Indigo Verso Draped Cowl Top

RTW and MINE Front Draped Top - Worn backward!

 

Copy of my Favorite RTW Top

I had this top for years... I even think I kinda stoled borrowed it from my mom. And I always wears it backward, with the deep draped cowl in the back. It was not expensive and is made out of black viscose (from Dynamite maybe?). Still, I find it comfortable and elegant. So I decided to try to copy it and even add 3/4 sleeves - they looks more like 7/8 but, Hey, it's cold up here!

I didn't quite follow the instructions from Cake Patterns (the sleeve hack here). I just drew a trapeze with my bigger arm circumference and the circumference where I wanted to sleeve to stop. Then I felt guilty, went back to Steph's notes and drew a curve on the sleeve top! I added a simple band at the sleeve hem to wear it a little bit more crunched up. I wore it for the first time with a pencil skirt I rediscovered in my closet to the Montreal Bloggers Meetup at the museum...

I am really proud of the result! What I could make better next time : I should remove about 1,5 to 2 inches at the shoulders, they are dropping a bit. Also, there is excess fabric below the armpit and the armband is a little too snug. Finally, the shoulders are always falling off, probably because I gave myself a little room in the armholes (they were tight in the RTW, but migth be what hold it up better?) I will sew lingerie straps in the shoulders to fix that.

 

RTW and MINE - Curvy Side View

RTW and MINE - Plain "Front"

 

Copying RTW Resources

This ideas germinated from the Jean-ius class, by Kenneth The King, on Craftsy... I didn't went through a lot of trouble to trace my RTW top on paper ; no thread tracing or anything... I just folded it strategically, traced with my teethed tracing wheel on freezer paper and added 3/8 inch seam allowances. I did however stabilized the front neckline by sewing stay-tape to the neckline, finishing it with my overcast stitch, turning and top-stitching. The back neckline has a facing (fold over) of 3 inches and is just finished with my overcast stitch (sewn on top of silk paper for prettier stitches).

After all this, I went to my local library and borrow "Patterns from finished clothes" form Tracy Dole. It has tremendous information about how to copy RTW, from collar to yoke, darts, pleats, waistband, cuffs, lining and knits garments! I was really impressed by the step by step pictures and good tips! I now feel better about the half dozen tired garment I horded because I thought that I might copy them one day! :D