Giving it a go

After submitting my entries into the Sewalong, several lovely fabrics were still staring at me from my stash.  I'm trying hard not to buy 1) more fabric or 2) more patterns, since I have heaps of both, so I set out to match fabric to pattern for a new shirt.  These days, of utmost importance is the ability to hike up my top for breastfeeding, so that precludes any shirts that are fitted or have back/side zippers.  I don't even really care for front buttoning tops (who wants to have their shirt completely open??).  I liked the raglan, elasticized sleeves of this pattern, but not the buttons down the front.  Easy fix, just find the front center (it was even marked on the pattern!) and place that on the fold of the fabric instead of cutting button plackets.  I decided against facing the neckline, instead opting for the cleaner-looking (and easier) bias tape finish.  Tried on half-finished garment and *of course* it was too big (see previous post).  Looked like a tent with elasticized arms.  Okay... darts in front, darts in back, making sure I could still wiggle my body into it, and it was starting to look more like a backpacker's tent instead of family-sized one.  But, and I wish I had taken a photo of it, the neckline was bizarrely open--like if I went to my son's class, the children would have gotten a serious show at the low kiddie tables.

Previously, I would have thrown in the towel at this point...so many adjustments and still looking lame.  Instead, I slept on it.  Not literally, the shirt stayed in the sewing room :).  In the morning, I made some stylized darts along the front and back neckline to shape it up.  This wouldn't work with all fabrics and shirt styles, but the print is pretty vintage-y looking and the dart angles worked with the raglan sleeves.  Then, added a cutie ruffle.  And now it's one of my favorite and most wearable tops.  Lessons I learned today:  have the husband take photos instead of trying to use a tripod myself.  Oh, and don't toss an item into the UFO pile (or trash) without *really* giving a go at making it work.  What have you got to lose?