New & Improved Spring (Non) Ruffle Top

Added Jun 21, 2010

by jaimesews

Bakersfield, Cal...

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Description

THANK YOU so much to those who gave me insight as to how to fix this shirt. I now LOVE it!!

Here’s what I did – jen_nyc recommended a bust dart and shortening the length. So I took apart the side seams and pinned out a bust dart – INSTANTLY it helped tremendously. I sewed in the bust darts and trimmed the fabric beneath the dart (since making the dart made the side seam jut out unevenly) to get one continuous, yet curvy (in for the waist, out for the hips) line. I then removee the entire back fabric and I measured the back contrast piece. I folded the back main fabric in half, lengthwise and marked at the top the length of the back contrast piece (plus seam allowance, divided in half since the fabric was folded). I marked in about 1.5 inches at the bottom and cut the line top to bottom with a rotary ruler and blade. It is still a trapezoid shape as the original tutorial instructed. I laid the back right sides togther with the front with the bottom and top edges matching, then serged down the seam, following the curvy line of the front piece. I then reattached the back contrast piece and hemmed it up about 2.25 inches. VOILA! The first four pictures reveal the new, improved look.

Now it is more form fitting but I am still able to get it on and off over my head. Love it!

Here is my original post (that correspond to the last two pictures):

I need your help! I wanted to make this cute top for SSS, but I need some advice.

See my Spring (non) Ruffle Top (last two photos)…Now, it looks okay enough, sorta from the front, but the problem comes when you see the side view. WHOA! Hello Tent! I told my husband, well, I can be pregnant in this shirt…but the problem is – I’M NOT NOW…and a usual rule of thumb is that people who are not pregnant, don’t want to appear to be so.

Now, I LOVE this fabric. I was SO excited to wear it and so the only solution is…I need to find a way to make this less tent-like. Both the front and the back have this 2″ pleating at the top (4th picture). So, would you A) Sew the pleating all the way down the back to try to take up some of the excess? B) Take it a part completely and re-cut a less voluminous back piece?

I tried on a belt I had in my closet and that won’t work.

I’m open to any ideas to save this shirt! I’m okay with it being loose – that’s the intended style, but as it stands, it’s too much.

Material Notes

Cotton

Difficulty

Novice

Categories

For
Women
Garment Type
Tanks/T’s
Style
Beach, Bohemian, Casual
Material
Cotton

Credits

Spring Ruffle Top Tutorial

http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=791

9 Comments

  • Missing

    Jun 26, 2010, 04.28 PMby ivalerie

    You have done a lovely work and I have to say: I completely adore the fabric!

    1 Reply
    • Sideways_pic_thumb

      Jun 26, 2010, 09.45 PMby jaimesews

      Thank you! The fabric was one of the main reasons I wanted to save the shirt! :) I love to glance in my closet and see it there.

  • Eb882cf3947765ff90adf9d40522a23e56385a98_large

    Jun 21, 2010, 05.17 PMby gray

    What about a couple of cute string ties on the side to tie at the back? I have a couple of shirts like this and the ties are a real life saver!!

  • Logo4957b_large

    Jun 21, 2010, 05.03 PMby jenss-1

    Have you thought about making it shorter? (In my opinion) the flaring out isn’t so much of a problem, but rather, that it kind of curves back in at the bottom—so you end up with a kind of bubble shape instead of a swing. Maybe pin it up 5 or 6 inches and see what it looks like? After washing the fabric may soften a bit too.

    Otherwise the solution that I have is more one of prevention, so it won’t help much now, but anyway…Due to my particular figure issues, I almost always add darts to the pattern (like a modified bust adjustment), even for unstructured blouses. That helps reign in the fullness and allows the fabric drop straight down.

    Cute fabric on your top though—good luck!

    2 Replies
    • Logo4957b_thumb

      Jun 21, 2010, 05.05 PMby jenss-1

      Re shortening, I meant especially on the back. Kind of like hemming a skirt that’s all uneven.

