Kaftan Completed

Yesterday afternoon I finally finished off the kaftan which has been hanging around for weeks.  Needless to say, because I am being uber fussy again, I'm only slightly pleased with the outcome.

Although I used a pattern to make this top, I hadn't bothered to read the 'list of ingredients' before I started to cut out.  I should have had iron-on interfacing for the neckline and bias binding for the armholes on the sleeveless version.  I did manage to find some sew-in interfacing which worked OK, although it was 'medium' weight and I think 'light' weight might have been more appropriate.  But all in all I was quite pleased with how the neckline turned out.

I thought I could overcome the lack of bias binding by cutting the material around the armholes a bit bigger than the pattern and then folding the extra back on itself to form a neat armhole seam.  No such luck!!  Those armholes caused me no end of trouble and I'm not very happy with the final result.  I also cut the top quite a bit longer than the pattern suggested so have ended up with really long slits on either side.  I quite like this feature although am not sure it's really appropriate with the style of the neckline (if you see what I mean!!)

All in all, I'm moderately pleased with myself.  I think I'll definitely try making this top again but with sleeves this time.  I could envisage it as a winter top being made from a very fine corduroy material, or as a really light summer cover-up being made in a semi-sheer fabric.  Considering how much the pattern cost me to buy (absolute daylight robbery in my opinion!!) I definitely want to get my money's worth from it.  At least the material only cost my £1.00 and there is plenty left over.  While I had the sewing machine out I decided to use some of the leftovers to make a summery shopping bag.  I was much more satisfied with the outcome of this.

It is fully lined in a crisp white cotton material (also thrifted) and is up for sale here.

Comments

[Gill]

That is a really pretty top, well done you! Having tried on dozens of smocky, flowery, floaty tops in the shops, all of which look awful, I'm seriously thinking about making my own! Why does everyone else look summery and pretty and I just look matronly and pregnant?!