Minty linen peplum top from a dress pattern!

4.29.2016

Minty linen peplum top from a dress pattern!

Oh, Oregon spring... 80 degrees one day, pouring rain for 20 minutes one crazy morning a few days later, sunny again, 36 degrees as I drove to work the other day, then forecasted for 90 this weekend... I'm making the best of it, though, and have already pulled out my summer clothes and started making some new ones!

Last summer I made this lovely lightweight denim ruffle/peplum top from a fave dress pattern and I absolutely love it! But as I've mentioned recently, I've decided I really need to get some more colors and interesting textures in my wardrobe cause most of what I wear is black, grey, or denim. Not great for getting in the spring mood.

When I made that top I used the bodice from Simplicity 1873 as my pattern, but I cut out a size too big and I didn't add the waist darts. But, that pattern has nice bust darts so the top still had good shape. This time, I was using bias-cut fabric that used to be a skirt (!) so I was very limited on fabric and used the bias. I tried the same technique, not adding the waist darts, but with the bias that made the top HUGE! So I took the skirt off, added the front and back waist darts, and put the skirt back on--and it fits great. Pulls over the head without a zipper but still has a nice fitted shape.

Also because of the limited fabric and because it's linen so it's perfect with raw edges and a little more casual look, I cut the neck and armholes without the seam allowance and didn't hem them at all! I used a very slightly darker aqua thread to show off the exposed edge.

This linen is so nice to work with and wear!

And it totally calls for breaking out the white jeans. I love white jeans.

Aqua and white could look too sweet, so I made it a little edgy with the aviators and of course, trusty jean jacket!

Pattern: Simplicity 1873
Modifications:

• Made up a peplum skirt instead of the skirt
• Cut it all on the bias
• Cut the neck and arms lower to remove the seam allowance and did the whole thing unlined

Based on how much I love the denim version from last year, I think this top will have quite the versatile life!

You can shop these spring/summer staples to go with your DIY tops this season here!

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Comfy lightweight denim ruffle top

5.01.2015

Comfy lightweight denim ruffle top

Notice a trend in my recent sewing? I love denim. I've been wearing a lot of it (mixed denim jackets and jeans, even!) and have now made two dresses (1, 2) and this top out of this perfect lightweight denim from one of the apparel collections at JoAnn. And I made this lightweight pinstripe denim dress the other week!

A long time ago I shared how to make a peplum top out of any dress pattern. Important stuff, people. This top uses method #2: a simple short gathered skirt attached at the waist of the bodice, in place of the skirt-length real skirt.

Except, to create a looser top, I didn't put in the darts on this Simplicity 1873 bodice, and I cut it out a size too big. (I chose this pattern because it does have a substantial bust dart in the side seam, which I did add for shaping. It is a very versatile pattern--see all my uses of it here!)

As a dress pattern, it's meant to be lined, but this denim is perfect for an unlined finish so I used single fold bias tape and trimmed away some excess seam allowance around the neckline and arm openings to give the same finished dimensions with a bias binding.

Loose = no zipper! Easy to sew and wear!

Of course it goes great with white jeans! (Who can wait till after Memorial Day to wear them!?!??!) I layered it under a boxy lightweight coat.

Jacket: J.Crew via Goodwill. Jeans: Lucky Brand via Goodwill. Purse: Nine West (similar). Shoes: Target old. Top: DIY!

Now bring on more warm weather like we've been having!

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A new peplum top variation: pleated peplum and winter party look

1.22.2014

A new peplum top variation: pleated peplum and winter party look

I've made many peplum tops in my day, but most of them are summery and lightweight and in light colors. I have two main peplum top methods, both using regular dress patterns and then adding a skirt--circle or gathered. But this is a new variety: a pleated peplum!

First inspired by this cute purple peplum top:

Source

And here's another recent inspiration: this J.Crew Factory collared peplum top:

And here's my version! From a very purple satin I bought literally years ago--I remember, it was February of 2010--for another project but never used. I even bought the zipper back then, which was nice for now (remember my 2014 sewing resolutions? Having zippers is still a bit of a luxury for me!).

I used my old fave Simplicity 2444 because I figured a basic dress bodice would be good, and the angle of the darts on 2444 is nice. But now, looking up at the original purple inspiration again, I see a princess seamed bodice like the one on Simplicity 1913 would have been almost identical! The fit on that one is pretty good, too. Oh, well. Next time.

I didn't use a pattern for the skirt part; it's just the width of the fabric, two layers, sewn together/understitched then pleated to the waist. I'd probably use one and a half panels or even two next time for a fuller skirt!

With jeans and heels, perfect easy party look!

