Speedy Stripes……

I was rummaging in a drawer the other day and I found a Jigsaw top from ages ago which I’d forgotten I possessed. It’s made of fine, stretchy jersey with a drapey cowl neck, loose fitting T-shaped body and sleeves-cum-cuffs. I hadn’t worn it lately (largely because it was buried in the drawer!) but I still liked it and as it happens I’d bought some similar fabric, albeit striped, in Birmingham on my recent visit all of which set me thinking…

So I drafted myself a new pattern [have a look at my previous blog about using a garment you already have to make a pattern]

the original top

I laid the top out on my cutting table and measured all the crucial points that I’d need to know (I had half an idea that I’d draw it straight onto the fabric but I lost my nerve and decided to make a paper pattern instead!)

my sketch with measurements

Once I’d got the measurements I drew them out on spot and cross, cut them out checking them against each other as I went. I’d only bought about a metre of the fabric in Birmingham-it’s rarely accurate because the stall holders measure the fabric against a metre rule waving about on top of lots of rolls of fabric, although you often end up with slightly more rather than less, and the ends are never straight!

it just about fits!

I laid the fabric up very carefully matching the stripes, selvedges towards me on the cutting table, I had to squeak the pattern pieces slightly off the straight so that they fitted on-this wouldn’t make a huge difference to the finished garment because it’s a stretchy fabric anyway. I also had to considerably reduce the size of the collar as I didn’t have enough for the larger one-basically I just fitted it into what was left after cutting a front, two backs and two sleeves.

I used my 4-thread overlocker to put the top together but you can also use a regular sewing machine with a jersey needle fitted and zig-zag the edges to neaten them. After I joined the CB seam I reinforced the neckline with some iron-on seam tape to stop it stretching, I did the same on the front and then joined them at the shoulder seams.

Then, with it laid out flat, I joined the sleeves to the ‘armhole’

sleeves in

The stripes were going the other direction but that doesn’t matter. Then, still with the garment out flat I put in the cowl. I’d joined it’s CB seam first and then placed it into the opening and stitched.

cowl sewn in

There were some slight glitches but I’m not so bothered that I’d take it all out and do it again, it’s stretchy and drapey so I don’t think it will be obvious. All that’s left to do after this is join the underarm seams and neaten and hem all the raw edges. [I must admit that my machine just doesn’t seem to like stretchy fabric very much because I can rarely get a good stitch when hemming inspite trying all the techniques I know, it’s a bit of a ‘that’ll do’ kind of thing!]

Anyway, here it is, in two slightly dodgy photos taken in a hurry-sleeves down? sleeves up?. I’m rather pleased with it and it’s super-speedy to make on the overlocker! The stripes are a damn good match too!!

Happy Sewing!

Sue xx

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