Saturday, June 06, 2015

The Lisette Top 'n my TNT pants

These pieces were the result of a dream. Honestly! Last Thursday I'd been sewing for three days straight and I was moving very slowly that morning. My daughter came by to check on me and after she left to run an errand, I went and took a nap.



I woke up with this look burning into my brain because the thought of it was just so enticing. I don't usually sew pants in spring/summer but a pair of black pants is a good thing - no matter the season. This is my third Lisette top. I am posting these out of order because I love this pattern. Can I say that again - Love.this.pattern! I've been looking for a great top and this one fits the bill for me!

Construction ~
To get the eyelet design evenly at the hemline on all of the pieces, I laid them on the border lining up the marked hemline on the pattern pieces.



I sewed them from the hemline up to the underarm sleeve to insure that the hemline matched up. Any extra pieces (seam overlap) were cut off to clean finish the seam.

On the other versions of this top, I didn't like how the pattern suggested finishing the neckline. For the fruit version, I added binding per the pattern suggestion but I kept thinking that a lined version would be awesome. 



I made a back lining/yoke pattern piece for this version and cut it & the front yoke from a black cotton batiste. I sewed this to the neckline, flipped it in, edgestitched it, and stitched the front facing in the ditch. The armhole facing was basted at both sides and the center back was handstitched to the zipper tape.

Originally I also cut the sleeves and the front yoke on the border. I assembled everything and ended up with this hot mess.



Not exactly what I'd seen in my dream. I was also having some challenges with the pants. I'd slimmed the front and back pattern pieces down by an inch on each side. Cut the pattern pieces on the cross wise grain with the stretch running around my body...but the pants were also perplexing me. I still need to make another alteration to the body of the pants. Remove some length from the front and add some to the back. 

At this point I'd been sewing for 11 hours and was disgusted...totally and utterly disgusted. I posted this pic to Instagram turned everything off and went to bed.



The next morning I recut the sleeves from leftover solid black fabric and ripped the embroidered ones out of the top. I'm so thrilled that I bought so much of this fabric because the excess allowed me to recut the sleeves and the yoke.

I jimmed the pants - started the elastic about an inch lower on the front and right at the back and finished the pants. I will need to make more adjustments to the pants pattern but the outfit was finished.

Here are a few pics of the finished outfit ~






I have included a back shot to show you that I've got the pants to fit my backside which is new for me...*sigh* but I have quite a few wrinkles down the legs. Some is fabric related and some are fitting challenges that I need to address.

I could have omitted this picture but since my sewing this year is all about fitting my new body, I want to be transparent about how I'm working through my challenges.

Otherwise, the final outfit looks like how I dreamt it and I'm going to wear it. I was halfway through sewing this top when I realized that I made a similar one back in 2007...so I guess I really like this style! 

The second version of the Lisette Top is up next...

...as always more later!



42 comments:

  1. Great looking outfit. The eyelet at the bottom of the blouse (only) really makes it stand out, while keeping the top looking sleek. Thanks for sharing all of your sewing adjustments to your new trim body!

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  2. I love the eyelet on the bottom of the top. The entire outfit looks "spendy"...very pretty!

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  3. What a beautiful outfit. You look marvelous.

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  4. Carolyn, it looks fantastic and recutting the sleeves in black has worked beautifully. I will definitely be buying this pattern! I'm really enjoying your wardrobe reinvention. Love how beautifully you have lineup the eyelet pattern too.

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  5. So pleased you managed to finish it.

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  6. I am glad you were able to save the top by recutting the sleeves. That outfit looks fantastic on you.

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  7. I've always heard you should pay attention to your dreams and aren't you glad you did? This is just lovely Carolyn! Black pants can be worn anytime and you look just great :)

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  8. Looks great. I love that top. Could some of the pant problems be a result of cutting the fabric on the crossgrain? Someone did that in a class once with Louise Cutting's One Seam pants and she had fitting problems that she usually doesn't have.

