Sometimes the KISS approach is the best way to go.

When I first bought this fabric a couple of years ago, I had a peplum style top in mind.  I’m not sure why, maybe an inspiration photo prompted the idea.  But whatever it was, the idea stuck.  So when I put the fabric on the cutting table, I started to problem solve how I could make a peplum and have a scalloped edge at the bottom.  Pleats, easier to work with than darts and less hassle than splicing the lace for a couture dart.

Next came checking the pattern repeat of the lace.  I wanted the edge of the scallop section at the hem, and just above the bustline so the densest part of the fabric was over the bust.  The plan was to partially line the top below the scallop line so that the shoulders were more see-though, but I had coverage where I needed it.

At this point I sketched out how it might look, with the pattern repeat to scale.  If you look at the waistline of the first sketch, you can see how there is a jog in the repeat that I didn’t really line.  The next option was to try a wrap style, with the scallops running on the edges.  This might work, but it would need to be fully lined. The long sleeves look a little busy so I’ll stitch with short sleeves.

So I ditched the idea of having a waist seam.  The narrow stripe in the fabric gave me the idea for going with a boat neck pattern.  I love the mustard stripe T that I had made recently, so I fished that pattern out and fiddled around with how the pattern would work with it.  It did and it didn’t.

New day, new approach – KISS (keep it simple stupid), using my semi-fitted T-shirt pattern.  I’ve set the scallops to where I need them just above the bustline and as low as I could go to have the stripe run below the lowest part of the neckline. At the hemline, it finishes with that same stripe.   The sleeves to match at the stripe on the front and back shoulder, and end with the scallops.  To avoid having to deal with a neck binding, it is fully lined, including the sleeves.  All the seam are hidden between the lace and the lining.  The lining is free hanging and finishes just above the border.

Simple, effective and took less than an hour to put cut and together.  I had a chuckle over how much time I spent in the planning, but I’m quietly smug about where it ended up.  Sometimes less IS more 🙂

 

---

Sewing Project Score card