I had my eye on this little Liberty of London blouse at Target, but knew that it would be a little boxy and not so attractive on my figure. After eyeing the price tag of only $19.99 I thought.....I'll gather under the bust to make an empire waist and then it will be just my style.' Intending to do a DIY tutorial, I started documenting the before and after.
THE BEFORE
{veins on hands appear larger in photos!!}
I ended up with no tutorial. It was harder than I thought. I will share my process though and suggest if you want to give it a try to start with a cotton, single layer, a-line tee instead of a double-lined, with darts, silky as snot, material shirt.
I tried the shirt on inside out...marking the front of the blouse with a straight pin just under my bust after I gathered it with my fingers. Then, I took off the shirt and eyeballed the line from side hem to side hem. I cut a piece of skinny elastic to the length of the width of the blouse from side hem to side hem, while elastic was stretched out fairly tight. I pinned one side and then started baste stitching (widest stitch available) from the pinned side, while stretching elastic, until I got to the other side....following pins I had marked for my line. I tried the blouse on with the baste stitch and after deciding that it worked, I restitched the line, again stretching the elastic, with a regular stitch. And, voila....a gathered empire waist blouse.
THE AFTER
A CLOSE-UP
Also, after sewing I decided to step out of my comfort zone just a bit and I pulled the bright blue cardigan from my closet and chose to add some color! Sorry, the tutorial didn't work out. But glad the project did!!
This is why you are the QUEEN!!!! lol
ReplyDeletelove it - wish i had the guts to try stuff like this! and dave is too funny! pink polka dot umbrellas and posing in the background for pictures - priceless :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm TOTALLY lost! I wish I could understand and do something neat like this!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I remember when you moved into that modular home on Solano. "I think I'll make some drapes for the windows" you said. You bought a bunch of material, held the material up to the window and cut and sewed - up and down from the window all day. Amazing!
ReplyDeleteyeah, that was like greek to me but oh, do i wish i understood!! i would have so many more adorable tops like this. and yay for you going with that splash of color in the after pictures!!! you are too cute :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I was your neighbor! Very cute!
ReplyDelete