SewLibra:
The Itch to Stitch Lago Tank is a racerback style and a free PDF pattern from their website. I've had it a long time so thought I'd give it a try finally.
SewLibra:
Usually I make muslins of stash fabrics I don't care for, but this double brushed poly is soft and kinda cute. But, the day I cut it out the radio DJ told a funny story. Apparently wearing pineapples on a cruise/vacation means you're a swinger. Haha!
SewLibra:
I'm making a top and summer nightie from the pineapple print, and another nightie from this Telio Shibori Rayon Bamboo jersey. Online, as seen here, it looks black and a pretty blue.
SewLibra:
In reality the Shibori is black, gray and white but no blue! Super thin, soft and wiggly. Reminds me of modal. It will feel good as a summer nightie and I won't have to worry about bra straps showing due to the racerback.
SewLibra:
Here is the pattern taped together before alterations. I like that there is extra bust room built into the front piece and some side shaping. Side shaping often doesn't work for me, but sometimes it does.
SewLibra:
I scoured the instructions for a size guide but it wasn't there so I did it myself. When I went to cut out the fabric I saw the guide on the pattern's front piece. Sheesh!
SewLibra:
The armscye area is a little tricky to trace. All the sizes swirl at one area and it's hard to see.
SewLibra:
Before I made a quick muslin I shortened the pattern 1" but afterward I changed it to 1.5". The pattern is made for 5'6" and I'm 5'3", but I wanted mine a little longer than the pattern pic. In the end this worked out well for me.
SewLibra:
My muslin had a huge gape in the front armscye. Some reviews had this issue, so I wasn't surprised. I pinned an armscye dart that I will rotate out. The back armscye was fine.
SewLibra:
To transfer the dart to my paper tracing I pinned the muslin at the seam allowance amount (3/8") at the shoulder and side seam where it meets the armscye. I marked the center of the dart on my tracing with a small mark at the paper's edge.
SewLibra:
I carefully lifted the muslin and marked the pointed end of the dart with a dot. I could have taken the muslin apart for all this but is simply wasn't necessary!
SewLibra:
First I drew a line from my mark to the dart point. My dart was 1" so I measured 1/2" on each side of my original dart mark and drew lines to the dart end. Then drew a line from the dart end to the side seam at the bust.
SewLibra:
I cut the center line of the dart to, but not through, the dart end and same with the line at the side seam. I overlapped the dart to the lower dart leg closing the 1" dart. This created a side dart.
SewLibra:
I don't want a side dart in this knit top so placed pattern paper underneath the new side dart and followed the curve to fill it in.
SewLibra:
Now the armscye is shorter and there are no darts. I will ease in that extra inch into the back piece when I sew the side seams. I'm grateful to have the extra bust room!
SewLibra:
Where the armscye dart was there will be a little paper sticking out. Follow the curve to true it and cut that little piece off.
SewLibra:
Here are my finished front and back pieces! The only other pieces are for the neckband and armbands. I do my own thing for bands so will only use them to get a general idea of length.
SewLibra:
I have my fabric cut and used Wonder Clips to check the armscye fit. Looks good, plus the bands should pull them in a little more.
SewLibra:
I use the Sarah Veblen binding method (Threads magazine and YouTube) except I cut mine 1 3/4" wide, use a 3/8" seam allowance to sew them on, and run a line of topstitching to keep the seam allowance in place.
SewLibra:
To ensure your band width is consistent when you sew it on, and to keep all three layers lined up in the machine, it's important to match the long edges precisely when you press them. I use pins into my ironing board to make sure.
SewLibra:
In the Sarah Veblen method, this is the way you fold your front piece for stretching the band to determine how long it should be. Every knit is different! Surprisingly the length on this pattern was not far off from what I used.
SewLibra:
Both the neckline and band have been quartered and matched up. You might want the pins below the shoulder line to be a little further up so there is more stretch of the band at the two lower quadrants. This helps keep the band flat.
SewLibra:
My DBP fabric is slippery and thin, so I tried something new. Instead of stretching the band between 4 pins, I stretched where I needed to and added more pins. I think it helped since this stuff is crazy stretchy!
SewLibra:
Sewing on the band here, keeping all the edges together including the curves, and stretching the band from pin to pin. This pattern has a 3/8" seam allowance but that's what I use for bands anyway.
SewLibra:
For serging I used a navy Coats & Clark thread on the left needle and white serger thread on the others. The inside of the knit is white. By using navy in the left needle, if any seams get pulled there should be no white show through of thread.
SewLibra:
Next press the band with the SA pointing down toward the bodice. I use a ham so I can steam the curves of the neckband to help shape it. Make sure you don't leave a ripple of bodice underneath the band. Pull the seam apart slightly as you press.
SewLibra:
Last step is to use an edge stitch foot to topstitch right under the seam, keeping the seam allowance down. I used a 4.0 stitch length, a straight stitch. It looks just like RTW and I've never had any popped stitches on any of my neckbands. Just sayin'.
SewLibra:
Here's the finished neckband and I sewed in my label while I thought of it. The arm bands will be done with the exact same method. One of these days I'll try my coverstitch machine for bands but I really like the results I get this way!
SewLibra:
I had some puckers in the back when I put in the first arm band in. Took it out and rotated the band so that one inch more of the band was sewn into the back. That worked! The back just needed more and the front got a little less.
