I actually finished this one more than a week ago. I really wanted to blog it last week too but if you’ve read yesterday’s post, you know the issue. Pictures. I did manage to get Mr. Mouse to snap a few in time for the end of the sewalong over at Colette. (Side note: Check out all the finished Myrtles in the link at the bottom of the sewalong page. Some very pretty ones there!)
So yes. Let’s see the dress, shall we?
I used fabric from the stash (‘s all Girl Charlee cotton spandex jersey). The plan for this dress was actually for it to be a wearable muslin. I sewed up a medium. My measurements put me smack dab between medium and large and the Colette knits patterns say to go up a size in those cases. However, my experiences with Mabel and Moneta showed me that doesn’t quite work for me. So medium it was. Moneta also taught me that gathered skirts aren’t my friend. They don’t hate me but they don’t love me either. Luckily, this skirt is actually the same width at the waist as the bodice so no gathering is actually necessary. It only looks gathered because of the added elastic that pulls in the waist. I decided to skip that instruction and just sew the bodice and skirt together. I did add clear elastic to the waist seam to stabilize it.
Verdict? I do like it. Love the cowl neck. The armholes are a bit low for my tastes. Maybe because I pull the top down too much? It might be meant to be a bit more blousy. I’m not convinced about how the stripes curve down either but a belt should camouflage that nicely. For my real version, I think I’ll get some quality ponte and switch it up with a pencil skirt. I think that will balance out the blousiness of the top. I’ll also raise the armhole a bit. And maybe try to figure out how to add sleeves? Don’t hold your breath though. I won’t be making it up until next Spring. I have some wool that’s begging to be sewn up before Winter is over…
Creative mommy at home to two wonderful little girls, trying to juggle family, sewing, exercise, family, knitting, photography, and did I mention family?
Deux souriceaux 
Love the cowl neck. I’m planning on making a bunch of knit blouses and tops with that neckline from scratch but haven’t found a pattern image online to work from yet. Do you have any advice other than just draping it and guesstimating?
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Do you have any old tops with the cowl neckline? You could deconstruct it to copy the pattern. Apart from the Myrtle dress, I haven’t yet bought any patterns with a cowl neckline. I’m sure they’re out there though… If you don’t want to buy a pattern and you don’t have a top to rub off, I think draping is your best bet. Maybe a combination of draping and a plain T-shirt pattern would work? You’d only need to alter the front to have extra fabric at the neckline…
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I haven’t a single cowl neck top to go off of. The ones I fancy in catalogs are always either too expensive or so cheaply made, they look like they would fall apart at the first washing so I haven’t purchased one yet. Hence, the sewing plan.
I just want to see what the shape of the front part looks like in the pattern when it’s laid out flat. I’m exceedingly visual and can make just about anything if I have a shape to start from. I researched pants for a month before I figured out the front and back sections by shape–then when I finally made it, it turned out perfect, first try!
I guess I can always spread out some patterns at my local fabric store to get an idea. Still, I’m convinced Google will provide. Eventually. (sigh)
Thanks for the help.
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I just did a quickie search and found this : http://makeitfit-trish.blogspot.com/2012/08/cowl-neck-top-with-cuton-sleeves.html
It might be a good starting point?
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Thanks, I saw that one, too. For some reason, it wasn’t what I had imagined a cowl drape would look like, though. I had envisioned a normal front pattern shape, only distended dramatically from side to side to accommodate the cowl. I’m going for the cowl drape to cascade down the front in a dramatic fashion almost like a waterfall that becomes less and less until it disappears completely in the waist seam at the bottom.
Like this: https://www.google.com/search?q=waterfall+neckline&rlz=1C1VEAD_enUS472US472&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ehMKVNDZDMfhoAS-qIK4Dg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=1344&bih=734#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=ei9y7OiDh-5mrM%253A%3BWpPMx6ISB54y2M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.polyvore.com%252Fcgi%252Fimg-thing%253F.out%253Djpg%2526size%253Dl%2526tid%253D27404172%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.polyvore.com%252Fwaterfall_neck_tee_round_necks%252Fthing%253Fid%253D27404172%3B300%3B300
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Finally found what I wanted, thanks for all your help.
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Oh good! I’ll have to take a look see at that myself when the kids aren’t asking for me!
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[…] fabric is cotton-lycra jersey from Girl Charlee. I’ve used it twice before and am happy to have finished. Not that it was a bad fabric. Kind of lightweight but decent. […]
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