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Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Camí-Archer Hybrid

However much I liked my Camí dress, I knew I had to change it into something more wearable if it were to survive the Big Trip Sorting. A cotton shirtdress isn't very practical, but it would be a shame of that nice bodice to just stow it away for a year. I've become much better at altering or throwing away handmades, because you've already learned your lessons from them. It won't give you anything by just sitting in your closet. So then Jen's colourblocked Archer came along and I was triggered. I didn't have the Archer pattern yet, but through some strange coincidence I won the Archer pattern just by participating in #fabricchat, hosted weekly by Leila on Twitter. Excellent! Now I could use the Archer pattern to complement my Camí bodice and make my own colourblocked shirt!



I knew I'd seen the same cotton fabric in black, so I chose to use that one for the bottom half. There's no better way to make sure the fabrics have the same weight. The seam ripper took care of the skirt and the blind zip. To get a more shirt-like fit, I let out the back darts completely, and the front darts as much as I could without losing too much shape. I traced the Archer back and front from the waist down. It was still much larger than the Camí bodice so I had to take it in some more. I replicated the Camí button placket and voilà, turned a shirtdress into a shirt.



I also let out the shoulder seams a bit, to get just that much more room to move around. It's still not a perfect fit, I'd have to remake the entire bodice to get that, but it's good enough for this experiment. I also thought of adding a black pocket, but I sort of forgot about it. Pauline just posted about a pocket template for the Camí dress, so that would have been nice.



I don't really know what the rules are when it comes to colourblocking, where you should put the dividing lines. I had no option but the waist, but I'm not sure if you should cut yourself in half like that. I did notice that you have to be careful with the proportions. At first the hem was 4 cm longer but it looked kind of weird so I shortened it. I'm in that place where you've looked at something too often and can't see it anymore. What do you think, a succesful colourblock?



9 comments:

  1. A cotton dress IS practical, you can wear it in summer, (whith no tights) and in winter with tights boots and a big vest. Especially the dress you had is perfect for dressing in multiple ways! Anyway, I suppose that when you get back from your trip you would be able to make it into a dress again. :) I think the shirt looks kind of nice, I like the back, and also the front in the first picture, not so much in the last, so maybe just have to see it in person. :)

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    1. It's actually not at all practical when you factor in that I'll be living in a truck :) I have to move around a lot, I can't hang it and cotton needs a lot of ironing. You're right about the seasonal versatility though, but other than that it also just didn't feel like me.

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  2. I love this colour blocking. I like that it changes colour at the waist. It makes your waist teeny-tiny!

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  3. This is so cool! I love how it is colour block but not super loud. I tried the Archer pattern but it was too boxy for me so now you have given me an idea to use a fitted dress bodice for my next go at a button down shirt.

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  4. I think the colors are dark enough that it works. If it was a brighter blue, it might look a little odd, but I like it!

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  5. It works to divide the colors at the waist because you have a really nice waist taper. I agree though that a longer hem wouldn't have worked as well because of the mismatched proportions. The pocket sounds nice in theory but I kind of like the shirt better without a pocket. To my eye shirt pockets are less stylish and read more casual. Overall the fit is perfect and you already know how much I like the 3/4 sleeves with slits :). When does the big trip start? I hope you blog as you travel.

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  6. This looks really nice and the dark colors work very well I think.

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