The I'm Not Sure I'm Cool Enough For This top

Last year my brother bought me Drape Drape 2 for my birthday, after a not-so-subtle link to the Book Depository magically winged its way across the internets to his inbox. I'd had the Asymmetrical Scoop top on my sewing list all summer, but as usual my list exceeded available time and I've only just made it up.

It's far too cold to be wearing it now, but took the opportunity to get some pics (awful light, sorry) last week, whilst modelling Barrie undies in jeans (for the ladies interested in the VPL factor of the Barries there will be some bum shots at the end).

So, Drape Drape 2 is of course a Japanese pattern book, and this is my first Japanese pattern! It is ingeniously designed as a one piece top, and those who watched the most recent Sewing Bee might recognise it's design from the final (although it is designed to be made in a knit, not a woven). I made a size large.

I did actually make a quick toile a few weeks ago in a very slinky drapey cheap rayon, as I wasn't 100% on whether the style would suit me. I liked the overall concept (and it's crazy in those stripes), but as you can see the depth of the scoop was a little unnerving - raising it about an inch was the only change I made to the pattern.

What I didn't take into account with this version was the vertical stretch of my knit. It's a lovely Marc Jacobs cotton knit from the Fabric Store, with decent horizontal stretch but little vertical stretch. The nature of this pattern is such that back ends up being along the vertical grain to some degree, which means that a fabric with little vertical stretch will be fairly snug, as this is on me around my ab.

I finished the scoop a little differently to the instructions - with a very thin band, attached in the flat before sewing up the one shoulder seam. I would also recommend ignoring the instructions that say to finish the edges of the other arm opening before hemming - this reduced the stretch of my fabric and I had to unpick the overlocking before rehemming it. Here it is flat in all of it's crazy Warrior Pose glory:

I'm a bit on the fence about how this top is on me. I feel a bit sloppy in it. It doesn't sit that well, falling back off my shoulders - I'm not up for clothes that need constant readjusting. Maybe it's because of the fabric choice..... It certainly looks interesting but am I interesting enough for this top? I just don't know. I like the sleeve detail and I love the colour. I guess I'll just have to wait until warmer weather and see how much wear I get out of it...

And now to finish up I've got a couple of quick bum closeups for VPL consideration - these are my tightest, light-weight denim jeans and I'm pretty pleased with both the banded and lace versions - but you can compare and decide for yourself the VPL factor.....

First up - banded versions:

And now lace top stitched: