Taunton's Threads - For people who love to sew
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From the pages of Threads Magazine Adapt a pattern for bias You may find a pattern for a bias top, but it's easy to convert a straight-grain pattern for a simple V- or round-neck top from straight of grain to bias. Choose a sleeveless top, or one with a cap or extended sleeve, drop sleeve, or classic set-in sleeve. Depending on the fabric you choose, you may want to add center-front and -back seams. Alter the pattern so it's the length you want and large enough to fit you at the bust and hip, including ease. One of the secrets for making bias tops that you'll love to wear is allowing plenty of ease, since bias continues to stretch, becoming longer and narrower when worn. Remember the actress Jean Harlow and her white satin gown that fit like wallpaper on a wall? Unless this is the look you want, add an extra 1/2 to 1 in. of ease at each cutting line. You'll also increase the width of each seam allowance, which I'll discuss in a moment. Tissue-fit the pattern (pin the pieces together and try it on) to check the fit, and make any necessary changes. If you're large-busted, I suggest adding a bust dart either at the armhole or the side seam for a smoother fit. So you'll be able to cut the fabric in a single layer and place stripes where you want them, make full pattern pieces for bias-cut garments by eliminating foldlines and/or making separate left- and right-body and front- and back-sleeve pattern pieces. Use the main pattern pieces only and eliminate facings, since piping or binding works better than facings to finish edges (facings tend to "fight" with the outer layer of a bias garment).
Change straight-grain markings to bias markings with a 45-degree ruler (available from quilt- or art-supply stores). Or fold the pattern to draw the new lines, as shown in the drawing above. Yardage and layout When buying fabric, I "guesstimate" the amounts I'll need for bias garments by allowing 1 yd. of fabric for each major pattern piece. This means that a long tunic top with sleeves may require as much as 4 yd. of fabric. After adjusting the pattern, however, you can use a gridded cutting board to help you figure out the yardage more accurately. The amount you'll need depends on the width of the fabric, the fabric design or repeat, and the size of the pattern pieces. Piecing may be necessary if the fabric is narrow or the pattern pieces are large. For a balanced garment, I usually cut the pattern on a single layer of fabric with each pattern piece at a right angle to the next one as I go around the body, as shown in the pattern layout below. I lay all the pieces in one direction, as if the fabric had a nap. If your pattern has center-front and -back seams, and the fabric is wide enough, you may be able to cut two layers at once, angling pattern pieces as before.
Center seam or not? Depending on the fabric you select, you may want to add a seam at center front and center back so the garment will hang evenly. On modern wovens, lengthwise threads are stronger and more numerous than crosswise threads. When a full pattern piece is placed on the bias, the lengthwise grain will dominate one side of the garment, and the crossgrain, the other. Unless your fabric is stable, the two sides of the garment may hang differently, with one stretching more than the other, and you may get twisting, rippling, and an uncomfortable tug-of-war. Adding a center seam allows you to slant one side to the right-angle bias and the other side to the left-angle bias, as shown in the pattern layout below, so both side seams will hang the same. This also lets you create a chevron or diamond effect by matching stripes or plaids along the center seam. I draw a few stripes right on the pattern piece, as shown, to make it easy to match the next piece at the stitching line. Before deciding whether to add a seam, examine your fabric by raveling horizontal and vertical cut edges to see if there's a discernible difference between the strength and number of lengthwise and crosswise threads. If the fabric is stable (like many linens, cottons, and wools), with fairly balanced threads, it's fine to cut the garment center on the fold. [ previous ] [ next ] |
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