Thursday, February 18, 2010

Crop Style, part 2

Designing your underlay
You have a few options for how the actual opening part of your shirt is going to work. You can slice from shoulder to bust point, from armscye to bust point or scoop out big armholes. If you're slicing, it's best to go beyond the bust point for an inch or two. This will give you a little more maneuvering room. If you're making something for night nursing, you may as well extend the openings to your waist. My favorite pajama top has extended armhole openings to the waist, allowing instant access when it's dark and I'm groggy.

Here are some examples of how each looks on the pattern piece:




You'll notice that the giant armhole opening doesn't go all the way to the bust point. My first shirt like this did scoop all the way to the opening and I found that it showed through the top layer, which is why I've changed my ways.

No matter which you choose, I highly recommend reinforcing your nursing opening with clear elastic, which has great recovery and will keep your underlay from drooping as it ages. You can either serge it on or use a 3-step zigzag stitch to hold it in place. Do not stretch the elastic as you attach it because we do not want you to look dorky. If you're working with a woven fabric instead of a t-shirt knit, you can use a 1/4" narrow hem or bind the raw edge with bias tape. I've done both and they work equally well.

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