Seamwork Clarke vest top, v.2
2024-Jul-31, Wednesday 11:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chebeSeamwork's Clarke is a loose-fitting tank top, that is meant for bursting your stash. Clearly I've misunderstood that term this whole time because this top requires a significant amount of fabric for the type of top it is. I have made this before (version 1), and there are some changes I'd like to make.
I'm going to use the same size as last time, a size 14 (this is, again, an earlier pattern, so there's no separate Curvy range), but I intensely dislike how the centre-front tents out. Seamwork do this a lot. And maybe it works for some body types, but on me it fits like maternity wear. It's just too much fabric sticking out front. So first thing I'm doing is taking a chunk out of the centre-front. 6cm at hem, tapering to nothing at neckline, on one half, so that's -12cm in total. Then I redrew the grainline to match this new centre-front. (Ignore the bias marking, I did.)
I also dislike how short the centre-front is, so I'm elongating it by 6cms. I also don't like how much fabric the half-lining facings require. Instead, because of the opacity of my fabric lets me, I'll bias strip face the neckline and armholes. But also, because the front and back are so similar, but not the same, it is really hard to tell them apart. So I'm going to cut the front on the fold instead of two pieces.
The fabric I'm using is Stripes Night Cotton Viscose Fabric, by Atelier Brunette, which is described as "this satin effect fabric is made with a blend of 40% cotton and 60% viscose", but then detailed as 100% Cotton, so *shrug*, 135g/m2. I bought it for something else, but when it showed up it was (a) not as black (more navy) as I'd hoped, and (b) very strong pyjamas vibes. But a good candidate for a lightweight tank top.
For the bias tape I'm using 18mm plain satin bias binding. Other materials are just black thread. I used a medium woven/sharp needle, regular sewing foot, except when using the ditch foot for edge-stitching the bias. Straight stitch throughout.
I'd never done bias tape facings before so I was following this tutorial; Tutorial: Bias Facings and Bindings.
Mistake one; When I cut the front on the fold I forgot to remove the centre-front seam-allowances. In effect I made the front 3cms wider at centre-front.
Mistake two; I didn't realise I should have narrowed my seam-allowances for the bias faced parts. I just tried to sew the tape at the marked seam-allowances before flipping in.
To construction then. I sewed the two back pieces together. I sewed the front to the back at the shoulders. Then I sewed the neckline bias tape facing on in the round. It was difficult to keep the fabric flat and stop it from bunching, especially at the v in the centre-back. Because I forgot to remove the seam-allowances from the centre-front the neckline there is more of a curve than a v. Unfortunately the neckline does tip forward slightly. And the fabric skewing is readily visible in this vertical stripe.
I sewed the armhole bias tape facings on before I closed up the side seams. It was easier to sew, but it does mean that the tops of the side-seams aren't covered nicely. The hem is just a nice simple twice-turned hem.
The fit is better. The top is still light and airy without tenting straight out at the centre-front. Most of the extra length at the front is used by the bust such that the hem is almost level front and back, but I appreciate the little extra at the front to cover gaps with waistbands. (Infinitely better than the curving up that version one did.) The bias tape facing makes the neckline and armholes quite stiff. (So I get to appreciate the extra width I accidentally added at the centre-front.) But overall the neckline is too wide, up on my shoulders instead of at a typical shoulder seam. I might attempt to move/angle the straps in for a version three.
I'm going to use the same size as last time, a size 14 (this is, again, an earlier pattern, so there's no separate Curvy range), but I intensely dislike how the centre-front tents out. Seamwork do this a lot. And maybe it works for some body types, but on me it fits like maternity wear. It's just too much fabric sticking out front. So first thing I'm doing is taking a chunk out of the centre-front. 6cm at hem, tapering to nothing at neckline, on one half, so that's -12cm in total. Then I redrew the grainline to match this new centre-front. (Ignore the bias marking, I did.)
I also dislike how short the centre-front is, so I'm elongating it by 6cms. I also don't like how much fabric the half-lining facings require. Instead, because of the opacity of my fabric lets me, I'll bias strip face the neckline and armholes. But also, because the front and back are so similar, but not the same, it is really hard to tell them apart. So I'm going to cut the front on the fold instead of two pieces.
Clarke Front pattern piece with adjustments made
Photo by chebe
The fabric I'm using is Stripes Night Cotton Viscose Fabric, by Atelier Brunette, which is described as "this satin effect fabric is made with a blend of 40% cotton and 60% viscose", but then detailed as 100% Cotton, so *shrug*, 135g/m2. I bought it for something else, but when it showed up it was (a) not as black (more navy) as I'd hoped, and (b) very strong pyjamas vibes. But a good candidate for a lightweight tank top.
For the bias tape I'm using 18mm plain satin bias binding. Other materials are just black thread. I used a medium woven/sharp needle, regular sewing foot, except when using the ditch foot for edge-stitching the bias. Straight stitch throughout.
I'd never done bias tape facings before so I was following this tutorial; Tutorial: Bias Facings and Bindings.
Mistake one; When I cut the front on the fold I forgot to remove the centre-front seam-allowances. In effect I made the front 3cms wider at centre-front.
Mistake two; I didn't realise I should have narrowed my seam-allowances for the bias faced parts. I just tried to sew the tape at the marked seam-allowances before flipping in.
To construction then. I sewed the two back pieces together. I sewed the front to the back at the shoulders. Then I sewed the neckline bias tape facing on in the round. It was difficult to keep the fabric flat and stop it from bunching, especially at the v in the centre-back. Because I forgot to remove the seam-allowances from the centre-front the neckline there is more of a curve than a v. Unfortunately the neckline does tip forward slightly. And the fabric skewing is readily visible in this vertical stripe.
I sewed the armhole bias tape facings on before I closed up the side seams. It was easier to sew, but it does mean that the tops of the side-seams aren't covered nicely. The hem is just a nice simple twice-turned hem.
The fit is better. The top is still light and airy without tenting straight out at the centre-front. Most of the extra length at the front is used by the bust such that the hem is almost level front and back, but I appreciate the little extra at the front to cover gaps with waistbands. (Infinitely better than the curving up that version one did.) The bias tape facing makes the neckline and armholes quite stiff. (So I get to appreciate the extra width I accidentally added at the centre-front.) But overall the neckline is too wide, up on my shoulders instead of at a typical shoulder seam. I might attempt to move/angle the straps in for a version three.
Seamwork Clarke, finished, inside view, showing the bias tape facings
Photo by chebe
Seamwork Clarke, finished, back view
Photo by chebe
Seamwork Clarke, finished, front view
Photo by chebe