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  9. The sewing Gods are at work. The dream and the beautiful pantsuit is the evidence of their of their blessings. Oh but there is more fabulousity to come.

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  10. Beautiful, as always! Thank you for sharing your ups and downs... makes me realize that everyone has issues no matter how long they have sewed!! Thanks for keeping it real.

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  11. i love this outfit, and you know if you're in black that's saying a lot from me !!! :))) love how you placed the border, too.

    you look so happy, and i love that most of all.

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  12. Really beautiful and sleek top. You look very chic. Beautiful use of the border print. I love it!

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  13. Lovely outfit! Keeping the border to just the bottom of the top is more classic as well as dramatic.

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  14. Great new outfit and love the shoes too. You just look like you are having such a good time in casual clothes with some fun details!

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  15. Very nice and looks so good on you!

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  16. I have those kind of dreams too. I have a very similar embroidered fabric (Fabric Mart?) and I never imagined making a dressy top with it. A very beautiful ensemble.

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  17. That is a super outfit, love it on you and you lounging in the beautiful chair is my fav. picture.

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    1. elizabeth - you can thank my daughter for that pic - it was her idea!

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  18. A lovely polished look. Love that border.

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  19. OMG, I love that top!

    Are those even really fitting wrinkles on your pants in the backview? They kind of look like they might be resulting from the way that you're standing. Take another picture again, this time with your legs nearly together and your weight evenly distributed on both legs. I bet that a bunch of those wrinkles go away. Maybe you'll still need a little bit of a flat seat adjustment, but I suspect that you'll be pleasantly surprised.

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    1. Michelle honey I do NOT have a flat seat! *LOL* I'm sure the way I cut the fabric has something to do with the wrinkling but I do need to work on my pants pattern or get another one.

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  20. You have left just the right amount of contrast on the top. Perfect with the shoes! Great save.

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  21. Great outfit. I am assuming this would work well for your new position. Border prints are such a fun challenge and I know you have used many. I'd say you have it down!

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    1. Ah Bunny you would think so right? Nope, I'm overdressed in this outfit! It's a real casual workplace.

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  22. How cute is this outfit?!!!!! Love, love, love it. Thanks for sharing...I'm off to try to buy this pattern now!

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  23. Your hair looks great in these photos. So long. I love how the top worked, sorry it frustrated you so. But you won! g

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  24. You look amazing in this outfit - slim and happy. The embroidery pattern just lifts the top and trousers to make it look really expensive!!

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  25. Great top and love the use of the border print.

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  26. What a lovely, very pretty and very slimming outfit, Caroline. I am glad you found a solution, and it came out brilliantly!

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  27. OMG!, that is such a cute outfit!! I love how the top turned out.

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  28. Way to stick with it through all the challenges! The final outfit looks great.

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  29. Coming out of lurkdom to say that I love what you did with the border print! I bought the same fabric and made a pencil skirt, which is too small now. Sure wish I had thought ahead to buy extra! You are the queen of border prints!

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  30. I love this and it gives me an idea as to what to do with a gorgeous blacklinen fabric with embroidered border in my stash. Thank you!

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  31. Your top is beautiful. Pants are such a bear to fit but I know you will get there.

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  32. I love all your creations, but for some reason I especially love this one on you. I really admire your determination to make this work. I tend to get really frustrated this far into a project, and I drag my feet on the last part. You've inspired me to drag out that bucket organizer that I wanted to throw away, and find a way to make it work. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  33. Awesome outfit! I love the border. Great call on the sleeves. And omigosh, those shoes - love them too!

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  34. I love this outfit. That top is gorgeous with the white eyelet border. Love the shoes also!

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  35. So chic! What a great outfit!

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  36. I LURVE the blouse very very much! As for the under-butt wrinkles, I get those too and there is a tutorial in Threads website: http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/17051/a-fix-for-a-baggy-seat

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  37. Just found your blog and I am enjoying it thoroughly. It will be bookmarked. Your sewing skills are excellent!! This black & white outfit is just too adorable for words. Well done.

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