Aztec Print Raglan

Last month I headed to Chicago to visit one of my best friends. The focus of our weekend was a bread making class, but we managed  to fit in lots of other adventures, including a trip to Vogue Fabrics in Evanston. We perused bolt after bolt of apparel fabrics and knits, and by the end of our time there I had to make some hard decisions about how much fabric I could reasonably take back to Indianapolis on the Megabus.

It’s pretty amazing what a good fabric store can do for motivation. The selection of fabrics was inspiring, but more than that, in just 10 minutes at the pattern table we’d made new friends with the other ladies gathered around — eager to help us look for patterns, suggest fabrics for certain designs and generally encourage the act of sewing. Good stuff.

In the end I walked out with about 10 yards of knit fabric, all slightly sheer. I’m still trying to figure out what to do with most of the fabric, but I finally got around to making a top in order to discover how this blend drapes and how it wears with time. I’ve been wearing it with a contrasting tank top under it, but skipped that detail for photos so you could get the full effect of the sheer pattern. Scandalous.

The fabric is really light and lacks the nice drape you tend to get with a slightly heavier, silkier knit fabric. It also pills pretty easily where my purse rubs against it. But I’m OK with these little imperfections because it was really cheaply priced per yard. More than the quality of the fabric, I was drawn pattern. In creating a top from this fabric, I kept it as simple as possible by leaving the cuffs, hem and neck unfinished — there’s something about raw edges and natural fibers I’ve been really digging lately.

It was a quick project, made from an easily drafted pattern based on a well-worn Raglan I’ve owned for years. Clothing that you own and love already can be a really great place to start when beginning to make your own patterns. Between what I’ve learned by reading Cal Patch’s, Design-it-Yourself Clothes and by examining the construction of my wardrobe in greater detail, I’ve realized the simplicity of most of the garments I regularly wear. With this knowledge I have started to rely on store-bought patterns less and less.

I am really interested in the different processes people go through as they learn new skills. If you make your own clothes, what types of patterns do you use — purchased patterns, drafted patterns of your own creation or patterns based on your existing clothes? If you are eager to begin making your own clothes, what kinds of information do you think would best help you?

raw edged detail at top

 

Comments

7 responses to “Aztec Print Raglan”

  1. Maryann Avatar

    I really love this top, the pattern, the cut, the vampy show of skin! 🙂 I’m curious what else is lurking in your fabric closet from this trip to Chi-town.

    1. Claire Avatar
      Claire

      I can’t wait to make something from these new fabrics so I can share. As soon as I got home from the trip I tried to take photos of my loot, but with no success. Guess the fabrics need a body under them in order to be well-represented. 🙂

      Thanks for the shirt love. I didn’t realize how sheer it was until after our photo session. Eek!

  2. […] have a pile of fantastic knit fabric from Vogue Fabrics that I’ve been eager to use. I raved about these fabrics here already, but I’m going to rave again. It is a tissue weight fabric […]

  3. Sassy T Avatar

    Really like the top.

    1. Claire Avatar
      Claire

      Thanks so much! I love your “about me” on your blog — specializing in “from a distance projects.” I feel like that a lot of the time! 🙂

  4. […] the last of the knit fabric styles I bought at Vogue Fabrics earlier this year (see here and here for the other styles), I made a simple maxi skirt based on my measurements. I like it so well that […]

  5. […] Black shirt full Image by cottage revolution Raw edged raglan, own pattern. Made with knit fabric from Vogue Fabrics, Chicago. More here: http://www.thecottagerevolution.com/2012/05/21/aztec-print-raglan/ […]

Leave a Reply