Date: 3/14/10 4:15 PM

Some members of the KC Pinheads were lunching and snoop shopping at Ann Taylor yesterday and saw this top in the window. We'd love to sew a knock off, but aren't sure how to draft the neckline. Okie2thdoc inspected one in the store and determined that the fabric at the neckline was on grain and not bias, but it doesn't seem to be attached in the usual way. Does anybody have a better insight into how this was sewn together, and more importantly, how to draft the components?

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a/k/a Sondra

If I sewed any slower, I wouldn't be sewing at all. -- Kellie R.

Reply to OP Gal
Date: 3/14/10 4:51 PM

what I think they did there is separate pieces. It looks like it is a v-neck top to start with. the collar around is cut on a bias with a with of 6" folded with. (12")all together. The two pieces at the bottom of the v-neck are sew on top of each other and attached to the v part of the neck with a little gather. the scarf looks likes it self is brought over a little bit and tuck under to give the illusion of of a tied scarf but sewed. The fabric looks like silk. but any fabric that draps like that should do. Hope this helps. I think a little closer look should give you on how you can do it.
-- Edited on 3/14/10 11:12 PM --

Date: 3/14/10 11:16 PM

I think it might be possible with Vogue 8497, view c. link

Turn the neckline so the gathers are attached more toward the side of the neckline instead of the bottom and add the faux ties into the seam.

BTW, I'm amazed at how well that picture came out. Your phone sure takes good pictures.
-- Edited on 3/14/10 11:20 PM --

Date: 3/15/10 4:45 AM

What I'd do:- draw a scoop neckline copying the shape from the inspiration piece, lowering the back neck from the block neckline a little bit. Cut a bias strip, wide enough to create the fold over collar effect and insert it so that it overlaps at the front of the neck. The two folded ties would be nicest cut on the bias too, but you could get away with straight grain there I think, they'd have to be inserted before the bias strip (sorry, unmethodical method!)
A lightweight silk would be best. I'd probably toile the neckline to get an idea of how deep to make the strip and whether it was best as a simple straight piece or shaped in a slight curve near the front.

Reply to JAS
Date: 3/16/10 10:29 PM

You'd have to have a pretty soft, drapey knit to get the collar to look like the AT one, I'd think.

Yes, it is a great picture. Unfortunately, it's not my phone. It's Jennifer's. I took some with my pitiful little phone and they weren't nearly as good. I don't know what kind hers is. She emailed it to me.

skae, I think you're right on with your suggestions. Petro, I hadn't thought about the need to lower the back neck, but I think you're right.


-- Edited on 3/16/10 10:34 PM --

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a/k/a Sondra

If I sewed any slower, I wouldn't be sewing at all. -- Kellie R.

Reply to OP Gal
Date: 3/18/10 8:53 PM

According to my copy of Armstrong's Patternmaking for Fashion Design, this looks like a modified V-Inset Cowl. At the bottom of this page is an explanation from the 1940s of how the inset cowl neckline is constructed.

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The essence of life is statistical improbability on a colossal scale.
Richard Dawkins

Reply to nancy2001
Date: 3/20/10 7:29 PM

Hmmm...I think it'll take a few days of reading for me to understand this. Thanks for the link.

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a/k/a Sondra

If I sewed any slower, I wouldn't be sewing at all. -- Kellie R.