wiksten based tunic top with pockets

I've been doing some sewing for myself lately. This Nani IRO print has been burning a hole in my fabric shelf and I finally formed a concrete plan for this tunic. The fabric is one of my favorite prints ever and I didn't want to waste it on a top I wouldn't like. I made a muslin from an old sheet before I made this one.

The fabric is a lightweight double gauze. I started with the top of my Wiksten tank pattern and cut it off just under the bust. Then I drafted a gathered skirt and big pockets to make a comfy tunic. I'd prefer it just a bit longer but I didn't have enough fabric and even ended up having to add a hem facing to keep as much length as possible. This tunic would make a nice casual dress too by lengthening it even more.

I kept the fit loose so I could slip it on over my head but the back ended up looking a little too roomy. I added some shirring to make the fit more flattering but not too tight.

I have a thing about big pockets. They make me happy. I considered adding buttons to the pockets as a decorative touch but decided it was better without them in the end.

Actually, the accidental hem facing makes a nicer looking hem on double gauze than a folded up hem does, IMO. It's very hard for me not to pull or distort the hem if it is folded because the double gauze has such a loose weave. For the facing I just cut a bias strip and finished one edge with an overlock. Then I sewed the other edge to the hem RST, ironed it toward the wrong side, and secured it with a blind stitch by hand.

If you have the Wiksten tank pattern you could make this mod pretty easily. (Assuming you have already made any adjustments to the tank for a good fit first.)

Specifics
Just in case you have the pattern and also have fabric that is burning a hole in your shelf:

alterations are scary

In between ornament patterns I am trying to do much-needed and much-procrastinated clothing alterations. Do you hate doing this? I love the results but the actual doing is such a pain.
 
I have to brag that I successfully altered the waistband of one of my pencil skirts...the right way this time. (Usually I sew a hurried dart in the waistband, which gets the job done but looks bulky and  terrible.)

It was scary! I had to unpick the waistband at the side seams (so many parts coming together there, the fabric, the lining, the grosgrain ribbon finishing the inside, and some kind of thin ribbon that I had no idea what it was for) and resew it at an angle and then figure out how to put it all back together like it was and not make a hash of it. Then of course sweat bullets wondering if I'd taken it in too much. Huge relief to try it on and see that it no longer sticks out at my waist and fits properly. 

Now I have about five other pencil skirts that need the same treatment. Plus a pile of other clothes that I could wear if I'd spend a little time fixing them. Need to keep the momentum...

Nani IRO Wiksten blah blah blah

Yes, it's another Wiksten tank (also here, here and here). I'm building quite a collection of them. I've worn them a lot in the summer and now they'll make great layering pieces for fall. I purchased this beautiful Nani IRO double gauze a few months back but only just got around to making this because we took a family trip to the Bahamas.

As I stood over my work table I puzzled for some time about the best way to cut out the tank and still have the most interesting pieces of the large abstract print located in the best spots. I was also trying to save enough fabric to eke out something else in future so that doubled the quandary. There was no perfect solution in the end so I just closed my eyes and cut.

lining for my Wiksten tunic

So I did end up lining my Nani IRO Wiksten tunic (with very purple lining fabric). You know, the one that kept crawling up my leggings. The lining makes a huge difference, not just with the embarrassing cling but also improves the drape. It was well worth the effort, even though lining it after it was already made was more of a pain.

I simply cut out another front and back from the pattern in lining fabric, then cut off about .75 inch allowance all around the neck and armholes so it wouldn't show underneath. I also cut off an inch from the hem. After I sewed the front and back together, I finished all the raw edges by zig zagging them with matching thread. Simple simple:

Then to attach it to the inside of the tunic I hand sewed it wrong sides facing just in certain spots: at the shoulder seams, underarms, and two spots close to the hem on the side seams. Voila. I will now shock you with a real life picture of my school room:

Sorry for the blurry mirror shots and also for the smeary handprints that are featured in the foreground. It reminds me of a magnet I saw the other day: 'Please excuse the mess but we live here.'

lining your woven tank

Woven tanks look great in lightweight fabrics. However, lightweight fabric combined with a light color can be a bit too revealing. Solution: Add a lining!

