17 May 2011

My First Self-Drafted Top!



Friends, please let me share my excitement with you - I've drafted my first pattern! It was sooooo satisfying. Drawing + Maths = Heaven. I started with a simple t-shirt, following the instructions in a fantastic book, Design-It-Yourself Clothes by Cal Patch. The technicalities of pattern drafting can get complicated, but the book explains everything in refreshingly clear language.

I drafted the pattern a couple of weeks ago but my plan to make the whole thing in one day, from taking measurements to finishing, was scuppered when the upper knife on my overlocker snapped in half. It was quite a shock when a bit of metal bounced off my face, but mercifully it was the blunt end. I guess I must have gone over a pin - a mistake I will never make again. What was more of a shock was the price of a new knife - £30 for this tiny bit of metal!



As well as making the pattern, this was also my first attempt at serging single knitted jersey. The curling ends were a bit annoying but manageable. I followed Patty's advice to use wonder tape to stick the hem and cuffs down before topstitching, which made it much easier.


I'm now dying to make this in navy and red stripes. Anyone know where I could get some?

[Soundtrack: 'I Walked' by Sufjan Stevens]