BWOF T-Shirt 07-2007-105

I thought it was time to get some use out of my BWOF magazines. I always see something I like but I really do hate tracing off the patterns. I bought some stretch jersey in Paris and after spending as much as I did, I don't want this stuff sitting around forever.

The first BWOF magazine that I received (via EBay) was the July 2007 issue and it's still my favorite. I picked out the top I wanted and had to laugh when the very next day Angelia posted on her blog that she was going to make the very same thing.

I checked out pattern review and read that the neck tended to gape and that clear elastic would help. I asked Angelia about this problem and she said she used a VERY stretchy fabric and had no problems. She also said that she made her top 2 sizes smaller but added a little extra to the length and the bust.

I made a size 36 even though my measurements are a 38.

I decided to play it safe and tried to put clear elastic in the neck line.

Tried, being the operative word here.

For once I was smart and practiced on a piece of scrap fabric first.

No matter how many times I tried, it just didn't work. I used clear elastic, a ballpoint needle, and just about every tension imaginable but each attempt was a failure. The zigzag stitches just puckered and pulled the elastic and the results had a tunnel like appearance. I thought I would just place the elastic on the edge of the wrong side, zig zag, turn the seam allowance over and stitch.

But there was no way I would have been able to turn that mess under and stitch in place, so I didn't use anything. Luckily it worked and it doesn't gap, but I have to find out what I'm doing wrong.

The next problem was when I tried the top on, I was dismayed to find that the sleeve cap, instead of sitting at the edge of my shoulder, was pulled up onto my shoulder and I should have made the size 38. I then just could have tapered the pattern to a 36 which is what I'll do next time.

As it is, I took the sleeves off and reattached them with a very small seam allowance at the top and then went back to the regular seam allowance in the armpit area. It looks better and should be ok.

If anyone can tell me what I'm doing wrong with the elastic, I'll love you forever!!! I would like to make this top again in less stretchy fabric.

Here is what arrived in my mail today and I'm going to watch it before I head off to work tonight. Angelia (is it obvious that I stalk this poor woman?) said that she thought the Islander Zipper insertion technique was the best. She bought a copy for around $40.00 so I jumped on line and found this. SmartFlix will rent just about any CD imaginable for the do-it-yourselfer at the price of 9.99 total. They send you a CD, you watch it and send it back within a week. I'll give this a try and see if I can understand it. Hopefully, I'll absorb some of it.