6.29.2012

high | low

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hey! remember this top? i drafted and sewed this high/low hem silk tee at the end of may and gave a quick glimpse of it during the final days of mmmay. and now here we are at the end of june and i'm finally getting it properly documented on the old blog. but thats just how it goes sometimes, isn't it?

i had bought a small amount of yardage of this tessuti silk georgette (no longer listed online) and knew i wanted to make something loose and flowy with it. i decided to try out the mullet hem trend on this top to see if i liked it, and after wearing it a few times now, both backwards (like in these pictures) and forwards, i have to admit that it definitely has its appeal. for my part - i'm much more comfortable with the length in the front and wear it backwards more often than not.

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the neckline is faced with a bias strip - a technique that was used a lot with those vogue/rachel comey patterns i'm so fond of and that i found gave a nice finish for thin fabrics.

i'm also wearing some ikat shorts that i made from the leftover fabric from my dress. these were also a quick sort of "in between projects" project. i drafted the pattern using the built by wendy pants pattern i used to make my jeans and compared measurements to my one and only other pair of shorts - a blue rtw pair bought from urban outfitters many many many moons ago now.

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i'm not even going to tell you how many mosquito bites i got while taking these pictures. just know that i got some of them too - so long suckers!!!!

some of you intimated that you might like a tutorial on drafting this top. let me tell you - it was so darn easy that a tutorial seems kind of silly. but ask and you shall receive! i took this as an opportunity to learn me some adobe illustrator skillzzzzzzzzz which, if we're being perfectly honest (and i'm always honest amos on this blog... pppfffttt!) was really the delay in getting this top posted in a timely fashion. but you know... its all for the sake of furthering my edumucation!! please excuse my less than smooth curves...

i used a random t-shirt pattern i happened to have to start with, but you can use a sloper, or some other basic bodice pattern that you may have on hand. since there are no darts or anything in this shirt you can just ignore them if your pattern has them.



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step 1: lay your bodice block front on a table and trace the neckline and center front line. if you want you can change the shape/depth of the neckline. also determine the length you want the CF to be. i did this super low tech - just grabbed a tape measure and measured over the fullest part of my bust to where i thought i might want the hem.

step 2: put a pin at the corner where the neckline and shoulder meet. this will be your pivot point. now pivot your bodice block front out until it looks good. no really. thats what i did. okay well actually i pivoted it out until my shoulder seam was at a right angle. 

step 3: trace the new side angle and shoulder seam. extend the side seam. extend the sleeve until it looks good. you can use a measuring tape to make sure your sleeve (plus hem allowance) will be long/short enough. make sure it will be wide enough. then use your eyeballs or a french curve to connect the CF and the new extended side seam.


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step 4: do the same thing for your bodice block back. make sure your shoulder, armhole, underarm and side seams are the same length as the front. extend the CB line and use your french curve or your trusty eyeballs to draw a curve for the lower hem.


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step 5: lay your new shirt front and shirt back pattern side by side matching up the side seam. depending on the angle of your curved hem you may need to smooth out the curve at the side seam (mine was oddly pointy) and true all your seams.

and voila!! a high/low hem shirt pattern!! wear backwards and forwards for two fun looks!

xx

22 comments:

  1. I love that you are wearing it "backwards"! It looks fantastic. I'll have to give your tutorial a try!

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  2. i really love the "backwards" styling! beautiful top!

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  3. You. YOU. YOU ARE KILLING IT. Good god woman, both of things need to be on my body immediately. Love the pattern mixing, love the everything. Looks so easy breezy cover girl steezy. And also, your shoes are divine. Sorry about the skeeters. Vinegar works real good, as does carefully itching AROUND the bite. Thanks for the tut - maybe this is what I will do with one of my mystery silks? You're inspiring me to actually make the swimsuit pdf  I've been fantasizing about putting online.....

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  4. Top and shorts are amazing!!!!! And, by the way, so are those legs!

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  5. Love your carefree style.

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  6. You are too good Sal. I love the top but the printed ikat shorts are the winner for me!

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  7. Great top! And really great job with the layout of the tutorial! And you do have great legs... It runs in the family :)

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  8. Love the shorts, the top, the shoes, the location .... A+

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  9. such a great idea to flip it around!  I loved it in its first incarnation, but I too would be less self conscious with the length in the front, but then the back is all flirty and and a bit sexy so it all balances out.  You are a genius!  I love it!

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  10. Yes, everybody else is right, this is phenomenal. Thank you!

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  11. Absolutely beautiful!  The lines are so elegant and graceful, thank you so much for showing how it is done!

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  12. I'm so happy that you posted this project and shared a tutorial as well! I had been eying that top since it showed up in one of your outfit posts!

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  13. What a beautiful silhouette! I like that it's shorter in the back and not in the front. It's modestly sexy ;) Well done! 

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  14. You just look so darned cool as always! I love the top worn 'backwards' what a great idea and your shorts are incredible...I need to get me some ikat I think!!! Also, your shoes are amazing...where are they from please?!?

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  15. Ooops, the shoes distracted me in the end! I meant to say thank you for the tutorial too ;o)

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  16. I love this top. I love that you wore in backwards. I love the shorts. I love the tutorial! Illustrator is hard to get used to but here's a big tip - the less points, the better! Also, make separate lines with the curves you want and then just join the points (right click mouse and press "join")

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  17. Love this look!  Can I BE you???  Pleeeeeeease?  And thanks for sharing how you made this tee!

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  18. Ikat shorts 4ever!  Love all the parts of this outfit but my favorite thing is all of the prints combined.  I really like the top backwards, it's unexpected and really cute! I have to ask about your shoes, please tell me they're someone one can currently purchase! 

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  19. Hi Sallie! Cool outfit! As I like your blog, I've nominated you to the Versatile blogger award. Feel free to go over my blog and read the rules for this prize. Congratulations!

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  20. my blog is Petitemess.blogspot.com

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  21. I love this top. I might try something like this for a t-shirt. This is exactly the kind of outfit I'm dreaming about lately. But ugh, the mosquitoes! They love me. It's what keeps me from wearing shorts more often, but I've been drafting a pair this week, too!  .

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