Friday, May 4, 2012

First garment: Colette Sorbetto top

On my list of sewing goals for 2012 was to make some clothes.  I've sewn clothing before, namely a pair of pj pants under my mom's careful tutelage and a skirt and another pair of pj pants as part of a class.  But I've never followed a pattern for clothing from start to finish on my own.  Until today!
Colette Sorbetto
I found a link to a free pattern by Collette, the Sorbetto top, while lusting after some of their more advanced projects, and figured it would be a good beginner project.  All together I think it took me less than two hours to make the top.  In addition to following a pattern for clothing for the first time, I also learned how to make alterations to the pattern to accommodate my freakishly long body, and learned how to attach bias tape.  The bias tape lesson is going to come in very handy as I bind off a couple of quilts that have been sitting in my "to finish" pile for ages. 

The fabric is some leftover cheapo garish yellow gingham that I bought thinking it was a perfect cotton for the back of a quilt.  It's turned out to be a polyester nightmare to work with in every way except for in this top.  I don't expect the fabric to last beyond a few washings so if it ever stops raining in Boston, I intend to put this hypothesis to the test!  I also hope to make a couple of other versions of the top; the gingham works well for casual wear but I think it could also work under a suit or dressy work outfit.  I see from the pictures that I need to work more with the bias tape to get it to lie flat but otherwise, I am very happy with how this came out!

View of the front:
Colette Sorbetto
 View of the back:
Colette Sorbetto
 Close up of center pleat and bias tape border
Colette Sorbetto

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