pockets”? It’s one large, deep pocket. You could keep a cell phone in here and that baby would never fall out!

 

This is how I’ll wear it at work. It’s cold there and a cardigan is perfect with it. This is the Jalie Drop-Pocket cardigan and I made it a long time ago but still wear it regularly.

 

With Jalie’s binding method, you end up with a beautiful finish on the inside and outside. It looks better if the sewist uses the same color bobbin and topstitching thread. *cough, cough

 

This is inside the pocket and, again, with the beauty.

I will be making several more of these for children too. I will probably not make them the tie versions; I will probably just add elastic. A word of warning on this pattern: read the directions because they switch the width of the seam allowances several times. 1/8” for the bias strips, 3/8” for the main construction, 1/4” for applying the binding, etc.

Overall, another damn winner from Jalie. I wish that every once in a while they would mess up and not be such winners. Well, not really because I freaking love their patterns!