BWOF 07-2008-128, Gather Back Tank

I didn't think much of this 07-2008-126 tank when the July issue came out. I liked the idea of the interest being in the back, but it's much more casual and sporty than my usual style.

However, when I started planning for my beach trip it came back to me. I was also thinking about a tank BWOF published sometime in the past year or two that has a split back, but I ran across this one first. I had the fabric left over from the batwing top view of Simplicity 4020 I made about two years ago. I didn't have much left and I love the print and colors so much that I had been "saving it." "Too good to use," for me, sometimes has nothing to do with cost, as I'd gotten this from the $2.97/yd table at G Street. I decided to just go ahead and do it, even if I would end up with a trendy, rather than a timeless piece.

It's an interesting pattern--the tank is one piece with only a CB seam and then the inset piece. To get the back hem to hit me in the right place--right above the curve of the bum rather than sort of pulled over it, I increased the height of the cut out/the gather distance. I liked this better anyway as it wasn't quite gathery enough along the sides as drafted. I don't know how many people would need this adjustment. I'm petite but long waisted, so I think it had more to do with my curvy bum than my height.

The first thing I did to the back inset is interface the fold line with knit interfacing, which is not recommended in the instructions. I actually wish I had interfaced the whole thing. I don't know why they don't recommend this, as very few knit fabrics have the body to hold a press without interfacing. The instructions have you fold the inset in half along the foldline, wrong sides together, and basically treat it as one piece after that. I creased the fold line, and the sewed the upper/out half in place with the sewing machine. Then I turned up the inner/facing half and stitched that to the seam allowances by serger, just to make sure I got it right. You do need to put in the hem before setting in the inset.

The instructions have you make a bias binding, fold in half wrong sides together, sew right sides together with front, and turn over and topstitch. I didn't have enough fabric to cut the binding on the bias, which was really no problem in this stretchy jersey. I cut the binding an inch shorter than called for and stretched as I sewed. I actually liked the way the binding looked before turning it under so I left it out. This is the first time I've done that sort of look and I am a fan. I will try it again the next time I am binding the neck of a t-shirt.

This isn't much to look at from the front, but it's a fun little top. I am considering making it for the gym, scooping out the back armscye to give it more of a racerback. I always wear fitted tank tops in the gym because that way the fabric doesn't get in the way, but I think this could be a really cute look. If I don't end up liking it to work out, it won't be too much wasted time or fabric. For all I go to the gym twice a day, I have never made any workout clothes! I'm just not a sporty person so I have not been motivated/interested in sewing for the gym.

This is actually the first project I've sewn from the July 2008 issue, though I have another one planned, the 107 dress. Yes, I am shamelessly copying Christina; I even plan to use a hem trim. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? Depending on how long I subscribe to BWOF, I assume that eventually I will end up sewing at least one thing from each issue. I love having the library to flip through when I'm looking for ideas.

All photos of this project are here and the review is here.


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Thank you for the encouragement on the yellow eyelet dress. I really didn't think before posting the picture. I really, really, really did not intend it to be "Look at me! I'm skinny but I think it's cute to act like I believe otherwise! Say nice things to me!" and I apologize deeply if it came off like that. I try to avoid inflicting my neuroses on the general public! I just looked in the mirror that day, and whoa.

It's not that I think I look bad in the Vogue dress. I am very happy with my body and proud of how strong I am from working out (millions of pushups yesterday at boxing--ok, only 50--and I didn't have to drop to my knees for any of them). It's more like this story: I have a friend who is well endowed in the chestal region and one day she said that she felt like her boobs were unprofessional. I was like, "That's ridiculous! They are a body part. A body part cannot be inherently unprofessional. Inappropriate excessive cleavage, sure, that can be unprofessional. But the ownership of boobs cannot." And yet, I guess I sort of feel like that about my booty. It is just so out there! But I don't have to hide the fact that I'm a woman to be professional, especially in my very female-empowered office.

I think I will make the eyelet into BWOF 04-2008-115 instead. I love the lines of it, and the CF and CB seams give me room to adjust the fit. And it's a petite pattern! Do you think the pieces of this one will break up the eyelet too much? The motif is fairly large; the flowers are about 2.5 inches in diameter. But it's a graphic/stylized pattern that doesn't immediately read "large flower," which I think will avoid choppiness. (And I'm still looking for the perfect pattern for my 1.5 yards of silk jersey also in the pic. Why oh why didn't I get 2 yards????)