I’m calling it my Ambiance Bolero, which sounds way more original than it is. The tag on my store-bought bolero that I replicated says Ambiance. So why fight it?
I wear my off-the rack version of this so often! It pairs so well with so many things, and I’ve wanted a new one for a long time. It’s still in good shape except for a little staining. The sleeves on it were also not quite comfortable for me: a little too short, and hemmed.
So for creating my own version, I of course modified it for cuffs. Sleeve cuffs eat sleeve hems for lunch. I won’t be convinced otherwise.
About the Fabric
This is a strike-off sew for Boho Fabrics using their off-white double brushed poly. It’s the perfect fabric for this project, and I’m not just saying it to promote. It’s exactly what I needed for tackling this remake. Buttery soft as DBP is known to be, easy to work with, and a decent weight keeps it from being sheer.
- 8 oz.
- 125% horizontal stretch
- 75% vertical stretch
About This Make
- mostly self-drafted
- used sleeves from Dandelion Tee / size 2 / 21″ long
- drafted cuffs at 4″
(Curious about the dress? It’s a pattern mash-up that also uses double brushed poly.)
How I Replicated the Thing
I very unscientifically and inaccurately traced it.
- Turned it inside out.
- Starting with the bodice back, I measured from side seam to side seam to get the width of the back. Knew that was going to be a straight line, so I started with that and divided it in half, then drew the vertical center of the back at a right angle.
- From there, it was doing my best to trace the shape of the short side seam, the armscye, and the neckline.
- I ultimately ditched the traced armscye and decided to mash in the sleeves from Millicent Joy’s Dandelion Tee (available free with tons o’ options) since it had the fit I was looking for.
- Once I had the armscye and sleeves all set, for the (tiny) front bodice pieces, I measured how wide the center of the piece was on my original, made a mark on my tracing, and used my vary form curve to draw in the curved line opposite the armscye.
- The band was easy since it’s a simple rectangle: just folded it to lay flat and measured.
And here’s where I landed for the bodice pieces. The yellow lines were my tracings and the pencil lines are my final lines.
Notes for Next Time
- I already tweaked the pattern to widen the sleeves and cuffs a smidge.
- Maybe the bottom line of the back bodice could use a slight convex curve?
Project Settings
Sewing Machine vs. Serger
| Sewing Machine | Serger |
|---|---|
|
|
Sewing Machine Settings
| Presser Foot | Stitch# | Stitch Width | Stitch Length | Needle | Top Thread Tension | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| standard zig-zag (A) | 5 | 1.0 | 4 | blue tip | 4 | seams |
| overedge (C) | 6 | 6 | 3 | blue tip | 4 | cuff finish |
Serger Settings
| Stitch Name | 4-thread overlock |
|---|---|
| Needles | R, L |
| Finger | B |
| Threads | 4 |
| Tension Left Needle | 4 |
| Tension Right Needle | 4 |
| Tension Upper Looper | 4 |
| Tension Lower Looper | 4 |
| Cut Width | 6 |
| Stitch Length | 2.5 |
| Differential | 1.0 |
| Application | seams |
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