Draped Jumpsuit

Okay, so here's the draped jumpsuit that I promised to show pics of from this post. I am sorry for the grainy pictures. I need to figure out what I am doing wrong. Any suggestions would be welcomed. 

Anyway, back to the jumpsuit. It's no secret that I like draping and I love jumpsuits. So I decided to put the two together. I like this draped jumpsuit but it definitely needs to be tweaked. First of all: It's a bit too drapey on the sides. I don't need any extra baggage on these Puerto Rican hips, lol. 

I love the top. I again, used recycled neck bands from other t-shirts for the arm hole bands thus the little color play.

Since this has a racer back,  I couldn't pull it up from the bottom without creating an opening so I had to open up the shoulders and sew in snap tape. It has three snaps for a closure on each side. It's a little bulky, thus the big hair to cover it. I need to think about this if I make it again. 

Yes, a bit too much drape for my taste. 

All in all, I would wear this one in public but I want to make another one with my corrections to see how that one comes out. I'm hoping to offer a pattern for this jumpsuit in the future so stay tuned! 

Sew and Tell: Colorblock Draped Dress #2

Color blocked Draped Dress

Two years ago, I started making these draped tank dresses and sold some of them in my shop. I decided to make another one but in a colorblock version. 

 I went through my stash and found these related colors; brown, grey, and striped light grey/rust. I thought they went well together. I sewed the three pieces together and cut the front of my self-drafted pattern on this. 

I decided to only color block the front and used the striped fabric for the back as you can see from the middle first photo on top. I also used the neck binding from t-shirts to bind the neck and arm holes. 

Stretching my super curly hair. It's getting really long, you just can't see the length when it's coiled up!  

I'm really happy with the way it came out and my older son's summer camp teacher's loved it so it's teacher approved! lol. 

Tell me what you think. Do you like draped styles? Colorblocking? What do you think of both combined? 

Sew and Tell: Color Block Draped Dress

Okay so I kept one of two promises from last week's color block draped dress post. I said I was going to iron the dress and show you pics of me wearing it. Well, here I am wearing it but it is not ironed! Sorry. I just had so much to do and I rather let you see it on me as quickly as possible. 

Doesn't it look better on a person than on the dress form? I certainly fill it out a lot more. I bought my mannequin before I had kids so I got bigger and my mannequin stayed the same, oh dear. 

Side view

Here is is without the belt. I really love it. 

Just to recap, this dress was designed on the dress form from fabric I sewed together. I love this organic way of designing. You can do it too, it's easy!

I still have to work on the neckline and perhaps will shorten it a bit but I can definitely see myself wearing this dress with sandals around my Bronx town in the summer time. 

Te gusta? (do you like?). I read each and every comment so feel free to post and let me know what you think. 

Easy Color Block Draped Dress

By now you probably know that I am a big fan of color blocking and draping. This and last week, I have been doing some fabric stash busting. It's the reason why I haven't posted in a while. This project is perfect for getting rid of those fabric scraps. 

I started with this: a red t -shirt with a print that never sold in  the shop, a piece of blue jersey material from when I was selling draped dresses, and a piece of brown jersey fabric from a color block project two years ago. 

I opened one side of the t-shirt and simply serged the pieces all together. You can also sew them, you don't necessarily need a serger. 

I then draped my color blocked fabric on the dress form. I cut here and there, sewed here and there, and this is the result: a color blocked draped dress.  

Another view. I love this organic way of designing. No pattern pieces, no predetermined place where each color will go. Just simply seeing where the fabric falls best. 

The back view

I apologize for the wrinkly fabric, it definitely looks much better on a person. I promise to iron it and take pictures of me wearing it soon. 

Has anyone else ever worked this way? Just draping on the dress form?

Sew and Tell: Draped Sweatshirt

My kids are home for spring break so I didn't have time to post my biweekly Tuesday Tutorial. Sorry about that, hopefully, I'll have it up by next week. In it's place, here you have what will be last sweatshirt post until the fall.

Here's a draped sweatshirt I made from a 3X mens sweatshirt. I know, I know, sweatshirts don't drape well but hey, I had to try it out. I like it and it does look good with leggings. 

I also like the sleeves which are half off. A little Star Warsy, no? I need every bit of warrior fashion to face spring break with the kids! Lol.

Here it is without the belt. 

I then decided to add a snap to it and now I love it even more. 

"Wait a second children, one last pic"

I feel like a warrior mom ready to tackle spring break with the kids!!!

Thoughts?

Tutorial: Transform a Small Shirt into a Draped Top

So here is a short tutorial on how I tranformed my too small top into a cute draped top!

Here is what you will need: 1)The shirt you want to make bigger 2) an XL or larger shirt in the same color or different one for a color block effect, 3) scissors, 4) sewing machine or needle and thread (although I have not tried it with the latter). 

 1. Here’s the shirt I wanted to make larger. When I bought it at a thrift shop years ago, it was gigantic and I had to make it smaller. Now it got too small and I have to make it bigger (sigh)

2. So here you have another black X-large t-shirt. I had already cut out the neck line.

3. I start by cutting the side seams and the sleeves off of my Evita shirt.

4. This what I am left with.

5. I cut further to make it look like one long, straight, column

6. I cut the sleeves off the other XL black t shirt.

7. Then I start cutting out the entire middle section

8. Until the entire middle section is all cut out. DO NOT CUT SHOULDER SEAMS.

9. Line up shoulder seams of XL shirt to the shoulder seams of the original shirt. Begin pinning going down.

10. As you pin down, also line up the bottom seam of both shirts and pin. You will definitely have more fabric from the XL shirt that you can begin pleating and pinning. This will make for a nice drape effect.

11. Turn it around to see what it looks like and make adjustments.

12. Now do the same thing to the back.

13. Place it over your head, wrong side out and, on each side, gage where it feels comfortable to start your arm hole seam and pin on each side. If it’s too difficult to do by yourself, have someone pin it for you or pin on a mannequin. Then stitch side seams all the way down.

So here it is! I have a fancy hem sewing machine so I did stitch the neckline and arm holes but you can definitely leave them unfinished as t-shirt material does not unravel.

I  wore this shirt everywhere; baby shower, kids birthday party, brunch with a friend. I just love it!


Here I am with our good friend Radesky at his sister's baby shower. Radesky was about twelve when my husband and I met him. He has turned into a fine young man.




Here I am with my good friend Karen at her son's birthday party. She is a wonderful friend and caring, compassionate public school teacher. And also a natural curly head like me!  

 This shirt is comfy, stylish and makes a statement in image and design. I will definitely make more! So what are you waiting for? Don't frown if your shirts got too small! They will look way better with this draped effect!

Tell me what you think!