The EF Cropped Poncho and petited!

This is my effort at a coordinated outfit, something I can't remember doing since my business suit days of long ago. It's not anything I've done for casual clothing. I LOVE my little poncho.  I give props to Peggy Sagers for this design and her inspiration. Her video, which I wrote about in my last post here, showed how to make this Eileen Fisher garment. It seemed so easy and looked so stylish on her, as everything pretty much does. I just had to try it. Now, Sagers often mentions how tall she is. I often mention here how short I am. I knew I would have to adjust this little number. I will give you the dimensions I used for all our petites sewists out there. The whole premise of this outfit is the proportions. I think if I do it again or maybe even now, I may make the tank top about an inch or so shorter but other than that the poncho is CROPPED. I looked at the original on the EF website and on Sagers as well and it sits an inch or two above the natural waist. Sagers mentioned that she tried making one longer and definitely didn't like it. I can see why. It's all in the shortness. I'll go through this piece by piece. 

The tank top is made from two different seersuckers to use up some odd leftover stash. To make it work I put a band across the bustline out of the smaller seersucker. It took some thought to decide where to place it as there was a dart involved. 

I decided to just place the dart needed at the bottom of the band.  I used my tank top you've seen lately but I put a center back seam into it with some shape,  curving in at the waist there. I also took width out of the side seams and curved in there as well. I placed the center front fold a half inch in so a lot of width was taken out. I think I can still take out a bit more. I have always been so averse to close fitting clothes, just a me thing, so I tend to get there bit by bit with a garment. You can also see the neckline is just a scoop front and back. If I am standing straight, it hangs better than what you see here.

For the pants, they are a lighter weight linen, very comfortable, in a stripe requiring some care to match. The big white stripe is evenly spaced. The thin stripe is not. I just ignored the thin one. The pattern is my sloper from Sure Fit designs. I think it fits pretty well. This time the sloper was made into what they call a "stovepipe" pant,  a full straight down leg. It has a gathered waist, possibly the first I've made other than on PJs. You cut the pants straight down from the hips and then straight up from the hips for the gathered waist. You don't do the darts but cut that  same amount away in a curve at the side seams. It is a snug pull on. I think next time I may add a half inch to each side for an easier pull on. I like the fit of these full pants. 

Now for the cropped poncho, which I love. Sagers gives the measurements on her video which basically is made with a yard of fabric. Here is what I did for my five feet of proportions. I will say that my torso, on the length is "normal", no short or long waistedness. 

Sagers used one yard of fabric for this project as did I. She ran the 36 inches from elbow to elbow and that will include some hemming.  I used the full yard as well so no difference there. 

The next important measurement is the neckline hole which you get by folding the yard in quarters, all of which you can see on her video here. She cut a 6 inch hole, I cut a 5 1/2 inch hole. This hole she leaves for you to finish as you want. I serged mine, turned it and topstitched with two rows. I had to snip a bit at the curves and therefore the two rows of stitching. With the linen it all pressed beautifully down. 

 Now you can try on the poncho and see how long you want it. She cut hers at 18 inches. I cut mine at 16 3/4. That includes  a finished length of 15 1/4 inches and a hem of 1 1/2 which includes a 1/4 inch fold under and 1 1/4 inch hem. This is the measurement you will get when you fold the poncho in half ,on a table, at the neckline, across the shoulders, a big rectangle with the neckline hole on top and raw edges on the other three sides. Her 18 inches and my 16 3/4 are the measurement, basically, from what would be our shoulder seam to the hem edge. 

Here you can see that I mitered all the corners. I really think it is necessary to do little touches like this so the whole thing just doesn't look like a rag thrown over the shoulders. If you are wondering why I just didn't serge it and turn that under, I did a sample and found it left a pretty visible ridge line on the right side of the hem. The folded plain edge of the linen gave a much flatter finish so I went with that. Remember, as Roberta Carr says, "reduce bulk whenever possible."

The last important measurement is where to put the ties under the arms. 

She suggests soutache braid which I happened to have a ton of. But how do I connect with a bit of class? I had to sleep on this one.  She went ten inches up for hers.  I went seven inches up for mine.  I cut my braid 12 inches long.  I liked the dangling cords. 

With the hem all pressed as if ready to be sewn, open it up.  You can see that it has been pressed under one quarter inch and then pressed again into an inch and a quarter hem. Determine where your braid will go. Again, mine were 7 inches up.  I took a piece of  Wonder Tape and placed it on the inside hem on where I marked  and placed my braid on top. It's important that the braid be perpendicular to the edge, nice and straight. 

Now, fold up your hem. You are looking at the  inside of the garment here. Bring the long end of the braid over and line it up right over the piece inside you just taped down. Pin. Bring it to the machine. 

Now stitch right  in the center of the braid. I used a 1.5 stitch length.  It should catch both layers of braid.  Doesn't that look nice and finished instead of a bunch of zigzagging? Your stitching opens up the middle of the braid. 

Above is the outside of the garment. I like how this puts the braid and its tie at the very edge of the hem. 

I hope you give this cropped poncho a try. It is so easy and can be whipped out in no time.  Sagers had on a sheer version with a fitted white tank, very attractive. I can see this for winter in a sweater knit or even a thin but nice fleece. Let me know if you have any questions. particularly in regard to the petite thing.  A couple more things..........

I've gotten a bit more inspiration from Sagers and this was in my donate pile, a dress I bought under duress. We were far from home and had an unexpected evening out and needed something  a bit nicer than what our bags held. It never fit, was too big then, way too big now, and I just never liked it, but loved the fabric. It will become something else soon, I hope. Love the fabric. Next......

I have the fastest growing hair in America and it is driving me nuts, nuts I tell ya. My little pixie cut went Covid. I have cut it twice, myself,  a big amount. It took GREAT effort to get it to look this decent and I just don't have the time, at least its not a priority. I don't feel comfortable with getting my hair done yet either. So I will keep hacking at was looking rather "mullet" last week and dealing. I miss my pixie cut, so very easy. Peace and love to all........Bunny