Wild Print Light and Shadow

I’ve always liked things that are asymmetrical, and clothing is no different.  I’ve been inspired by a lot of the layered and asymmetrical designs lately, so I decided to try something different.  Also, I recently received a bundle from Fabricmart Fabrics and am trying to make something out of all 4 fabrics.  Here are 2 of the fabrics.

With the stripe, I am going to make the Ina Skirt from Pattern Review.  This seems to have the sponginess of a scuba knit, the stretch of a jersey, and the weight of a ponte.  I have no idea what it is. It does have a little sparkley lurex thread running through the white stripes.

I decided to make a top out of the print that would work with the skirt.  I think this fabric is a rayon crinkle. It's kind of sheer like a georgette.  

It came out of the dryer perfectly like a polyester, but takes a press beautifully like a silk or rayon.  The first thing I did to make the top was to find a basic pullover top made for a woven.  I had the CLD Light and Shadow pattern and decided to start with that.  I traced the front and back as full pattern pieces first.  Then, I redrew the hemline to be above on one side and below on the other.  I laid the front over the back and traced the same line.  (Turning one piece upside down so they would match.

I sewed the inner black top first. I did a baby hem at the bottom, but left the arm holes and neck edge unfinished.

I had drawn a line on the pattern to make the shorter top piece, but I didn’t want to cut my pattern.  Instead, I folded out 3 inches on the front and back in order to raise the hemlines.  Then I sewed the shoulder and side seams.  I basted the neck edge and armholes together, and cut the neck edge down to 1/4” seam allowance.  I made a 1.5” strip of bias fabric from the black and folded it in half to make the bias binding for the neck.

This pattern has flat sewn sleeves, but because of the way I was making this, I had to do them as set-in.  I was surprised at how much I had to ease in, and after a couple of tries, they worked out beautifully.

I’m really happy with the way this turned out, but I still don’t have the fit down on CLD.  When I see the patterns on the models, they always fit beautifully.  On me, they are too big in the back, to wide in the shoulders, and they have no darts.  I really love the designs though, so I’m determined to get the alterations down.  It seems they are really perfect for someone with an apple shape, but I am between a pear and and hourglass.  I cut an XS at the shoulder, S at the bust, and M at the hip.  I am still needed to narrow the shoulders and back, but I really would like to try this top out of a woven linen.