It's an easy mod for a woven tank pattern:

1) When cutting out the front and back of your tank, also cut out a front and back in a featherweight cotton muslin (or you could use a polyester lining material if you want it to feel cool and slippery).

2) Trim about .75 inch to 1 inch off of the hem of the lining front and back. You want your finished lining to end up a bit shorter than your tank. (If your tank pattern calls for french seams, trim the extra seam allowance off of your tank and lining pieces and just go with regular overlocked seams since your lining will hide your seams on the inside)

3) Proceed to follow the pattern instructions to sew your tank together. Whatever you do to sew the tank, do the same to the lining, including finishing the seams. Then hem the lining in just the same way you hem your tank. Now you have two identical tank WIPs, one in your real fabric and one in the lining fabric that is slightly shorter at the hem.

4) Turn your tank wrong side out and your lining right side out. Slip the tank inside the lining so that the wrong side of the tank is against the wrong side of the lining.

5) Pin them together at the neck and armholes, lining up the shoulder and side seams. The raw edges should be aligned. If the lining overlaps in some spots give it a little trim.

6) Machine baste them together at the neck and armholes within the seam allowance.

7) Now you can turn the whole thing right side out and continue on with the pattern instructions to add the bias binding. This photo shows a finished armhole:

The finished hems will be offset by just enough to keep your lining from peeking out:

Now you can wear your lined tank with confidence, and keep your underwear color to yourself.

in which I sew a large number of woven tanks (or, Grainline vs Wiksten)

The Holland Academy for Young Ladies is on summer break and I've been attempting to sew myself some clothes. To keep my spirits up I've been trying to make it all about The Process. Well, you can't wear The Process under a cute cardigan. So I guess I'm really all about Results. I'm happy to say my woven tanks have been a success!

I purchased the Tiny Pocket Tank pattern from Grainline and made a few, and then became curious about how the fit compared to the Wiksten Tank pattern. After staring at a lot (no, A LOT) of samples of both tanks online I decided just to purchase the Wiksten pattern and try it too. You can never have too many layering pieces, in my opinion.

Well, I love them both! Here's a quick comparison for you if you are wondering what's the difference:

L) Tiny Pocket Tank, R) Wiksten Tank Top (Ignore that seam down the back of the tank on the left -- I ran out of fabric!)

Overview:

Both patterns produce nicely finished, airy, woven tank tops with deep scoop necklines, optional  chest pockets and curved hemlines. There are no closures required for either pattern, both styles slip on over your head. Yay!

Both have clear written instructions that are just right for a person who knows basic sewing techniques and terms. Both patterns come in the form of downloadable PDFs and the pattern pieces are tiled to letter sized pages and taped together at the guidelines.

If you want great results from either pattern, I don't recommend using quilting cotton. I did my trial runs in cotton, since I have so much on hand in my stash. Mid-weight cotton does make a nice looking woven tank, but the drape won't be the bestest. My favorites so far to use for these tanks: double gauze, lawn, chambray and linen blend. I haven't tried rayon, silk or similar, but I'm sure those would be wonderful.

Grainline Tiny Pocket Tank:

Grainline Tiny Pocket Tanks
(from L to R: cotton, chambray, cotton, double gauze)

Grainline's pattern (sizes 0-18) features darts in the front bodice and a handy technique to achieve smooth and professional looking bias-bound necklines and armholes (which is also featured as a tutorial on her blog). There are plenty of line drawings to illustrate the steps. There is also a tutorial on her blog to extend the tank into a dress.

 Darts in the Grainline bodice make for a nice curve around the bust.

Wiksten Tank Top:

Wiksten Tank Tops
(From L to R, linen blend, lawn, double gauze) 

Wiksten's pattern (sizes XS-XL) features french seams (ooh la la!), which means no raw edges will be visible on the inside of the tank - a nice touch in an otherwise basic garment. It includes a dress length option within the pattern. There are plenty of photographs and sketches to illustrate the steps.

 No raw edges on the inside of the Wiksten tank, very nice.

