SewLibra: I've used this pattern before for summer nightgowns and tank tops. One of these nightgowns will be from leftover Telio rayon jersey in plum. I had copied a RTW top with it back in June 2019.
SewLibra: The second nightgown and tank top is from this cotton/lycra jersey knit called Heather Gray Anchors and Wheels, from Cali Fabrics.
SewLibra: Collage of ITS Lago Tank. Two nightgowns and a tank.
SewLibra: To extend the tank to nightgown length, using a long ruler I made extensions that can be pinned on. Previously I had done an FBA and curved the front for extra length, but the curve isn't needed for the nightgown.
SewLibra: All four pieces. Front, back, front extension and back extension. Follow the side seam with a ruler to get a gentle flare going out to the hem.
SewLibra: I pinned my extension onto the front piece and compared to a previous nightgown from this pattern. Needed to make sure I got the 3/4" hem included. Then I compared the back piece to the front piece to make sure they fit together at the seams.
SewLibra: I made a line on each front, back, and both extensions so all the pieces would line up properly. By pinning the extensions I don't have to trace again. Just add or take them off for tank or nightgown.
SewLibra: Ready to cut!
SewLibra: After I made both nightgowns with the racer back style, I wanted to add some width in the back for the tank to cover bra straps. I started by tracing the back armscye and shoulder onto pattern paper. I don't have an issue with straps in the front.
SewLibra: The back shoulder width has to stay the same to match the front shoulder. I made a line to approximate how much to add. The binding will add 1/2" as well.
SewLibra: Then I used a combo of French curve and hand drawing to curve out my line.
SewLibra: This is what I ended up with, not sure it was enough but afraid to overdo it!
SewLibra: Again this will be pinned on the back pattern piece so I can have a choice of full racer back or partial racer back.
SewLibra: Ready to cut. In the end this actually worked out quite well. No bra straps showing in the back...well maybe if I get wild and crazy but I'm not planning on it. Lol.
SewLibra: Checking to see if I have enough fabric! I smoothed the fabric before I cut of course, but there were wrinkles near the selvages that didn't want to budge, and this fabric is so slippery!
SewLibra: Fortunately I had enough in a separate remnant to cut the bands. I use my Easy Rule and rotary cutter to make them 1.75" wide. With a 3/8" seam allowance that makes the finished band 1/2" wide.
SewLibra: I had to look under my magnifier light to find the wrong side of the fabric. Still using my sticky dots, and I marked AB for arm bands and NB for neckband.
SewLibra: I usually don't need to stabilize the shoulder seams for most knit tees, but this fabric has 4-way stretch and "wiggly". I used my trusty Knit-N-Stable, cut in half lengthwise.
SewLibra: I've used this type of slinky fabric before and the bands aren't easy! Here it's quartered, and I'll put more pins in before machine basting it in. This one turned out too short and looked terrible so I recut a longer one that worked.
SewLibra: Inside of neckband serged and pressed. See that messy serging where I ended up, top left? After that I watched a Jennifer Stern video and finally learned how to avoid that! Well...mostly anyway.
SewLibra: Topstitching right under the band with an edge stitch foot is done, and neckband looks pretty good. I hope the arm bands look this nice.
SewLibra: I love my new professional Shop Company dress form! Just kind of playing here, to see if the bands flop when it's on a "body". Neck band is fine, arm bands could be a little tighter toward the bottom. I don't have these problems with other knits! Ugh.
SewLibra: The fabric ends got sucked into the feed dogs initially, so I used some wrapping tissue paper to start the seams. I keep a pack of it in my sewing room so it's handy to grab when needed.
SewLibra: I used black in my coverstitch looper and took the spool and bobbin from my sewing machine for the needles. I loosened the tensions but I still got tunneling on the hem. For just a nightgown I didn't bother using a stabilizer.
SewLibra: All done and my nightie has a lovely drape. Love the color and how soft and silky it feels. I wore it for several nights and it felt nice and cool!
SewLibra: For my other fabric I had some plain white knit to use for the bands. It has more stretch than the fabric but that's fine. On the left showing how much further down the center is than the shoulder seam. Never rely on shoulder seams for marking bands!
SewLibra: After matching the pins up with my quartered neckline and band, I stretched between each section and added another pin. This makes it easier for me at the machine and keeps me from over or under-stretching in the wrong places.
SewLibra: To make the inside look nice, I switched to white thread and bobbin to sew on the white band. Here I'm stretching between pins and keeping the curve. I use both hands for this but was holding my phone for the pic.
SewLibra: Pressing as you go is so important! I use a ham for all curved areas. Neck and arm bands definitely qualify! I'm making sure the seam allowance is pressed toward the bodice before I topstitch.
SewLibra: Letting the neck band dry before topstitching. On this one, the nightgown, I forgot to change the serger thread from gray to white but remembered to do it on the tank top. Oops.