But, I won't be buying that shiny satin at JoAnn again. I actually thought at one point of using it inside out, because the other side looks kind of like a matte taffeta, but I literally forgot until I had sewn all the darts and vertical seams this time. Oh, well. Shiny it is!

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How to Wear DIY: The soft peplum top on errand date night

5.24.2013

How to Wear DIY: The soft peplum top on errand date night

Happy, happy Friday before the long weekend! I have some big ideas for projects to do this weekend, but am not going anywhere and hope to spend some quality time relaxing around the house. I need it.

Here's a How to Wear DIY from last Friday's [extremely thrilling] date night--Home Depot for replacement faucet supplies, then Trader Joe's, woot woot! Wore the loose peplum top I made earlier this year, with my new fave big tote bag and some black skinnies.

I think I could seriously use another of those loose woven tops this spring/summer. Super comfy, like a tee, but more structured and suitable for wearing with other cute pieces! I have a harder time dressing up a tee. So here I am rockin' it at Home Depot.

Jacket: Nordstrom Rack. Bag: Target. Jeans: Goodwill. Shoes: Target via Goodwill. 
Sunglasses: Dollar Tree, not ashamed to admit! ;) Peplum top: DIY, here!

Looking at that lovely evening last week, and then looking out the window at the rain... siiiigh. Weather for Memorial Day weekend is always such a crapshoot here--I distinctly remember a couple of them where it was super sunny one minute, raining the next. My prediction is my weekend will involve more jeans than shorts. Oh, well.

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How to make a peplum top out of any dress pattern! Two ways...

4.11.2013

How to make a peplum top out of any dress pattern! Two ways...

I know that peplums may not be the first trend you think of when you think "spring"... but I definitely look forward to a chance to wear a top without several layers under and over it to keep warm, and I've really loved wearing the peplum tops I made last summer! (See all my peplum projects here!)

While I'm pretty sure you can find a pattern for a peplum tank these days, I've never used one or needed one. You can easily use any natural waist dress pattern and add a short peplum-length skirt instead of the skirt the pattern calls for! And, dress patterns tend to have a better fit than a tank top or blouse pattern, which are usually even looser and hard to fit.

Here's some examples. I've used two methods for converting fave dress patterns to top patterns.

Peplum Top Method 1: Circle Skirt

You don't need a pattern for a circle skirt. There are some great tutorials out there, so check out this or this and cut a 1/2, 3/4, or full circle skirt for your top! The length only needs to be about 8"-10", usually, depending on your height and how long you want the top to be.

Circle skirts are kind of a pain to hem, so for mine I've twice done a lining of self-fabric or coordinating fabric and sew right sides together along the long (outer circle edge) side. Then just sew right sides together on the outer fabric to the bodice, and finish your seam allowance inside.

Circle skirt peplums work well on a fitted top like one of these...

My seersucker princess seam tank and Simplicity 1913

My pleated front bodice from Simplicity 1873

This one actually was a dress first, then a top, made with Simplicity 2444

Peplum Top Method 2: Gathered Skirt

Even easier than a circle skirt is a gathered skirt. Seriously snip along the selvage of your fabric about 8"-10", or whatever length you want, and tear across to the other selvage. Now you have a rectangle approx. 10"x45", for standard fabric, and once you sew the selvages together (at least at the hem, maybe leaving an opening at the top for your zipper) you have a wide tube. Then hem the bottom edge and gather the top edge. Then sew to your bodice the same way you would anything with a gathered skirt or cuff!

I love the look of the gathered peplum with a double peplum (pepla plural? no...) or with a looser top. Here's some examples...

My recent experimentation with a looser peplum top

And some inspirations for future projects! For these double peplum tops, you'd create two peplum tubes, one shorter than the other, then hem... pin together at the top (raw) edge and gather both as one. Then sew to bodice.

Source: pinerly.com via Suzannah on Pinterest

Source: pennypincherfashion.com via Suzannah on Pinterest

Ready for some springy top-sewing?? Anyone do any great peplum inventions lately?!!

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New peplum top experimentation

4.01.2013

New peplum top experimentation

New kind of peplum time! I got a little experimental with this one, inspired by the looser, softer, more casual peplums I've seen this season, and I'd say for the most part it worked.

So here's some less-structured peplum inspiration, then the rest of the story...

Source: mlovesm.blogspot.com via Suzannah on Pinterest

Source: margaretjacobsen.com via Suzannah on Pinterest

I've also been into tribal and Mexican prints, like many of us this season, and I had this very cool vintage woven Guatemalan-looking fabric, like a yard and a half, on the shelf. I'd saved a pic of a cute, loose tribal print top from InStyle or something last year, and kept it folded up with the fabric. But I figured I could combine the trends, right??