My Process:

Keepin' it real for your reference. I am 5 feet 6 inches tall, 135 lbs DSGV*, with broad, straight shoulders, average size bust, and a lamentably short torso, so I knew ahead of time I'd have to make adjustments in the patterns. I really think a couple of inches were taken from my spine and added to my toes on accident. I usually have to make a few mods to any purchased pattern, so that is no reflection on the quality of these patterns. I used my bust measurement to choose the pattern size and both worked out fine.
*Doctor's Scale Gravitational Vortex

Grainline dry run, size 8: I sewed the dry run in mid-weight cotton fabric I found at the bottom of my stash, not the ideal material, but OK for a test. Overall the fit was size appropriate but pulled a bit across my chest. Because of my short torso and chest, the length was too long and the front scoop neckline was way too hubba hubba (though my husband gave it the thumbs up). Because of my straight shoulders, the back neckline stood away from my back a bit.

Grainline wearable muslin: it shrunk a bit after laundering, but you get the idea.

Grainline Mods: 

• Raised neckline in front a LOT (1.5 inches)
• Lowered the neckline in back
• Shortened the torso overall
• Reduced angle of darts a bit and added a bit more room under the armscye
• Made angle of the shoulder seam more shallow to compensate for my straight shoulders
• Took a wedge off the back fold line to keep the neck from standing off my back (Got that idea here. Thanks, Rae!) 
• In addition to the instructions, I added stay stitching to the neck and armholes so I could try it on without fear of pulling it out of shape before I added the bias binding. 

Wiksten wearable muslin, still some tweaking to do.

Wiksten dry run, size M: Fabric look familiar? I made a quickie true muslin, then adjusted some things and made a second try. I still had some cotton left from the duvet cover I thrifted years ago, so I used that for the wearable test run. Overall the fit was size appropriate, and I went ahead and raised the neckline an inch even before the muslin because I knew it would be too low. I had the same fit issues as with the Grainline tank: overall length a bit too long, and the back neckline standing away from my neck.

Wiksten Mods: 
I did the same mods as with the Grainline tank above, with these small additions:

• In addition to the Wiksten instructions, I used the same Grainline method to grade, notch and understitch the neck and armholes.
• I really dislike turning up a large hem on a curve, so I trimmed off some of the hem allowance and sewed a narrow hem instead.

Let me tell you, seeing the same armhole go by four different times under your needle (1-stay stitch, 2-attach the bias, {then clip the allowance} 3-understitch, 4-stitch bias down) can be a little frustrating and seems like overkill at the time, but it is very worth the effort. The result is a flat, smooth finish that doesn't loudly proclaim 'homemade'. If you've ever been frustrated by a bias bound neck or armscye that stands straight out from your body, then you should try this method.

My Results:

So I took about one thousand pictures of myself to model my new tanks, while my family looked on and mocked me (and I felt increasingly ridiculous). What to do with my hands? Should I look away? Gaaaah the timer is almost up! *click* Do over. I have a newfound respect for those who do this on a regular basis. I really need to buy a tripod and a remote. These were taken on my back screened porch, and it was humid, so please forgive the hair.

On the left is how the tank looks by itself, on the right is how I'll most likely wear it. I love me some cardigans. The parade of woven tanks:

I've laundered this one and I notice the pulling is back under the arms. No matter, I'll be wearing it as a layering piece mostly. I might go up a size on future Grainlines and see if that helps.

Bought this cotton ever so long ago and I'm so glad to have used it. I've actually made two of these, but the first one wasn't lined and the white fabric was too transparent. I remade it with a featherweight cotton lining. Much nicer! This is the only one that I added a pocket to, just because it needed more gray/black right there. The teeny pocket is so cute.

My first try with double gauze! I fell in love with this Fuccra when I saw it a while back, and hoarded it in my stash. I only had a meter so I had to put a seam in the back to make it work. Double gauze has a nice drape and a casual, crinkly look, but it can fray and stretch while you work with it. Stay stitching was a great idea. I bound the neck and armholes with a sturdier cotton to give it some body.

