Hi Everyone!

Has it really been more than 6 weeks since my last blog post? Wow. We’ve been away for almost 3 weeks in India and I was busy prior to going, sewing things for the trip which I will share in due course (you get to see a sneak peak of some stuff in this post). And…well, just sewing! Anyway, today is a very much long overdue post on The Ogden Cami by True Bias Patterns, a stalwart of the Indie pattern sewing scene. Believe it or not, I actually first made this pattern up just over a year ago, but chose not to blog it. Let me explain….

So, what you can see above is actually my second version of this cami, that I made in a silk crepe de chine. I initially made my first version up in a scrap of viscose crepe that I had and this silk version followed on (no photographs of first version). Let me be clear from the outset. This is a great pattern. It’s well drafted, I like the fact that it is not cut on the bias, and therefore very economical in terms of fabric, I like the use of facings to finish the neckline and the instructions are very clear. As a layering piece it’s great. BUT….I am currently a G cup and I just don’t like the fit around the armholes in terms of bra exposure. It just…shows too much. This is in spite of me making various alterations (see below). And I know in these photographs you can’t see any bra, but that is because I chose to wear a strapless bra with this dress.

Don’t get me wrong. I love this dress. I love the fabric (viscose; purchased from Sew Me Sunshine). But after all the alterations I am left feeling a little frustrated with the fit and I think it’s time to widen the search for the perfect camisole pattern. BTW, over on my Instagram account, I saved a whole story worth of lots of alternative woven camisole ideas that people suggested…well worth skimming through to see if anything appeals to you (you do have to have an Instagram account to view).

Anyway, going back again, I actually thought that even though I was frustrated with the fit around the armhole, I needed a slip to wear under an Indian kurta top I made to wear in India (post to follow with details). Someone alerted me to an alteration which Clio had shared on her Instagram account (again, saved in her highlights) in which she shared how to raise the armhole on the Ogden cami. I followed her instructions and raised the armhole by 1 inch and thought I had cracked it! You can just make out the slip version under this kurta top below (this version came before the floral dress version). But, I don’t know? Maybe the weight of the ruffle pulling the floral dress version down just made the armhole drop again?

Ogden Cami Initial Alterations

• I cut a size 18 for the cami but a size 14 for the strap length
• I did a 5/8ths inch FBA which brought in a bust dart
• I did a 6/8ths inch sway back adjustment and added the removed length back in at the hem
• I redrafted the facing to include a bust dart and deepened both the front and back facing by 2.25 inches.
• Raised front armholes by 0.25 inches.

Ogden Cami Dress with Ruffle Hem Alterations

Working with the above alterations, I further

• Lengthened the cami by adding 27 cm to the length (that was also for the slip version in white)
• Raised the front armhole by 1 inch
• Did a 0.5 inch full bum adjustment (for the dress only; not sure it was entirely necessary though)
• Added an 8 inch deep ruffle at the hem
• Pieced together a skinny tie from scraps

Conclusion

Like I say, this is a great pattern. The number of versions that have been made, and continue to be made, is testament to that. But if you have made this pattern and found it didn’t work for you, then don’t beat yourself up about it. Our bodies are all so unique and individual that some patterns just aren’t right for us. I think my next choice might be to try the Jalie Michelle Tank (and dress), but I have already been forewarned that even with that I should expect to do an FBA at the very least. In the mean time, I will continue to make the Ogden cami as a layering piece. And I love my summer dress. I feel happy wearing it. At least the weather has been good enough to get a few wears out of it, so it’s not all bad 🙂

Until soon!