Navarathri Dress No.2 - Petal Skirt and Cowl Top

I saw the petal skirt on Burdastyle sometime back and it has been in my To-DO list for long, drafted a pattern for my DD"s measurements and made here Navarathri Dress No.2 .

Have taken pictures while i made it, so will share the tutorial soon as part of Sew Skirts September Series!

I have so much to do and such little to accomplish all of them, Navarathri preparations are also underway, planning a get together of Chennai based fashion/design/beauty bloggers ! More on this soon! So you can imagine how hassled i am with time i am left with to do all these things!!!!

As of now pics of Petal Skirt  and the Cowl Top

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Cowl Skirt Tutorial - Sew Skirts September

Dear Readers,

Now it is time for us to see what's next in Sew Skirts September, ever since i had posted Cowl Neck tutorial, i had requests for cowl skirt drafting, i was still learning the ropes then and hence chose to wait before i am clear enough to explain to others!

Based on comments from Purush and Carolyn on Basic Skirt Sewing post, i tried the shaped waistband, what are your thoughts on this. Drafted the waistband as a single piece starting from Half of Back waistband then followed by Front waistband and then again remaining half waistband with extension for closure. Add darts which are about 2/8 inch wide at points where back waistband meets front waist band i.e., 2 darts Closure is the same it was in Basic Skirt , hook and thread loop closure as we use here for saree blouses, (I did not have a matching button, hence did not put buttonhole closure!) I chose this fabric thinking it will drape nicely and the cowls will look lovely, though i have got the drape of cowl as desired, i somehow am not happy with the fall of the skirt in center front. I tried with rough fabric with grainline as bias and didn't like the feel of it as the cowl was too drapey to my liking, hence decided to have the CF on straightgrain on fold, now i am having second thoughts if i should have had CF with seams, so that i could have squeezed in extra fall near the hemline at CF ! your thoughts and suggestions on this!

Here is the snap of the sample tried out on Barbie doll (the guinea pig for my sewing experiments!)

This is how the skirt looks Flat on the floor and viola , now lets say A-B-R-A-C-A-D-A-B-R-A ....

Not so clear pictures, i have to get tripod stand to assist me when i do not have any photographers at my service! ;) will post better pictures soon with a new matching top!

Coming up next are relatively simple skirt drafts like A-Line skirt, Flared Skirt , Stay tuned!

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Dhoti Pant or Cowl Pant Tutorial

For Sale - Kids Custom Clothing From Adithis Amma Sews- Click Here

Dear Readers,

Here is the Dhoti Pant / Dhoti Salwar / Cowl Pant tutorial as promised.

I have stitched this Dhoti Pant for my Daughter (4.5 yrs); and hence in the picture the tape measures will be relevant to her measurements. Please see the overview draft picture and register the draft with your measurements and then go to the fabric folding and cutting part.

For my Daughter these are measurements i have used

Seat round = 20 inches
inner leg seam length = 14 inches
Total crotch depth = 8 inches
Crotch depth on leg piece = 4.5 inches
waistband height = 3.5 inches + 1 1/4 inch
Waistband width = 24 + 1 inch for seam allowance; I have used single piece with one seam, using the seam joint as Center Back of waist band; you can have waistband in 2 pieces and hence will have 2 seams one each for center front & center back or you may even use them at sides.

Fabric required

For Adults - 2.5 to 3 metres of 44 inch width fabric
For kids - 1 - 1.5 metre of 22 inches of fabric width (44 inch may overwhelm tinty tots <= 6 years; above 7 you can try with full 44 inch width fabric)

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Teal N Red Salwar Kameez

Teal N Red seems to work as color combo?! what do you think? I would never have believed until i finished sewing this salwar kameez. Used the border portion and sewn them up together to form yoke of the tunic.

Front and Back View

The fabric was gifted to me by a relative at a family function. I had a look at the bottom fabric and did not quite like it, so left it in stash and suddently happen to saw, while searching for fabric to test Dhoti pant pattern with, made dhoti pants using them, then guess what ....

I saw the top fabric and fell in love with it, had to make a tunic and used the pattern drafted for sister's b'day dress and tweaked it a bit to add pleats at center front at waistline instead of flared hemline as i had narrow fabric at hand!

Tried cowl sleeves (less fabric, so limited cowl only possible!) and voila the tunic was something i fell in love with and flaunted it hot off the sewing machine.

Here are the snaps...

Cowl Sleeves

Dhoti Salwar (I wish i had sewn churidhaar with lot of gathers at ankle as that would fit this tunic perfectly, never mind will buy a red knit churidhaar to go with this top!)

Meanwhile Tutorial for Dhoti Pant / Cowl Pant is getting reading, will post it soon, hopefully by tomorrow.

Dhoti Pant aka Cowl Pant

I have wanted to make Dhoti pants for self (for almost more than 2 years now!!!!, that's the speed at which i stitch for self), ever since i made a Cowl pant (the same pant is also known as 'Samosa' pant!) for DD, check this post for viewing the same. Read an article this Monday about Dhoti pants being a rage in chennai currently, with a lead actress flaunting it. I decided to make it at last and did it ! wish i had done this long back, its always better late than never, isn't it?

Side View and Back View

Side View and Front View

I wore it to pick my DD up from school (it was hot off the sewing machine!) and since she had not seen the outfit, i was curious to know her reaction. Guess what , she frowned and my heart sank! I asked her what's wrong with the outfit, she said she liked the pants, but not the combination and suggested me to wear a white top with it, which i did , in the evening and here are the shots!

Want to make Dhoti Pant / Cowl Pant;  Tutorial - Click Here

Pleated Cowl Top for my SIL

My Sister-in-law wanted a cowl dress for her as well after having seen the cowl one i did sew for my sister

She wanted pleated cowls but not as an extra layer unlike what i did for my sister.

Hence this was bit challenging to have pleated cowls and still ensure that modesty is maintained when bending down. Atlast found the trick. Draft the pattern and then on the resultant pattern, just take about 1/2 inch off from the center front till bust point.

This did work out well. Here are the pics. This i had completed last week but only today managed to get her pics. Sleeves have drawstring at center to be pinched short.

Zebra Print Cowl Neck Tunic

This project must be one of the most longest i've ever made. Why because i sent it to backburner by taking something new and it was cut out during the first week of Dec 2009. Atlast i squeezed it in.

Happy with the outcome though.

Features are Cowl neck, stylised darts (at front), side zipper, cap sleeve.

fabric was also one of the reasons for me to having put it on backburner, it kept unravelling badly (wish i had a serger). somehow made it using zig zag stitch i have. 

Front View

BackView

Cowl Drape Built in duppatta

This is for my sister. Our mom got us similar fabrics (in different shades) for Diwali. Somehow managed to sew one for me 10 days back and my sister's this week.

Cowl effect has been built in to the dupatta. The dupatta has been attached with the kameez. Salwar Kameez with Cowl dupatta is ready.

The cowl here is a Pleated Style Cowl and is far better than Plain Cowl i had done earlier in my kameez.

Cowl neck is one of the most exciting and easiest one(actually believe me, i have tried it on skirts, pants and now on dupatta) and you will fall in love with it!

Pant is fully pleated style salwar.

Without further adieu, here are the pics

Front of Cowl + Salwar Kameez


Back of Salwar Kameez

Cowl Skirt! Oh ! Wish I got it right!

Tried 2 cowl skirts from 2 different references. Both turned out not so 'cowlish'

Here are the pics. Trying to master the art of cowl. Will rest this post to peace only after getting it right....