Simplicity 2192, The 3-D Sheer Top

Another Cynthia Rowley Simplicity 2192 completed and I am really happy with the results. It was not a difficult project but a very diaphanous, fiddly one.  Sewing with sheers is often like sewing air together. Pins won't stick in unless they are the glass headed silk pins. Cutting requires all sorts of tricks and patience. How about a ton of spray starch and rotary cutting? And the actual sewing requires a really light touch as well. Here's the low down:

Fabric:  As I said, DIAPHANOUS, as in airy, light, pale, and sheer. It is a 100% poly that gave me no grief because of the fiber. It is a sheer georgette with flowers made of scalloped strips of more georgette laid on top in various sizes. It was love at first sight and I had to find something to make up in this. Enter a beach wedding on the sand in Maine in early August. This and some linen pants will be the ensemble. I took this pic outside with the sun shining through. Hope my bra straps don't do the same and I am working on that challenge as we speak.

Pattern: My Tried and True Simplicity 2192 by Cynthia Rowley, a basic tee with a faced hem and faced bateau neckline.  It is simple and lets the fabric do the talking. I did have to make some changes in the construction because of the sheer factor but I just love this pattern and know our relationship is not over yet. 

 

Construction: First off, all seams are french seams, including the armscye seams. The neckline is faced but using a pink poly tulle for the facing. This is not big holed stiff netting but the really fine tulle.  It disappears and let me topstitch the neckline beautifully. You can see how I did that in this post.   The sleeve and bottom hems were done with the Kenneth King tiny hem tute method. This meant I had the challenge of transitioning from the French Seam to the tiny hem. It all worked out fine with a bit of fabric, about a 1/3 of an inch,  from the slash where the techniques met being hand overcast. It blended very nicely after that and a press. Overall, simple but challenging due to the airy nature of the fabric. ETA: Just want to add that this was all cut on the crossgrain to take advantage of the negative space near the selvedge.

I really look forward to wearing this and will show the outfit on when the pants are completed. I have basically this weekend to do the pants so I am down to the cave to clean up from the blouse project and then start cutting those Sure Fit pants out. I am going to do a fly front zip on this one. Lata'......Bunny