My Free Japanese Spring Top Tale

Confession: This is a half stash bust and half preventative stash busting. But how's a girl to resist when she sees a cozy set of jersey sheets at the thrift store for a pittance? It was perfect for testing the pattern out!

Just in case you missed my continuous blabbing on twitter, this is the Athena pattern from Tamanegi-kobo I found this company from Yoshimi. They are updating their website and making it more internationally (english!) friendly and put a bunch of their fabulous patterns up for free! As soon as I saw pleats I was sold! 

This purple top was made from a jersey sheet and I stretched the neckline out. I was a good girl and tacked the front facing down but when I washed it it crinkled up... I could iron it but who irons your knit tops! Pfhhhttt, not me!

I think it will make a cozy lounging top and it's not something I'd be totally ashamed to be seen in. It was a great way to work out the kinks before I cut my special fabric. 

My second top, I made from the last bit of my stashed navy polka dot. It is lightweight and draped fabulously. I did alter the back to take the drape out of the shoulder seams. I didn't want another drapey back, nor did I have enough fabric. I ended up piecing the back sleeve but you can't tell.

I also carefully handled the front neckline so it wouldn't stretch but had trouble with the Understitched facing seam rolling to the front. Thanks to the sewcialists on twitter I added some weights and that seemed to help. Next time I think I'll try that super lightweight interfacing and see if that helps.

 If you like pleats and drapey tops then this is the pattern for you! The way this top is cut/drafted is a bit of fabulousness that can only be appreciated when you put it on.
I'm a 37 bust and cut the largest size. I didn't add seam allowance and you can see it fits fine. The pleats allow plenty of room for girls bigger than mine.

I'm very pleased with it and look forward to trying some more of their patterns. I'm linking up to The Sew Japanese Sew-Along and Made By Rae's Spring Top Sewalong! Fun Fun Fun! Have you been participating in any fun sewalongs lately? I'm leaving you with my best impression of a fabulous linebacker!

TTFN, TaTa For Now! 

Cotton Friend Shorts and Sewing Japanese Patterns

I finally managed to finish something this month! I needed an easy project after feeling crummy and I had already tested these in some heavy polyester so I knew the fit and construction.

Pre elastic. 

With the test pair I learned these look best in a lightweight press-able fabric. So I had to go back to the stash and reevaluate my choices.

I found this lightweight twill and a solid meant it would match with all my printed tops and I could do the cute little bow belt. I stash busted almost all of this fabric up which was very exciting! Lying right next to it was an "ugly" cotton floral I've had for years. Suddenly it looked very attractive made up as skirty shorts.

In a lightweight cotton you get the twirly factory even though it's shorts. Can you wear floral and polka dots together? I look like an upside down flower....

Guts and details. 

Pattern Details: Cotton Friend Autumn Edition 2012 vol. 44

I traced the largest size and they fit fine without me adding seam allowance. I do think if I were to make these up in a very lightweight fabric I would add more fullness down the center of the patterns so they would look as full as the magazine photos.

Modifications: 

1. I only ran 3 pieces of elastic through instead of the 4 the pattern called for because of the width of elastic I had. Inserting the elastic like this ensures perfect fit to you and lovely precise gathers.

2. Since the back and front are IDENTICAL I added ribbon tags to center back.

3. I added pockets because who wants to run around summer camp without pockets. You always need a place to stash treasures no matter how old you are.

4. On the solid red pair I added the fold over amount to the pattern again so the crotch drop would be lower so I can hike them up higher when I have painful infusion sets which was part of the point of me making these.

I think these will be a fun addition to my summer wardrobe and am delighted by how much stash they used up! I'm adding these to the Sew Japanese Sew-Along I stumbled upon. I was so excited to find it as I'm always looking for more people who sew these lovely styles. I've realized part of my style is heavily influenced by Japanese styles, specifically mori kei... but I think that post will have to come later...

Japanese Chiffon Top

Look what I got for Christmas!! My fabulous parents gave me an IOU for a Japanese sewing book of my choice! After several delightful evenings browsing, I decided on Cotton Friend Autumn 2012. As we know magazines have more patterns than the books and as I looked at all the photos I could find online, this issue won with the most designs I wanted to make up! It was also one of the few I could actually find for sale on an English website. :)

You get what you get and you don't throw a fit! Welcome to my tripod-less indoor winter photo shoot. So unlike
the clean uncluttered Japanese photo shoots. I think my model face is coming along though.

I chose a simple top pattern with raglan sleeves; gathered at neckline and cuffs. I knew it would be a perfect match with the chiffon I splurged on last November. But hey! It's all stash busting now! ;) I traced the pattern, added seam allowances, and simply because I chose chiffon as my fabric I added an inch to center front and back for fuller gathers.

I need to make some proper undershirts to wear with it this summer.

I'm delighted to have another top I can wear
with this fabulous skirt!

I am Size LL for this pattern, which I find highly amusing. Only in Asia or Hollywood would I be considered an LL size. THIS is why SIZE NEVER MATTERS and MEASUREMENTS ALWAYS DO when you sew!
I'm 5' 10" and added several inches to the length so it would be semi tunic length on me which was easy peasy since they had already drafted this pattern to dress length; all I had to do was draw in my hemline.
I'm a 37 inch bust and I flat pattern measured to make sure there was enough ease, and there was, since this is a looser style. Most of their stuff is looser. How do they manage to look so put together and stylish in all these loose and flowy things? The magic of Japanese style!

I took my time and did french seams on all FOUR of the seams in this top. I also "tagged" my back with a bit of lace
since I knew there was no way I was going be able to tell the back from the front!

I did that hem where you sew it three times.
1/4 in. to mark the allowance around
Folded up along stitching line and basted
Rolled 1/4in. of fabric up neatly encasing the raw edge and stitched.
This gives one line of stitching on the front and two in the back as seen in
this photo. Supposedly this is supposed to help give the hem some weight
so it falls better or something...

I'm delighted I got to accomplish one of my goals so quickly and practice a new skill! I'm delighted to finally get to try some of these Japanese designs I've been drooling over for years! I even have enough chiffon left over to try something else too!
I know NO Japanese but I found it easy to put together because most of the instructions are in PICTURES! Besides, how many of us, who have been sewing for awhile even read the directions on most patterns anymore? If you've been sewing for awhile and want to try something new give a foreign country's patterns a try! Oh yeah! I'm so pumped!