So, which pattern to use? I have some looser top patterns, but I hardly trust them to fit better than a pillowcase given modern pattern fits. So I used the same (type of) basic fitted dress pattern I have for several of my peplum top pattern modifications--Simplicity 1873.

Here's the experimental part: to make the fit looser and less fitted (and, as it turns out to make it pull over the head rather than zipper! So the sewing only took like 20 minutes!), I just didn't put in the waist darts. Whoa. Crazy. (I also cut the sleeves a little more open, wider down the shoulder.)

I wasn't sure if this would make it super unflattering, but I think it worked... (you tell me, I guess). The good thing about this pattern compared to Simplicity 2444 or some others is that it does have side bust darts, so I was able to give the bust a little shaping without the waist tapering. I've never felt confident making one of those flat square tops with arm openings like some people make... they're sometimes cute on them, but I'm not sure I could pull that off! I need a little more feminine shape!

Here it is!

Worn loose, or belted! A skinny belt would be cute, too, but this one was the first I grabbed.

Not bad for 20 minutes of sewing! Largely because there was no lining or zipper--I used black single-fold bias tape for the neck and arm openings. Whew!! Speed sewing!

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Weekend How to Wear DIY: The remade peplum top, with an edge

11.20.2012

Weekend How to Wear DIY: The remade peplum top, with an edge

Had a great weekend last weekend, and have a great How to Wear DIY to share with you! First... so, I remade that dress into a peplum top recently, and wow, do I like it better as a shirt. Wore it with my totally hardcore *not* fake leather jacket, cuffed jeans and wedges... can only get away with this look for a little longer before it's too cold! Or rainy. Wore it for the five seconds of dry weather before the downpour began and has continued...

 Jacket: Ross (similar/similar/similar). Jeans: Levi's. Shoes: Target via Goodwill (similar).

Earrings: ?. Top: DIY, from a (homemade) dress!

Also last weekend--we went to the Portland Bloggers November event, an SEO workshop with an SEO specialist from this super cool local web marketing company who tailored his presentation toward bloggers. The twenty or so of us at the event are used to writing our blogs, keeping up on social media, doing our best with design, etc., but none of us knew much about search engine optimization! So we all learned a lot. My husband even had a good time. and, as always, Jenni of A Well-Crafted Party did a great job with decor and swag! Here's my Instagram of my husband's Portland Blogger pride. ;)

So, great weekend and now, only a couple more days till the big Thanksgiving holiday!

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Self-made dress makeover, into a top!

10.30.2012

Self-made dress makeover, into a top!

I just did an upcycle/makeover of a clothing item I made myself to begin with--how "meta" am I?? ;)

I made this dress last year and totally liked it--the iceskater shape, the flattering waist and neckline, and that great cottony double-knit (worn here). But I didn't wear it much, and this fall I wanted more peplum tops! Since I loved my springy/summery ones so much.

So I cut off the bottom of the skirt all the way around and hemmed it, and turned the sleeves into facings (cut off most of the sleeve, pressed and understitched), and voila! New top!

Much more wearable for every day. Although I haven't yet mastered layering with a peplum top... always worn mine in the hot weather. Ideas?

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New fave peplum tank, before summer's over

9.19.2012

New fave peplum tank, before summer's over

I know, I know, it's almost fall... but it's still been in the 80's and 90's here, and I'm not ready for burgundy and corduroy yet. So before summer's over, officially and effectively, I have to share this top with you!

I made this a few weeks ago and have already worn it three times, I like it so much! Would have shared it earlier, but... moving and all... speaking of still living in summer, I haven't read all of my August magazines yet, but my September InStyle will be there when I get to it (--as will the stack of October magazines I just got! Aaack!). And I didn't get quite enough summer yet anyway, so I'm a little in denial that it'll be boot weather soon.

So--my new fave peplum tank, and maybe if I'm lucky I'll get one more wearing out of it before I feel ridiculous walking around in bright blue sleeveless. So, if you remember, I made this top earlier this summer (worn here), using a basic dress pattern and making only the bodice plus a circle skirt peplum. It's so, so cute! I love the simple fabric but it still pulls an outfit together immediately because it's so cheery and fun. So I really wanted another peplum top, but in a different vein...

I had this very plain bright blue quilter's cotton I got at JoAnn on super cheap, just an impulse buy because I liked the color. I normally don't use quilter's cotton for clothing; doesn't lay right or hold up in my experience, but I wanted to play with a pleated front bodice and this plain fabric was perfect. I used Simplicity 1913 again for the front and back bodice pieces (lining), cut the front wider, put in tucks of various--but symmetrical--sizes. Then I added the little circle skirt, and voila!

Close-up!

So thanks for everything, yellow seersucker, but I have a new fave peplum tank. At least for the next week or so of summer. ;)

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