Butterick 5988 Revisited

Floral Top

Last year I made a rayon top using Butterick 5988. I loved the design as it is a nice alternative to a fitted woven T. The waist darts release into a box pleat which gives a slight peplum look. It was a very wearable muslin, but I had taken the side seams in quite a lot during fitting but the shoulders still felt very big.

Butterick 5988 Print Top (view B with view A length)

As I’d been working on a personal sloper over the summer, I’d decided to use it to remake the top, and sort out the shoulder problems. I kind of disappeared down the drafting rabbit hole again. Rather than using the same sloper as I’d used for the spotting shirt, I redrafted it again. The changes appear minor, but made quite a difference.

To draft the pattern for this top, it is simply a matter of transferring the bust and shoulder darts to the waist, and then partially sewing them so they release as a box pleat below the waist. I’ve widen the neckline of the sloper and added facings. I didn’t bother with the zipper that was in the Butterick pattern as the top is easy enough to get on and off without it.

Sewing Project Score card

Mustard Floral Top Report Card Pattern Info

About these ratings

Navy Pants

I got caught up on the drafting and decided to revisit my pants block. I made a few tweaks and refinements. The fit on the mock-up was my best yet. Time to get the ‘good’ fabric out. This piece was a Japanese textured cotton that I did not want to stuff up. It is the same as the rust pants in the top photo, but just a different colour. The pants have front slant pockets with pocket stay, a small welt coin pocket and back welt pockets.

Self drafted pants - front pocket — Front pocket

Self drafted pants - back pocket — Back pocket

I was really excited about making these but got a bit of a shock after I washed them. The fabric had overlocked the edges when I pulled it from the stash, so I’d just assumed that it had already been washed. Sadly, it had shrunk lengthwise considerably but grown sideways. Go figure 😦 So my perfect crotch curve was now too short and rather than 4″ extra at make the hem, I had just enough to attach a facing to form the hem. The waist and hips had grown too big. The photo below was taken shortly after that first wash. Heavy sigh. So embarrassing

I’ve since made adjustments, deepening and narrowing the crotch, and taking 1 to 1.5cm out of the side and inseams. They are now looking heaps better but I haven’t had a chance to rephotograph them.