Monday 17 June 2013

Liberty Lawn Tiny Pocket Tank


During Me-Made-May, although I was wearing jeans too much, I decided a lot of the time for me they are my only practical option therefore I needed to make some more casual everyday tops. My favourite practical top pattern is the Woven Scout Tee from Grainline, as you may have noticed seeing as I have made and blogged three versions so far (1, 2, 3)! I think all of Jen's patterns are fantastic in their wearability and versatility so decided to branch out and try the Tiny Pocket Tank.


Liberty Tana Lawn worked great for the Scout, it sews up, washes and wears beautifully so I decided to use the other piece I got in the remnant bin at Liberty last year. It's actually the same print as I used for the Scout but in a different colour way. I feel a lot of Liberty prints are a bit twee or fussy for me in terms of clothing at least but this feather print is a more random print that looks like a cool mottled effect from a distance, much more my style! I chose a candy pink thread to bring that colour out of the print a little, add some fun and prevent the garment from looking too washed out.


As expected the pattern is great. The way it is cut means although the fit is loose it drapes in a flattering way rather than looking like a sack hanging down from the bust. It is the perfect length for me, not as short as the Scout, and the slightly curved hemline means it doesn't leave an unsightly gap between it's hem and the waistband of your jeans/skirt as you move around. Jen has you create your own bias tape to face the neckline and armholes, which is a great clean finishing method I love for this. I personally like the topstitching detail it creates and it would give a great little pop of contrasting colour although I chose to use the main fabric this time.


I'm not entirely delighted with the top because of the fit. As well as being tight across the bust and upper back the armholes are also pretty tight which is an issue I had to a lesser extent with the Scout Tee. Partly I think I was perhaps a little over zealous with my french seams and so ended up taking out just slightly more than the drafted seam allowance. This x4 (two sides to both the underarm and shoulder seam) equals a too small arm hole. But considering just how tight it is compared to the relaxed fit I am after I might just go up a size up from what I have been making the scout tee in, though maybe it just needs a FBA?? Thinking more about it I think all the fit issues are probably related to how it sits on me because of the standard pattern drafting to a B-cup concept.


I wasn't sure on the tiny pocket detail at first but thought this print might need something to add a bit of interest and once sewn up I actually loved it. I think with some prints and even in plain bold colours the top would benefit from omitting it but again, the benefits of being able to sew mean we can try the idea out rather than wishing it was or wasn't there on a ready to wear garment. I followed the markings on the pattern piece to advise on pocket placement (I'm getting really speedy at tailors tacks by the way!). Once I'd sewn the darts I thought the markings looked like I was going to get a wonky pocket but I'm glad I didn't wack it on the way I thought looked right because if course it works out perfectly straight when on. The complicated world of draping a fitting over a bust!


Once I've cracked the fit on this I'll definitely have discovered another favourite go to pattern for practical clothing. I've got the Moss Mini Skirt PDF printed and ready to go next!


14 comments:

  1. Lovely fabric and it looks great with the wee pocket! I've just done a toile for the Scout tee and had the same problem with it being too tight underarm. I've tried to remedy it a bit by just cutting a bit off the underarm area. However I hadn't considered a FBA - maybe this is the real issue for me too.

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    1. Thanks Kathryn! Looks like from other people's comments and wisdom the FBA might be the answer for us both...though just cutting a bit off sounds like a tempting option too!

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  2. lovely print - i meant to ask you what it was when i saw it in your mmm pics! i have an issue with tight underarms which i have spent ages trying to fix with various armhole adjustments, but an FBA fixed it! i would say also that it might fix your tight back and also possibly those tiny draglines on the bust. the lovely twitter ladies helped me work it out. i tried 1/2" each side and it is perfect. i thought that since i am a b cup i didn;t need one, but as i have a large frame, the overall chest volume (not the right words but sure you know what i mean!) is more. give it a go on some muslin and see!

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    1. Thanks for the tips, nice to have someone confirm my suspicions before I try out a new alteration! I've always had a inkling that really I should do an FBA for most patterns but have avoided it up til now. Think I might try another version of this with an FBA as I imagine it's an easier pattern to do one on

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  3. Really cute! I like this print a lot, and I'm not a huge fan of all the super ditzy Liberty prints.

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    1. Thanks Sonja! Me neither, but the Tana Lawn is so lovely to work with and wear that I had a really good rummage through the remnant bin when I saw it just in case there was something a bit more me!

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  4. This looks so cute on you! I think Jo is right and a tiny FBA could fix those issues with the tightness...

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    1. Thanks! Yep! Looks like I'm finally going to have to face up to learning how to do one!

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  5. I have some liberty my husband brought me back from London (by some I mean 3 yards of two patterns). I'm not thrilled with the dress I have 3/4s made so I was keen to see what you had done with liberty. It's a really pretty tank and I think the pocket is cute for some added interest.

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    1. Thank you! I find it hard to think of what I can use Liberty prints for as I'm not that much of a girly girl, I prefer to use them for basics and things with a more contemporary shape

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  6. On the fit issue --and I am by no means qualified to comment -- but I think you need to go off your upper chest measurement for sizing and then fit to your bust. I think it goes, if the difference between your upper chest and bust measures more than 2 inch then you need an fba.

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    1. Thanks for the tips Jane, I did go off the bust measurement when picking my size, which is what makes me think the sizes of my french seams have something to do with it! I've read that if your bust and waist measurements don't tally up to the sizing on the pattern then you need an FBA but mine always seem to fit pretty much exactly to pattern sizing so I get very confused! Your tip on the 2" difference is new to me though and might be just what I need!

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  7. Oh, it's so cute, I just want to squeeze it's little cheeks! Lol. Maybe you have to do an FBA to help the top fit better? Or perhaps just shorten and narrow the bust darts.

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    1. Thank you Catja! I think the FBA may be the way to go, not sure how big of one to do though! Think I need to do some reading up!

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