going flat

I usually prefer clothes which are sewn in three‐dimensional shape to those sewn in cut&paste-and-stay-flat style, just because flat clothes hardly fit me or fit me wrong more than half the time. However, I've been interested in the fact that the very flat clothes can be occasionally charming by their characteristic silhouette and style. Simple flat garments cause cramped fabric here, and excess there, and the flatness usually makes clothes unstylish plus uncomfortable, but lately I realized that it also gives the clothes their lives in some way. Flat clothes can look original and good! (I hope you manage to understand what I mean.) Naturally, ideas for flat clothing started growing in my mind, so I let it go.


Here are three very flat clothes which I made in the past few months. They are all made of jersey. I haven't found the way to give prettiness to the flat garments using woven plain fabrics not yet at all. I think I leave it for the experts. Jersey is easier to handle to approach very flat clothes for non-experts, that's for sure.


1. Not-so-hoody top



*please click this photo to open the Flickr page to see it all.

This top has a seam on the middle of the back. Two holes were cut out for arms. Neckline, armholes and waist hemline were finished by binding with the folded fabric. The heap behind the head looks like a hood, but it's not functioning. It's ... just there for amusing you.
I mimicked the shape of a pullover in my favorite knit book "A/T creation-knit" from NIHON VOGUE-SHA Co., Ltd. for this top. (The book has been unfortunately discontinued for ages.)



2. SAKI's shrug







My friend SAKI (bloom at BurdaStyle) wore this charming shrug the other day and of course I couldn't help asking her to show me how to make it. I look like a flying squirrel in it because it has those flaps! I think this shrug varies upon the fabric very much. If very delicate fabric is used, it would be very elegant. Mine looks somehow similar to a school uniform of gymnastic class, but it's OK because I love the whole package of it.



3. Gilet



I don't know why, but those Japanese in the fashion industry started calling this garment 'Gilet' instead of 'Vest' suddenly. This is very ostensible change that makes me laugh, but I'd like to call my one gilet, as it might make mine slightly more fashionable.
This gilet has a huge hole in the middle, and that's it. Very flat. I put a binding strip on the edge of the jointed armhole for a neat looking and it's stability, and also finished the hem by overlocking around. One Japanese blogger kindly shared her handmade gilet with the size, and I followed it. I quite like the result, it hangs very well and shows beautiful drapes only on human. Very dramatic!





Enjoy sewing!





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Gilet
(I found it on mars' blog)

dimension

my armhole binding







SAKI(bloom at BurdaStyle)'s shrug

(1)

(2)

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for not-so-hoody top

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