poncho-style

Quick Tip
cover-up top from a rectangle of chiffon fabric. Paula has
included some useful tips for sewing with silky fabrics along
with her wonderful pattern.
Estimated Time
2 1/2 hours

Pattern Option: For a quick

variation, cut or tear fabric to 51 x 50
inches. Stitch a 1/2-inch hem on all
sides and omit instructions for the
contrast trim.

Finished size
One size fits most

Materials

45-inch-wide silk chiffon fabric:

o 1 3/4 yards for body*
o 1 1/2 yards for contrast
Silk pins
French curve
View-through ruler
Basic sewing supplies and equipment

*1/3 yard will be used for squaring edges and testing fabric.

Preparation
Test fabric's ability to tear along the grain line by making a clip in the selvage edge 1 1/2 inches from
the cut edge and at least 1 inch deep. Grasp both edges securely. Pull gently and see if the fabric will
tear along the cross grain. Limited puckering can be pressed out using an iron set on medium heat
with steam. If fabric will not tear or there is excessive puckering or pulled threads, then square-cut the
edge of the fabric by pulling a weft (cross-grain) thread.

Cutting
Tear or square-cut fabric as explained in Preparation.
From silk chiffon for body:

Measure 50 inches along selvage edge and tear or square-cut so fabric measures 50 x 45
inches.

From contrasting silk chiffon:

Tear or square-cut two 50 x 6-inch strips along the straight of grain (selvages).
Fold remaining fabric on the bias. Pin and press fold. Use a view-through ruler to mark a 1 x
28-inch strip along the fold (Figure 1). Cut along marked line for bias binding.

Assembly
Note: Refer to Assembly Diagram (below) throughout.
1. Turn under and stitch a 1/2-inch hem on cut edges of body.
2. With wrong sides together, fold body piece in half, matching hemmed edges. Pin fold and
press lightly for shoulder fold. Unfold, then fold again, matching selvage edges. Pin this fold
and press lightly near center for center front/back fold.
3. Using air- or water-soluble marking pen, mark center front fold 2 inches from pressed shoulder
fold; mark center back fold 1/2 inch from shoulder fold (Figure 2).

4.
5. Mark shoulder fold 4 1/2 inches from center front/back fold. Using a French curve, draw the
neck curve for the front, connecting marks at center front and shoulder (Figure 3). Using a
French curve, mark a line connecting the mark at the center back fold to the shoulder fold
mark (Figure 4).

6.

7.
8. Cut out neck opening and mark center back fold line at the neck edge. Beginning at center
back, with right sides together and raw edges even, pin bias binding around neck edge,
leaving an extra 1 inch beyond center back mark at beginning and end for center back seam
allowance.
9. With right sides together, stitch center back seam in binding (Figure 5). Trim excess. Press.
Sew binding to neck edge using a 3/8-inch seam allowance. Clip seam allowance 1/8 inch
deep at shoulder curves to ease binding into these areas.

10.
11. Press seam allowance toward binding. Carefully trim excess allowance. Edge-stitch binding
1/8 inch from seam line, catching seam allowance. Turn binding inside neckline. Pin in place
and press lightly from wrong side. Beginning at center back, with binding on top, topstitch 3/8
inch from neckline edge. Press.
12. Pin right side of each contrast strip to wrong side of body along one selvage edge, with edges
even, allowing contrast strip to extend at least 1/2 inch on each end of body (Figure 6). Sew,
using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Press seam allowance toward body.

13.
14. Press under 1/2 inch on remaining long edge of contrast strip. Fold strip with right sides
together and stitch across ends so stitching lines are even with body hems (Figure 7). Turn
and press. Pin contrast fabric over body seam allowance so edges of contrast fabric are even.
Edge-stitch 1/8 inch from edge of fold (Figure 8).

15.

16.
17. Fold body with wrong sides together along shoulder seam. Measure 13 1/2 inches from each
end. Mark 13 1/2-inch lines parallel with ends of garment. Stitch along line, securing beginning
and ending of stitching. Remove basting threads.

Copyright 2008 Sew it in a Weekend, House of White Birches. All rights reserved.