An Imby Plus Chiffon Upcycle! Can you translate Mandarin?

 

                 Pardon no makeup and eye puffs. Still dealing with blefaritis. 

This top had  a story, as most upcycles do. First, I love the results. My base came from Goodwill, a couple of years back. More on that in a moment. I never knew what I would do with the resource, just that it was beautiful and one day, inspiration would strike. It did, in the form of a competition. Being from a large family, competition is part of my DNA, and I always enjoying upcycling, I finally moved on this textile beauty. Inspiration? One of the various monthly competitions that is held by Pattern Review. It involved upcycling a pre-existing garment/s  into something for an adult, no kids or pets. It could be an accessory or garment. Immediately my resource came to mind but what to do????? Let's get this story and review going and fill you in. 

Pattern:  

For this top and it's ethereal fabric, I immediately thought of the Imby Flowy Top from Karmme Apparel.   It is a FREE pattern. The pattern is designed by Imby Lagenbach. She is not, and stresses this, a pattern designer. She designs handbags and fabrics, gorgeous ones. She has less than a handful of garment designs to motivate you to purchase her fabrics, which are beautiful. She apologized for directions, which are fine, and sizing, which is one size fits all, sizes 8-14 Australian. Oz sizes run two numbers larger than US sizes. On my second and third efforts I removed one inch from across the bodice with a simple slide over. I figure this gave me a size four. I did not adjust the bodice length. You could easily adjust this pattern either way with a muslin effort and simply sliding. I believe the sleeves and bodice have so much volume that they will fit anyone. My skirt was 76 inches wide when completed. This is not a difficult pattern. 

Fabric:

I was doing my semi-monthly visit to GoodWill a couple years back. I often head straight for the more formal dresses in the plus size area.  This dress, which sure did not look plus size, was on that rack. I checked the size tag, not that it mattered. I was desiring the fabric. All tags were still on the garment and in an Asian language. The only thing in English was "3XL". I don't think so but again, didn't matter. 

There were massive amounts of fabric in this beautiful border print. The colors were amazing. Was it silk? Turned out to be poly but no problem, still beautiful. 

You can see the waist and sizing above on me. I would guess maybe a size 14. The waist measured 36 inches. The skirt, 76.  I got it home, stared at it a few weeks, machine washed it, and hung it away. Then the upcycle contest arrived 2 years later and I knew it's moment had come. It was made for the Imby top. 

My only problem was the lack of fabric for the entire top. I didn't want a total chiffon top, anyway. I thought and thought and then decided to make this top more wearable I would make the yoke have a strong contrasting presence. It would be denim! I went to my stash of cut up jeans and was able to salvage the yoke, with pieceing from a couple of thighs, thanks to some jeans my husband could not fit into any more, too big! I don't think he ever liked them anyway. He hardly ever wore them and gave them to me a couple  years previous to use for mending. 

I measured my pattern pieces and  would JUST BARELY make my plan with the skirt fabric. I would make my ties from the waist band. It was all a go now. This is what I had left. 

Construction:   

This pattern is pretty straightforward.  There are two things to point out about the Imby top. There is a unique and very clever way to do the slit with tie on the Imby. 

The bodice/yoke has no facings or bindings, yay. It is two layers, being self-lined. First you make your ties. This is ONE long piece. Do not cut into two ties. Set aside. Next lay your bodice lining and bodice together,  then right sides facing and stitch the circular necklines together, NO SLIT SEWING, JUST THE CIRCLE. Trim and grade as normal. Don't understitch yet. With wrong lining side facing up, draw in the slit as directed. Now,  I drew the slit an inch shorter due to my height issues. Lift up the lining. Take your tie and place the center of the tie across the area directly below the neckline stitching at center back. Pin into place. That tie is tucked right up to the neckline stitching. Place the lining back down.  Baste or pin the slit area so it won't slide. Starting at the neckline edge with a 1.5 stitch length for an inch or so then back to normal length, stitch down to the point, two stitches across, then stitch back up the other side of the slit to the neckline edge again. When you approach the bottom of the slit click down the st length to 1.5 again an inch before and after. When you approach the neckline, do the same again. At the neckline edge you have sewn across the tie without even trying. Now cut down the center of the slit and grade, press and understsitch the neck and slit as much as possible. Don't force here.  You will have a tie on each side when done, sewn in with the 1.5 stitch length. It will turn the corners out beautifully. 

The only other challenge here is the meeting of the three pieces at this corner above.  This is not a pattern with a square skirt and square sleeves. There is definite shape to both, curves. There is also an angle where the yoke, sleeve and skirt meet. It is VERY, VERY important to sew only to the dot, not the edge of the fabric. Don't sew across the seam allowance here. You won't get the clean corner you see above if you do. This makes it very difficult to serge ahead and/or use French seams.  The seams are finished with serging after they were machine stitched together. Trust me on this. 

Being petite, I knew I would have to reduce the length or all this fabric could overwhelm. I removed 2 3/4 inches from the length at the hem. I first hemmed this top with a deep hem but found it flared and disturbed the drape of the fabric. I cut it way back and did a serged and machine stitched half inch hem. It draped better after that. So what you see on me is shorter than what you will see from the designer. The sleeves are the same. 

I did a bit of topstitching and decided it really added nothing to the party. I did no more. 

In Conclusion:

This is my third Imby top. I really like this pattern. It is a great fabric show-off-er. It works best with drapey fabric. I've seen it made beautifully with recycled saris. The yoke is just aching to be embroidered or painted, or to just be a foil to a wonderful border print. I think it was a great choice for my Good Will fabric. I never wanted to make that pretty dress into a dupe for me.  I just wouldn't need it. This I will wear a lot. I can see it fitting in well with my life. The denim really made the difference. Contrasts are good. We need more contrast in our life.......Happy Sewing, Bunny

So not a planner, but.............