    • Sideways_pic_thumb

      Jun 21, 2010, 05.06 PMby jaimesews

      Thank you for your input. I will definitely look at the length issue. Someone else also mentioned the bust dart so that is definitely on my list. Maybe I’ll throw it in the wash for this week and see how it looks this weekend when I have a chance to play with it again. :)

  • 100_0447_large

    Jun 21, 2010, 02.38 PMby mollymct

    I don’t have any suggestions, as I’m just about to make this top myself. I’m just glad you posted your photos! That is quite voluminous, isn’t it? I’m going to have to study these comments before I cut! Love your fabric choices, by the way!!

  • Dsc00295_large

    Jun 21, 2010, 10.57 AMby merbecky

    I also had this problem with the same type of pattern. I ended up taking the shirt apart and making the back piece smaller then re-attaching the straps. I think that meowatthemoon2 has some great ideas that I am going to try also. I also love the fabric choice!

    1 Reply
    • Sideways_pic_thumb

      Jun 21, 2010, 03.50 PMby jaimesews

      Thank you!!

  • Img_0120_large

    Jun 21, 2010, 10.08 AMby jasmine77

    I had the same problem with the 2 I made… I have actually pulled one apart recently to use the fabric for something else and the one I did in sheer I actually gave away to the op shop. I just don’t think the style is very flattering on me as I have a bust. Sorry I can’t be of any more assistance. I thought the original top looked great and so wanted to try it. Love your choice of fabric :)

    1 Reply
    • Sideways_pic_thumb

      Jun 21, 2010, 03.50 PMby jaimesews

      Sorry yours didn’t work out. Thanks for your comments!

  • Dsc_0008_large

    Jun 21, 2010, 06.38 AMby cd909

    I had the same problem and sewed the pleats all the way down at the back – it gives a much better shape. I also added bust darts to control some of the fullness at the front. My project is here http://www.burdastyle.com/projects/unruffled-knitter (I only have a pic from the front, but it does fit better, and there’s still plenty of room to get it on without elastic or a zip). Your fabric choice is lovely.

    1 Reply
    • Sideways_pic_thumb

      Jun 21, 2010, 03.50 PMby jaimesews

      Thank you for sending me your project link. Your shirt looks much better so I have hope!!

  • 13d16566d9f252ea3b62beaf7ccb50c95586bab6_large

    Jun 21, 2010, 05.03 AMby meowatthemoon2

    options:

    1. Add waist ties into your side seams that can be used to pull the some volume in at the back or front waist.

    2. Try a sash instead of a belt, fabric on fabric tends to looks less bulky than belting a voluminous top. (belts make voluminous tops go muffin-y sometimes)

    3. If you make a casing at your waist line by folding the fabric on itself and topstitching, you can insert elastic to collect the fabric. you may find that the pleats and elastic gathers work well together.

    4. If you want to make it a design element, you could do a drawstring instead of elastic.

    A panel of stirring at the back in a solid option, but if it’s just a panel at your back waist, it is going to flare out perhaps even more so at about hip level.

    Best of luck. I’m sure there’s a lot more things you could do as well. It looks very cute so far, nice summery paisley. :)

    Kat.

    1 Reply
    • Sideways_pic_thumb

      Jun 21, 2010, 03.49 PMby jaimesews

      Option #3 has got me thinking, falls in line a bit with SmallOne’s idea to make it an empire waist. Thank you!!

  • Charlie-deeshadows1_large

    Jun 21, 2010, 04.40 AMby smallone

    I think it is pleated at the top right? How about you sew down (as in top stitch) the pleats, or a couple of the pleats all the way to the bottom thus removing the fullness from the fabric….although not sure how that would work with the pattern on the fabric.

    at the back (as you are still going to need to get this over you head to wear it :) ) would a line of shirring at the waist work? – or maybe a patch of shirring in the center back at waist height?

    other than that maybe you do something with creating an empire line and remove some of the fabric in the bottom half? I’ll leave it to someone with greater sewing skills than I to let us know how that might be achieved ;)

    1 Reply
    • Sideways_pic_thumb

      Jun 21, 2010, 03.48 PMby jaimesews

      Thank you – I saw your comment last night and had my brain spinning on how to make the empire option – something I hadn’t thought of. We’ll see what happens…

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