Today I am sharing a post that I originally posted on the sewcialist blog for Striped month. 🙂 With a few extras for my blog. 😉
This post breaks all those silly rules that society makes up.
As a plus sized person, we are often told about what to wear to “flatter” our shape. To many people in the plus sized category, that means to disguise our shape or make us look skinnier. You can read Mary’s article on the Curvy Sewing Collective to hear more thoughts on the word flattering.
Stripes often make the list of patterns that plus size people should steer clear of and I definitely don’t agree. I think stripes are for all people of all shapes and sizes.
I love stripes and find they make me feel great. There is no hiding the fact that I am plus sized so I might as well wear what I love and find joy in what I make. Ultimately, the joy I get from making clothes I love translates to me strutting in confidence in the world. For many years, when I obeyed the dumb rules of flattering, I would not feel as good in my clothing or enjoy wearing them. When I let go of that, and lived confidently, I felt a lot better about my body.
I made this top to throw all rules out the window. I think you can feel pretty empowered by letting go of all the rules.
The pattern is the Cedar Dolman top from Cashmerette patterns. I used Gillian’s hack to add sleeves to it and I added a cuff to the sleeve as well as a hem band and a neck band.
I tested the pattern. However, changes have been made since and I am not going to share my test version. I also tested the Belmont leggings at the same time. I will also not be sharing my tester version of those either. The changes made in the final patterns of both lead to a much better fit so it makes no sense to share the tester version.
The Cedar Dolman fits just as expected. It’s meant to fit loosely and drape over the bust. I really love it and it’s a great pattern to use as a base for all your hacking needs. I plan on making the pattern several times more. I really love the top. I want to try it in a drapey woven material soon.
The fabric I used is a super soft double brushed polyester knit in mustard with white stripes from Water Tower Textiles.
Yellow is a colour that I really really love but I avoided wearing it for years and years because of a comment when I was younger of how I looked in yellow… something along the line of pale disgusting zombie. I realized that I needed to let go of that. Yellow makes me happy and I wanted more of it in my life. I think I look and feel fabulous in this mustard colour.
Breaking the rules again, I made no attempt to match stripes in any way. I find that as we sew, we get caught up in doing things the right way. We want to match those stripes perfectly. Often that prevents us from sewing and having fun with something that is supposed to be a hobby. For me, sewing is all about the fun. Everyone can absolutely have different standards, but I wanted to let go of it for this project. I have enough going on that I didn’t need to stress over stripes. I needed to feel empowered and confident. I definitely don’t think it is bad that someone takes the time to match stripes perfectly, but if that act is stopping you, don’t stress. Just sew!
My top has the stripes strategically placed on the diagonal in order to further not care about matching the stripes. I also cut the top on the fold. The Cedar dolman is cut with two front pieces and two back pieces, but cutting on the fold meant I could avoid stripe matching again. Huzzah!
Maybe this post should be titled lazy stripe tips. Ha!
Want to avoid matching stripes? Have then all go in different directions! With the diagonal stripes on the front and back pieces, I made the sleeves and sleeve cuffs have horizontal stripes and the hem band with vertical stripes. I cut the neckband so the white stripe went all the way around.
The whole project made me feel great, and I now have a lovely yellow top that I love wearing and brings me a lot of joy! Not only is it a super soft, warm, and comfortable top, but it also makes me feel great. What could be more ‘flattering’ than that?
TL:DR Review
- Pattern: Cashmerette Cedar Dolman top
- Pros: It’s a great pattern! I can’t wait to try the workout top.
- Cons: I’m not sure there are cons. It’s a simple pattern with a great size range.
- Make again?: Absolutely!
- Rating:
5/5 stars
Andie Wells Studio 
Hi Andie
I love stripes… Haha ha ha! I am talking the geometric ones for a change too and I also love saying f*** the rules when it comes to what the so called (non plus size) experts say about what we should wear. Mary’s post on CSC was spot on and as true as when it was first posted. Three years ago (I think, may have been four!) I started a horizontal striped crochet top, took me 18mths to finish and I look awesome in it if I may say so (if I remember I shall take a snap and send you a link via Pinterest). I agree with you 100%, no direction of stripe or any other pattern is going make me any less plus sized, wobbly or lop sided so I’ll pick what I like to wear with the only regard being how I feel in it.
I love that you have the stripes flying off in different directions, it’s exactly what I would have done, I love the mismatch look- see a lot of it about in men’s shirts at the moment (gutted Mister brought a mismatch shirt in the Xmas sales as I was going to make myself one so now going mismatch in colour rather than pattern as he has). I love that colour on you, yellows and me don’t play well so because I love warm sunny colours I leave them for home decor… I’m so pale the yellow reflects and I end up looking jaundiced!!! The colour and style is very reminiscent of the mid 80’s. I think it really suits you and it’s made beautifully.
Still on stripes I’m actively hunting some of that Breton striped jersey fabric for a long sleeve tee- horizontals again (lol it could be said I’m a horizontal stripey most of the time!) So like yourself when it comes to prints and patterns, I threw out the fashionista rule book out a very long time ago… And good riddance to it!
I hope the winter has not be too hard on you, we’re entering another brief cold snap here -ok yeah I know “cold” here is nothing compared to what you get in Canada! We had about 1/2″ an inch of snow on the ground this morning and it made the news… Seriously we’re so pathetic as a nation in the winter, think its because British weather can only be described as middling 10 months of the year plus 1 month with the odd day really cold and 1 month with the odd day really hot. We can’t do extremes! Despite having a crappy time EDS wise I’ve so far I’ve avoided the usual winter ills (being a hermit has it’s major advantages!). Take care, wrap up warm, pace as best you can! Stripey hugs and best wishes from the East of England, T xxx
Thanks, T. Good riddance to that fashionista book for sure. 🙂 I am on the hunt for some Breton striped fabric too so some more tops to defy rules. 😉
Regarding the weather, I truly cannot wait until Spring. It’s been a tough winter with lots of snow and cold so I am definitely ready for the sun and warmth again. I’ll definitely bundle up! Hope all is well. Hugs. xx
What a super set of pics Andie, that shade of mustard is def yours and the striped top is gorgeous it looks so right on you.
I’ve thrown out the rule book too on “flattering the curvy figure” and I wear what I feel comfortable in which makes for a much happier me.
Though if my weight continues to drop as it is for the first time since I was 17 (now 60) I won’t be curvy anymore, a very odd feeling indeed.
By the way apart from the clothes looking good, so do you. You look radiant and it’s great to see hope life is being super kind to you.
Thanks so much, Lucy! 🙂 I love the mustard shade. 🙂 You can always identify as curvy no matter your size. It’s all about how you feel. 🙂
Great color on you. Yay for rule-breaking.
Thank you so much!
I just can’t help thinking how boring and depressing life would be if you stuck by all those precriptive fashion rules. Surely clothes are for enjoyment?
Right? Definitely better to enjoy life than be bogged down by it!
Yes! Another win for your closet. I love everything about this top, and way to go embracing a colour that you love. Those diagonal stripes are very fun.
Thanks so much, Chloe! ❤
Yay! You look so fabulous, and happy. Here’s to telling the “rules” to stuff it :-D. I say keep doing it 😉
Thanks so much, Krista. 😀
Perfect top. Perfect color on you.
Thank you! ❤ ❤