 

I am not one of those sewists who does modules or plans out their wardrobes. I am one of those crazy babes who is always looking for the next shiny object. Really, isn't that just as OK? It works for me. I see a great bottomweight, I buy it and then maybe find a top fabric and pattern that will be perfect.  Or I will get seduced by a print, and will move all of creation to fit it into my wardrobe.  Bottom line, I love textiles of all sorts and I fall in love with them and fit them into my wardrobe. When I was a teen I had a neighbor who designed textiles for a manufacturer in neighboring New Bedford. I forget how this arrangement happened but my mom became very good friends with her.  Next thing I knew I was cleaning her apartment, at the age of 14, for  TONS of fabric samples, hot off the looms. She designed them and had to run samples before the company would commit to manufacture. Some made the cut, some failed. Either way, she discovered  I was an easy touch and thrilled to receive yards and yards of fabric every week, straight from the mill, her original designs. all for the price of dusting and vacuuming her home.  A little swish and and swipe in an already clean bathroom and I was had. 

I never knew what Marsha would bring me. I don't think she even knew. But it all made me happy. I would have fabulous conversations with this 50 year old about fabrics and dyes and the process and I was only 14. We would talk about her working as a very young woman in the garment district in NY city and working her way up the ladder. I remember, that as a single woman doing business in a tough industry my parents often accompanied her on dinner meetings with international contacts. She said she felt "safer".  Bottom line, I will blame the incredible Marsha Shear and her amazing design talents as well as her mentoring of a young girl who loved fabrics for the fact that I just don't do "plans".  I am ready for whatever comes in my door to be sewn and I will love it, enjoy sewing it and will make it work in my wardrobe. That gives me joy. Thank you so much, dear Marsha, for inspiring me with those amazing bags of your original designs. You so loved color.

Fabrics paired of with patterns:

I am currently working on this Kathryn Brenne pattern that I have been drooling over forever. Once again I am using the Sevenberry fabric found at my LQS and sold by Kauffman.  This version, however, is an oatmeal and navy colorway despite it looking different in the pic. It is a Japanese fabric and 100% cotton. All seams are being Hong Kong'ed with the print fabric you can see peeking out, a Nicolle Miller design. I am near done and can't wait to share with you the completed project. This is a great pattern.  I am really pleased with the fit. 

My sister came up recently for a visit and we are now both retired and both crazy garment sewists. I took her to my Local Quilt Shop, which is amazing, and has some quality fabrics for garments as well. They get more all the time and are often of high end Japanese origin. We had a blast shopping and compare notes each week since. She is up in Maine. What you see above is a cotton knit with a tiny bit of spandex that I will make into Mimi G turtleneck. I think I will need to tighten up the collar and may ditch the corner detail for the first effort. I love her details but am on the search for a basic Turtleneck. 

I fell in love with this flannel the minute I saw the deep, intense  red. I recently had seen this blouse made up so that the upper right corner of the bodice had narrow ties to the shoulder seam and there were also ties holding up fold up sleeves. I loved the casual look and look forward to making this. I know I will get a lot of wear out of this pairing. I have so many bottoms that will work along side this top. 

Another paired fabric is this Telio rather Picasso-esque rayon challis that I will turn into this floaty top below. 

This one will  happen soon as I love this print and you can see there is not much going on in that department right now. This is a really interesting pattern. 

Unpaired fabrics:

I have been holding on to this fabric for a couple years now. I think it came from Apple Annie's and I am determined to sew it up for this winter. I am considering the Kathryn Brenne top in the second photo. It is an exquisite cotton velveteen. Sigh,,,,,,,,The fit on the Brenne pattern is wonderful so I am ready to go on this one. Next.....

 This is a very fine wale, I'm guessing 21 wale, picked up at my LQS, again. It is superb quality and of course I am thinking slacks, some pleated trousers. I have already made a slouch hat out of a small amount but there is plenty left to play with. I will probably just use my Sure Fit sloper. It really is lovely. 

Another piece of corduroy, this time no wale and in a tiny blue and black houndstooth check. It will be great for slacks or a barn jacket, aka, "Shacket". This is not high on the list but it will get used soon enough. 

The SCORE of all SCORES:

In accumulating fabrics for winter sewing I am not above considering all sorts of opportunities. The blue cord above was gleaned from a local church affiliated thrift shop. I haven't gone to GoodWill in sometime as I am finding their clothing simply donated fast fashion and other than household needs, their merch just doesn't interest me. Yesterday I needed a basket. I am doing a donation for a group I belong to and wanted a big nice basket for bargain prices. I went into Goodwill, straight to where the baskets usually are and there was ONE, just one basket! Luckily it was exactly what I needed and three dollars. So what they hay, I decided to pour thru the racks. I was on my last rack and something caught my eye. 

 This garment had Asian tags on it, even a price, all of which meant nothing to me

What took my breath away, however, was the fabric. I could be wrong and the label may say otherwise but it looked like silk chiffon to me. It just did not have that poly feel at all and was light as air . It was nicely made, fully self lined and held lots of yardage in an amazing border print. 

The fabric was gorgeous, the colors saturated and if ever there was a digital print this was it so the age of this garment had to be recent. This skirt would be close to my ankles. I have been mooning over similar digital prints from Lady McElroy lately and then this jumps into my line of sight!  It was meant to be. 

It is very floaty and would make a lovely top. At the least it could be an amazing scarf or two for gifts. It won't get forgotten. 

I have much to keep me busy all winter. Did you notice how nothing is part of anything else, no plans, no modules? Did you also notice how happy it all makes me feel? Life is too short for me to structure my sewing . I could care less if I have six pieces that make 36 outfits. I want amazing. .............Bunny