Racerback Cami-- Summer of Basics

Speaking of basics, what is more basic to a woman's wardrobe than a nice woven cami? 

This is a basic that I've been sorely lacking. I do have several spandex yoga camis that have taken on this role when necessary, but that's the best I've been able to do in the RTW world. 

To get a bit personal about it, I just don't prefer to be bra-less in public. I didn't care for it before I had my kids, and I really don't care to show off the saggy-boob look after having kids. Then, there is the added complication of my sloping shoulders. I am convinced that I have some of the slopiest shoulders since Botticelli.

I've tried every non-slip bra known to commerce and the only ones that aren't down to my elbows by 11am are racerbacks or cross backs. I could just embrace the "show off your bra" look but my RTW racerback bras are just not so lovely that I want to parade them around in public. 

The True Bias Ogden pattern that has been all over the blogosphere is sort of a brilliant pattern. If you wear a traditional bra, the Ogden looks to be cut generously and modestly enough that you can at least attempt to camoflauge your bra. However, it wouldn't work for my racerback bras, obviously. 

I could have tried to modify the Ogden, but I thought that I'd have better success just starting from scratch. So I pulled out the muslin and the tracing paper and came up with a pattern of my own. It took quite a few generations of muslins, but I eventually came up with a usable racerback cami.

Once I was reasonably pleased with the fit of my muslin, I dove right into a scrap of silk crepe I had left over from a recent project. It is 14mm silk crepe from an Etsy seller. It doesn't completely hide my bra straps on this particular bra, but at least it doesn't showcase them. 

It is totally lovely to wear, the drape is gorgeous and the crepe texture doesn't cling. 

The edges are finished with what could be considered long facing or a half-lining. I considered just making a double layer cami, but this seemed unnecessary. For the black crepe cami, I did the facing in rayon lining since I was out of silk fabric. I finished the edges by understitiching, so it has a very smooth finish.  I think the use of the rayon lining also helped to control stretching on the edges. 

I quickly made a second one up in a rust colored charmeuse. This is a nice, thick charmeuse that got a lovely sandwashed texture when I pre-washed it. I think it was originally from Mood. 

I topstitched this one, and I sort of regret it... the topstitching stretched the edge just slightly, and I prefer the understated look of the understitched black one. With the understitiching I was worried the facing would flip out over time, so we'll see which finish I prefer in the long run. 

The charmeuse one doesn't hang quite as well in the back. I'm not sure if that is because the pattern needs tweaking, or if the charmeuse just stretched out despite the staystitching. Whatever the issue, it is minor and I love it anyway, it is really fun to wear and the color goes well with my current wardrobe.

I'll just have to make some more and see how the turn out. I think I could do with a few in linen, and I wonder if I have any more silk scraps around...

Beausoleil Top by ITS Patterns

I have finally made a cold shoulder top! I've been on the lookout for just the right pattern, and when Kennis asked for testers for her new cold shoulder design, I jumped right in. 

There just aren't that many options for cold shoulder tops in a woven that have appealed to me. I was looking for just the right amount of shoulder and a nice clean finish, and Kennis's design really captures this. The Beausoleil has views for a top or a dress, and obviously, I chose to make the top. 

I've tested for ITS before, and Kennis's patterns are usually right on point for me. This was no exception! I don't fit cleanly in the size range in this top, so I did a size 12 A cup bust, a 14 waist, and a 16 hip, but grading between the sizes was fairly straightforward. 

The only problem I had with fitting is in the back, where I did a sway back adjustment to allow the top to lay nicely along my spine. As is my habit with any new pattern for a woven, I made a muslin, and I basically pinched and basted the back vertical seam until it laid naturally on my body, then transferred the new curve to my pattern piece. Apparently my back has quite a curve, since this is one of the most common adjustments that I make. 

Once I had the swayback under control, I could really enjoy the way the fit of the top skims over the body. It is really a nice balance between shaped and flowing. I might make the dress view of the pattern just to take advantage of the beautiful shape!

For my final version I decided to use a lovely silk from my 2014 trip to Rome. This silk has a matte finish and a bit of weight to the drape. 

The pattern has a lapped back zip. I *might* have made one of these a loooong time ago! I found Kennis's instructions to be quite reasonable, and her photo tutorial was very helpful in clarifying the process. The facings worked out beautifully! I did encounter the dreaded bubble at the bottom of the zip... so I ended up ripping the bottom seam and re-sewing it in by hand. But after this minor snafu it lays quite nicely. 

However, the secret truth is.... I don't need the zip to get in and out of the top, which was true for many of the testers! If you choose to go the route of omitting the zip, it would be wise to test this out with your muslin (or some strategic basting) before making a dreadful mistake! Or, perhaps you want the challenge of the lapped zip... it does offer a nice vintage touch. Not to mention the convenience of slipping your top/dress over your perfectly coiffed hair...! 

One of the things I truly love about this pattern is the all-in-one facing. It gives the top a lovely polished look without the inconvenience of separate facings flipping out all over the place! However, (note to self!) I think I would trim just a *hare* off of the facing piece next time to help it stay invisible on the inside. 

Perhaps you can make out from these pictures that the sleeves are finished with a 1-inch cuff. This makes for an easy, clean finish. Another nice touch.

Can you tell, I really love this top! As usual, I'm planning out all of the wonderful possibilities of future versions. I think I need one in black crepe silk, and I also suspect this pattern would be perfect for a stable knit like a ponte. I'm also curious how the top would look if I widened the cut-out just a bit more. I might also try replacing the cuff with a narrower bias band for a slightly more delicate look. It would also be lovely in a simple linen or cotton as a casual summer top.