Blue Rose Top: Revisited

One thing I wanted to do this year was to try and refashion some of my handmade clothes that hadn't worked.  One of the main culprits is my Blue Rose top which I've only worn once.  I made it last spring using a rose print poplin.  Now I love floral fabric, especially if it has roses on it and doubly especially if it has blue roses on it.  I don't know why, but blue rose prints just make me beam with happiness!  Fabric this beautiful needs to be worn and shown off.  So I decided to make this top work.

The pattern was a vintage one - Advance 8589 - which looked so chic on the pattern envelope….  

I should have known better.  This is what didn't work: 

The drawstring

Although this is a lovely feature, it made me feel like I was pregnant, I'm just not comfortable with this amount of excess fabric around my waist!

The boxy shape

Yes I know, it has to be boxy in order for the drawstring to work, but this was almost wider than it was long!

The length

Far too short, making it wearable with only the very highest waistbands.

The one other thing that stopped me wearing this top originally was the neckline.  I hated the neckline, as I kept feeling I was choking to death.  However, since then, I've had thyroid surgery and it seems it was my thyroid that was the cause of my choky, strangling feeling.  Trying the top on again recently, the neckline didn't bother me at all, and is actually a lovely, elegant shape.  So the neckline stayed the same.

If I'm honest, I pretty much made this up as I went along, refashioning not being one of my strong points.  Once the drawstring was removed, the main priority was to give some shape to the boxiness.  

Front darts added, but still short and squat

TONS of excess fabric at the back

I moved the bust darts which were strangely high, (I hadn't even noticed this the first time around) and added contour darts to the front and back.  The only solution to the short length was to add an extra panel.  I added a three inch strip around the bottom, luckily, I think the busy rose print just about allows you to get away with it. 

In order to get the top on and off, I inserted an invisible zip right down the back.  

A bit wonky, but at least most of the bagginess has disappeared

As there was a bit of fabric left over, I made another 1950's style headband from the Chic on a Shoestring book.  

It's not quite as wide as my last one, and I think it looks better for it.  I even managed to attach a lovely vintage buckle which Miss P very kindly sent me.  

It was quite a rigmarole making this top fit, but I think it was worth it.  It's by no means perfect, but it's much more 'me' now, and at least it's wearable.  Not on its own at the moment though - it's currently FREEZING here in the UK.  

The lengths sewing bloggers will go to for a photo - you can almost see the goosebumps on my arms!

Because it's sleeveless it's perfect to wear underneath a cardigan.  There, much more suitable… 

Next up for a refashion - my Swing Dress - which needs a few tweaks.  Happy Wednesday everybody. x