Making a zero waste top: episode III

Hi Everyone, welcome to week 3 of this zero waste top project.

So far…..

Week 1 showed the idea I started from. I made an initial pattern, cut one out and pinned it together.

In week 2, I sewed a proper sample, had a think about making multiple sizes and found some fabrics to use.

Here’s the sample, sewn in curtain fabric:

I tried this sample on several appropriately-sized bodies during the week and all went okay.

I’ve spent the past week creating multiple sizes – I’m doing 12 sizes. 12 sizes is ambitious even for non-zero waste patterns and to be honest it was really hard. So hard I felt like giving up. However, perseverance is what gets you there in the end so I pushed on.

To manage the sizes and hopefully achieve clarity in the cutting instructions, I grouped the sizes into four sets: 8-10-12, 14-16-18, 20-22-24 and 26-28-30.

I cut out three tops (sizes 16, 22 and 28 – the middle sizes of each cluster) even though I wasn’t 100% happy with the pattern yet, but things became clearer as I sewed and on Friday afternoon I had a revelation and got the cutting layouts sorted.

Here’s a size 16 in checked fabric. This top works well in checks.

Here’s a size 22 in the tiny gingham:

Here’s a size 28 in the lovely blue poplin:

Erm…yes…at the time of taking this photo the size 28 was still in bits.

However, I’ve now finished sewing all 3 samples (except for hems and buttons) and will try them on fit models and any hapless visitor to the house who happens to be the correct measurements – I have no inhibitions about saying: Excuse me, but what size would you be? Would you mind trying this on? Would you mind if I quickly measured you?

The Japanese work-wear style indigo chambray from The Drapery arrived at the end of the week. It’s possibly THE perfect fabric for this top. It’s actually 148cm wide so I’m cutting it around the other way (need 112cm x 148cm).

Apologies to Donna-in-the-comments; the green vintage argyle knit fabric didn’t get made during the week, but possibly this week 🙂

So this week I’ll be trying the samples on bodies and beginning to write the cutting and sewing instructions.

Please come back next week!