The Transforming Tank: Part Two

Since making the original muslin of the tank (See The Transforming Tank: Part One), I decided to make only a slight modification by adding a little bit of fullness to the top.  Previously the tank was somewhat snug in the hip area, and since I always prefer my clothes on the loose side, rather than on the fitted side, I choose to add a tiny bit of flare.  I didn't want to make a modification that was too drastic in this instance, so I added half an inch of flare to the centre front and half an inch to the centre back (I am working with a flat pattern).  It is a pattern drafting rule of thumb, that whatever flare you add to the centre front or centre back, you must add half that amount to the side seam; therefore I added 1/4" of flare to the sides of the front and back pattern (the centre front is cut on the fold and the centre back seam remains unchanged). 

I've had a few meters of a particular fabric for a while that I really love but just couldn't commit to using for any specific garment - a soft cotton print with what looks like blue paint splatters dripping all over it.  I finally decided to use the fabric in question for this project because since the tank is still in its simplistic stages, the design of the fabric would really be the focal point of this garment, rather than some other complicated design element.  I had to cut the fabric cross-grain in order to achieve the effect that most of the paint and the darker drips were at the bottom of the tank. 

So far I have also left the fabric loop and single button closure the same.  In the future, I envision perhaps adding a placket with button holes for my buttons.

I was really pleased with how the Part Two tank turned out, and as much as I wanted to keep it for myself, I am giving it as a "thank you" to my friend Sonja who was kind enough to share her Airmiles with me this past May when we went together to the Jane Davenport Mermalicious workshop at the Donna Downey studio in North Carolina.  Sonja also deserves this tank (and probably much more) for keeping me calm during take offs and landings and when the boisterous fellow, who sat across the aisle from us on our return flight, thought he was too cool to sit down each time the seatbelt light came on.

Front

Back

 

Closure