This will be the last for a while. I LOVE this pattern, but it’s time to move on now. I’ve never been much of a TNT gal. Really, there’s not too much to add. This one is the reverse of version 2 – I used Super Soft Rayon Jersey in Bright Aqua for the main shirt, and Super Soft Rayon Jersey in Bright Turquoise for the contrast cami. I wore the version 2 top last week when I was in New York, and a designer (Caesar of CZAR) told me, “You should wear those colors all the time. They look beautiful on you.” High praise from a wonderful designer!!
Anyway, here’s the latest version:
Last one for a while
Tip: Chain Stay for Cowls
There was one thing I did differently this time. I’ve used the safety pin trick, with great success, but the cowl still tends to flip to the outside when I sit down. So this time I used a chain stay. To make one, I ran a long thread chain (about 15 inches) on my serger. I sewed one end into the center front neckline hem of the cowl overlay, and attached the other end at the center front hem of the garment. Here you can see the attachments:
Chain Stay Attachment Points
And here is a picture looking down the front of the garment on Shelley:
Bird’s Eye View of the Stay at Work
To make a chain stay, run a chain of thread off your serger. Make it a long one – 18 to 24 inches will do the trick for just about any garment on any size person. Try on your garment before you hem the cowl or the bottom (I basted the shoulder and side seams on my top). Let the chain hang down, and pin it at the CF so you get the correct length. You don’t want to pull it – you want it to have some slack so it doesn’t distort your garment. You can even give it about an inch of extra slack, like I did with mine. That keeps the cowl in when I stand, but it lets it move about without pulling the hem of the garment up. If you’re making a dress, you can attach it at the waistline seam. If your dress doesn’t have a waistline seam, invisibly tack it at the waistline.
Adding a thread chain stay is an easy, almost-free way to keep your cowl in place. Try it on your next cowl-necked garment.
And BTW, did I tell you how much I HEART StyleArc? Fabulous fit, great designs, and they sew together perfectly. Yes, they sometimes flip the pattern pieces, making them not all right-handed, so they can all fit on the page. But I’d rather they do that than have to print a whole new page and add to their costs. NAYY, just extremely thrilled with every one of their patterns that I’ve made.
Happy sewing!
