Hi all, Ilse here from @sewsewilse. While testing the Forever Flounce Top, I saw a few other options to create with it. First of all a dress would be so nice, but what about a cropped t-shirt or sweater?
I went for the double flounce in this light blue structured knit. I bought it in a local shop a few months ago. The alterations I made aren’t difficult at all. Let me tell you all about it.
For my double flounce style I need two bodices on fold (back and front), two mirrored pieces ‘front & back’ (so that gives me 4 single pieces), two flounces cut on fold, two sleeves cut on fold and the neckline you choose.
1. Shortening the main pieces.
I shortened my ‘front and back main’ (2 pieces) with 12 cm or 4,7” to get the cropped look. I didn’t shortened it on the ‘lengthen/shorten line’ but at the bottom.
2. Lowering my neckline.
I lowered the neckline with 2 cm or 0,8”. You can see it on the photos below how I did it.
3. Did I also shortened my flounce?
No, I didn’t shortened them, I wanted they kept the same width to the bottom. I only had to snip a piece from it after constructing it. And oh, I did not hem my flounces :)
4. Short sleeve plus cuff.
I used the cutline from the short sleeve and measured the bottom of it to create a cuff. The bottom is 18 cm or 7”. So my new dimensions for the cuff are 7” (length) / 4,7” (height). I cut this two times on fold.
Add the cuffs after you set in the sleeves and after you closed your side seams.
Adding a cuff is different from a band. How do you do it?
- align short ends of cuff right sides together and stitch
- fold the cuff over onto itself (wrong sides together)
- slip cuff inside the sleeve with the right side of the cuff facing the wrong side of the sleeve, stitch or serge (I serged it)
- fold your cuff to the outside, your cuff is now on the right side of your sleeve!
- tack your cuff on a few places ( I did it on top and below with a few stitches)
5. Adding a bottom band to the Forever Flounce.
Draw a new piece for your bottom band. You can decide yourself the height of your piece.
- for the length of your bottom band you measure the outline of your shirt in the making
- calculate 80% from it and take this as your length ( plus seam allowance)
- decide the height of the band ( my height is 16 cm or 6,3” seam allowance in) and cut
- align short end
- fold over onto itself and divide in 4 equal pieces with pins
- divide the bottom of your shirt also in 4 equal pieces
- slide your bottom band in the shirt, right sides together
- pin and stitch
6. Finishing the neckline.
This is your own preference. You can use the method from the tutorial but I did this:
I measured my neckline, added seam allowances and cut one binding piece with a height of 4 cm or 1,5”.
- align short end
- divide your strip and neckline in 4 equal parts with pins
- align the binding to the neckline, right sides together
- press binding up, away from the neckline
- fold binding over the neckline to the wrong side, encasing the whole neckline
- pin, press and topstitch
I hope my post is useful. You can always try one of these things to create your own Forever Flounce style.
Please also visit me on my Instagram or my blog.
See you soon,
Ilse