First time sewing with Liberty lawn! This is one of my favorite prints, Wiltshire. The fabric came out of the dryer practically wrinkle free with hardly any raveling, and took only a second to press. A joy to cut. Very easy to work with, but be sure to use a small needle. The lawn makes a more billowy looking tank. I might try a size down if I make another one in lawn.

The. Dreamiest. Fabric. Kaufman Essex linen blend. The yardage felt a bit heavy so I was hesitant about making it a top, but it has such a floppy drape it worked out great. I can tell this tank is going to be a wardrobe staple. Love the nubbly finish of the fabric. Wow. I need a haircut.

More Nani IRO double gauze. Love the colors of this one, such a fun print! I have more double gauze and I'm excited to make something else with it. Kind of a goofy expression for that last one!

I've actually sewn a couple more, but you get the idea. I'm going to love having so many options for layering. Not having a standard body shape can make sewing for yourself a trial, but I'm going to take what I've learned about alterations for my body type and go forward with more confidence. Now on to conquer more patterns...

do your jeans stretch out?

Mine do. I don't like the baggy saggy feeling of slowly losing my pants, especially on low-rise jeans. Not far to fall, you know. So I added an extra button about an inch to the side of the real button, just to take up some slack when they stretch. I think the extra button looks fine, and when it is in use you can't tell it's an extra. It doesn't pucker the front or anything. I wish the button were a bit bigger to match the original, but I don't wear a lot of stuff tucked in so it is not big issue.

 buttoned at original button.

buttoned at my new Sag-B-Gone button.

This is what I used and they couldn't be easier to attach. "Dungaree Buttons" from my local Wal-Mart. You just put the tack through the back of the waistband and push on the button from the front. No hammer or man-handling required. Be sure not to put it too far away from the original button. You don't want to create an unsightly pucker. Also be sure it's in the right place before you attach it! It's a lot harder to take off than it is to put on.

fix that T-shirt already.

BEFORE: too roomy under the arms and in the body

AFTER: more tailored and just right.

This is a reprint of a guest post I did for Pickup Some Creativity's Sewing 101. Enjoy! 


We all have them. Shirts we fell in love with but leave hanging in our closet because there is something wrong with the fit. I have a long, sad history with T-shirts in particular.

I love a well-fitting T-shirt, but actually finding a nice tailored one that fits me right off the rack is nigh unto impossible because of my wide shoulders and average trunk. If it fits my shoulders, it is too loose in the arm holes and body. If it fits my body, it is too tight in the shoulders.


Here is an easy fix for that kind of 'too loose' (now you say Lautrec) fit problem, or for any T-shirt that you would like to make more tailored. It doesn't require a lot of sewing experience or a serger. Just a regular machine with a *zig zag stitch. I don't even switch my needle to a ball point for this.

*Why does it have to be a zig zag and not a straight stitch? Because knits stretch, and so will a zig zag stitch. Straight stitches, not so much.

The Problem: T-shirt that is too roomy.

The Fix: A simple zig zag seam up both sides and arms. So easy you'll be tailoring all your T-shirts in record time.

The Tutorial: Try your T-shirt on. Pinch the excess under your arms with your fingers and determine how much you need to take it in to make it fit better. Knit is forgiving, don't sweat this too much. If it is still too loose or too tight after sewing, just add a new line of stitching and then remove the old one if needed. I usually end up sewing a 1/4 to 1/2 inch seam.


Turn the shirt inside out and lay it flat. Smooth it down with your fingers, but don't stretch it. Pin the sleeve and side together at the seam so that the hems are aligned.



Using a small zig zag stitch (small stitch length as well as width), start at the arm and sew your way down. Be sure to back stitch at both ends to lock your stitches. Important: don't stretch the fabric or pull it as you are sewing. Let it go through at its own pace.



If the fit problem is just in the chest, you can taper off your seam, as shown above.
If the fit problem is in the entire body of the shirt, you can run your seam all the way down the side, as shown above.

Now repeat the same thing on the other side of the T-shirt. I find that most times I do not even need to cut off the old seam. Knit is very forgiving and the new seams lay flat and feel comfortable. If you do cut off the old seam, be sure to overlock the raw edges to strengthen the new seam.


See? That was easy. Done!