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makery

DIY, how to, refashioning, Restyles, Sewing, Thrifting, Tutorials

Refashion: The Wonky Top

2nd November 2015

So, yeah! This is a top that on paper…shouldn’t work…but absolutely does! It’s made from this thrifted crepe jersey skirt and was a bit of an experiment that kinda really worked out!THE WONKY TOP SKIRT TO TOP REFASHION - TUTORIAL

The skirt itself is a quarter circle construction so everything is kinda on the bias. The resulting top therefore drapes in a really interesting way. The side seams are not actually horizontal but twist slightly around the body and it drapes differently on one side than it does on the other. Hence the “wonky” moniker! But hey…if Levi can get away with twisted denim…I think I can call it a design element on this top right??THE WONKY TOP SKIRT TO TOP REFASHION - TUTORIAL

You can see in the images above the difference in drape. It’s fairly standard on the left (middle pic). But the circle element is really apparent on the right; giving the whole thing a really interesting asymmetric feel.

The skirt was really simply made…THE WONKY TOP SKIRT TO TOP REFASHION - TUTORIAL

You can just about see in this pic how the grain runs on the diagonal…it’s a relatively heavy weight crepe jersey…THE WONKY TOP SKIRT TO TOP REFASHION - TUTORIAL

VERY simple steps in this refashion. I wanted to retain the original curved hem. So I folded the top portion over…THE WONKY TOP SKIRT TO TOP REFASHION - TUTORIAL

Then cut along the fold. This will become my neckline for the top…THE WONKY TOP SKIRT TO TOP REFASHION - TUTORIAL

I sloped the shoulders and cut out a neckline curve…THE WONKY TOP SKIRT TO TOP REFASHION - TUTORIAL

After sewing along the shoulders I lined up the side seams and cut out a short kimono sleeve and curved that into a new side seam…THE WONKY TOP SKIRT TO TOP REFASHION - TUTORIAL

Worth noting that the armhole is still sealed at this stage as that was the original side seam…so that had to be trimmed off to open up the armhole/sleeve…THE WONKY TOP SKIRT TO TOP REFASHION - TUTORIAL

After that I just sewed up the side seams (plain ole narrow zig zag on a standard machine with jersey needles). The hem was already finished so all that was left after that was to turn and stitch a simple narrow hem on the sleeves and neckline and that was it!THE WONKY TOP SKIRT TO TOP REFASHION - TUTORIAL

This was one of those makes that took no time at all and worked out even better than I had envisaged. Don’t you just love it when the sewing gods smile on you like that?

Related

12 Comments

  1. Tara says

    2nd November 2015 at 12:40 pm

    Really like that top. You look great in it. I think this is one I could actually do and actually wear. Thank you!

    Reply
    • portia says

      2nd November 2015 at 1:19 pm

      Aw thanks Tara. Easy peasy. You should give it a go!

      Reply
  2. m(i)e says

    2nd November 2015 at 12:55 pm

    Waw ! I like this one !

    Reply
    • portia says

      2nd November 2015 at 1:19 pm

      Thanks lady!

      Reply
  3. Claire (aka Seemane) says

    2nd November 2015 at 4:33 pm

    It looked even better IRL when you wore it to Walthamstow recently!! 🙂

    Reply
    • portia says

      2nd November 2015 at 5:45 pm

      Aw thanks Claire ?

      Reply
  4. majella says

    3rd November 2015 at 9:21 pm

    Oh, great top. I like it, so feminine!

    Reply
    • portia says

      5th November 2015 at 9:22 am

      Thanks Majella! Sooooo comfy too!

      Reply
  5. Ina says

    5th November 2015 at 2:58 am

    So smart! Love it!

    Reply
    • portia says

      5th November 2015 at 9:22 am

      Ah thanks Ina!

      Reply
  6. Debbi says

    8th November 2015 at 11:31 pm

    Cute top!

    Reply
    • portia says

      10th November 2015 at 10:25 am

      Thanks!

      Reply

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