The March challenge for Island Batik Ambassadors is to try a new technique. I went all in and decided to make myself an article of clothing with my rayon fabric. I originally received a length of red rayon, but I traded with Sally Manke for this gorgeous lavender, as red isn’t really my color.
I’m generously proportioned, so I am limited in which items of clothing I can make with two yards of fabric. I decided to go with this flowy tank top from Simplicity. (View D).
First challenge – what the heck are all of these pieces? I finally figured out what I was doing, and decided to skip the pockets on the front of the shirt. It’s a good thing I skipped them, because all of the pieces wouldn’t have fit, anyway.
Over the weekend I managed to get all of the pieces assembled, laid out, and cut. (Jeremy was more interested in me putting together a new grill with him, and then smoking pork chops than listening to me whine and grumble over how to make a shirt.) Also, I dug out my Pellon SF101 to use as interfacing, which was a mistake. 
Putting the pieces together was challenging. Rayon is wiggly. It is gorgeous, and feels great but it wiggles a lot. I also discovered that despite my intense focus, I managed to cut off some of those notch things I was supposed to leave to line pieces up. Whoops. Cutting with scissors is hard.
Here is my finished shirt. I think Pellon SF101 is not the right weight of interfacing. I’m also not sure why I would use a facing to line the neckline and armholes – it is just making everything wavy and uncooperative. I’ll be bringing this in to consult with the girls at my quilting group next week. Many of them have garment sewing experience and will give me good advice. I’m inclined to take out the facing parts and just hem the neckline and armhole.
I feel like I am letting Island Batik down this month, because I did the challenge, but I did not enjoy it. It is not a fault of the fabric, which is gorgeous. If you enjoy garment sewing, try out the batik rayon. It is beyond gorgeous, and feels great.
I will stick with quilting for now. I prefer feeling like an expert when I’m in my studio. I may do a little test with my scraps and see how the rayon quilts up.
Check out the rest of the Island Batik Ambassador’s and their projects. I’m part of an amazing group of makers.
Amy at Sew Incredibly Crazy
Anita at Quilt in a not-Shell
Anna at Ark Angel Creations
Anne at Sweetgrass Designs
Barbara at Bejeweled Quilts
Bea at BeaQuilter
Carole at Carole Lyles Shaw
Connie at Freemotion by the River
Connie at Kauffman Designs
Dione at Clever Chameleon
Geraldine at Living Water Quilter
Jackie at If These Threads Could Talk
Janet at Whispers of Yore
Jeanette at Inchworm Fabrics
Jen at Patterns by Jen
Jennifer at Curlicue Creations
Jennifer at Dizzy Quilter <— me!
Jennifer at Inquiring Quilter
Jessica at Desert Bloom Quilting
Joan at Moosestash Quilting
Joyce at heARTs Creations
Karen at Sew Karen-ly Created
Kathleen at Kathleen McMusing
Laura at Slice of Pi Quilts
Leanne at Devoted Quilter
Mania at Mania for Quilts
Maryellen at Mary Mack Made Mine
Michelle at Creative Blonde
Myra at Busy Hands Quilts
Nancy at Masterpiece Quilting
Pamela at PamelaQuilts
Sally at Sally Manke
Sandra at MMM Quilts
Sarah at Sarah Goer Quilts
Sharon at Yellow Cat Quilt Designs
Sherry at Powered by Quilting
Stephanie at Steph Jacobson
Suzy at Adventurous Applique and Quilting
Teri at Lizard Creek Quilts
Tina at Quilting Affection Designs
Toby at Gateway Quilts & Stuff
Turid at Den Syende Himmel
Vicki at Vicki’s Crafts & Quilting
Pretty fabric! I haven’t made clothing in ages, but I know that rayon can be very wiggly. Thanks for sharing the journey.
Thanks! I love sharing. I know now why so many people say they haven’t made clothes in ages.
You absolutely are not letting them down – not all new techniques do we love – or attempts to teach ourselves something. The fitting is the hardest part of making clothes, one of the reasons I mostly stopped years ago. I have a blouse I’d like to make so I bought two fabrics for it, one to be a “muslin” – at least two summers ago. Maybe this year I’ll get to it.
Thanks! I had heard about making a muslin and skipped that step. Lesson learned.
Hi Jennifer, your project is perfect, even if the outcome wasn’t. I am not a garment sewer either and I would never be brave enough to try sewing a top if I knew I had to blog about it. So hats off to you. And I have been looking at my rayon (and petting it) wondering how it quilts up, so if you do try it please let me know.:)
I actually like sharing project fails sometimes. I think it shows I’m a real person. I don’t enjoy failing AT ALL, but taking risks can be so rewarding.
Looks really nice, hopefully you’ll iron out the bugs!
It’s pretty, and I hope you can get it fixed to wear it. As for Patterns, it may be the brand more than the fabric or interfacing. I’ve found that Simplicity is the worst when fitting sizes, for directions, and for ease of use. Try McCalls or Butterick, or even better Vogue next time. I had a Simplicity pattern, the only child’s button down shirt available. The body fit, but the sleeve pattern was about 5″ too short. It was supposed to be a child, but would have been short on an infant. I’m still deciding on my pattern for my rayon shirt. My other hint is to use lots of pins along the seam, and a walking foot, if you have one. I’ve been sewing clothes for more than 40 years, even as a business.
Ahhh. That is good to know. Thank you!
I think it was really brave and awesome to give garment sewing a try. I hope your sewing friends have some ideas to help you feel better about the shirt!