Start with a piece of material. This is a length of cotton canvas, 56 inches by 72 inches.
A corner is chosen and folded down to become the bodice, the depth of the fold determined by folding in the two sides to the desired width of the finished garment.
With the intent of clothing as architecture housing the body comfortably, utilizing the body's natural heating and cooling systems, the fit is roomy. The material is wrapped to the width.
Now the neck and armholes are chalked - approx 8 inches for the neck, 12 inches for the arms.
The desired length (approx) is measured and the situation assessed to see if the folds have resulted in a pleasing look. They have. This would be more a consideration in a fabric with a pattern or design, of course, and some tweaking then could have been necessary.
Cutting the armholes and the neck.
Pinning where the two front edges meet the initial triangle. The fringed seam will be seen; the other one hidden. Then they are machine sewn.
Pinning below the opening for the pocket and stopping about eight inches up from the bottom to allow for a kick pleat. Machine stitched.
Front view of the material hanging below the desired length having been pinned up ; safety pins are now used because trying-ons are much easier (and safer) with such closures rather than straight pins.
The shoulders have also been pinned into two options - the pagoda (on left in photo) or a slanted pinch seam.
Back view of extra material being pinned to desired length.
The density and weight of the material which determines the hang led to curving the neckline at the back until it looked and felt right in a try-on.
The extra material at the bottom being cut off, the scissors slicing into the curves. (With the first wearing the bottom edge began to fray nicely from the canvas cloth which is a fairly tight weave and the fringe is a lighter shade and more random than the front seam)
This is what the piece of cut away material looked like.
The garment is now turned inside out and where the fabric meets it is machine sewn - or not - to form a pocket(s)
The pagoda shaped shoulder was chosen and then the extra material cut away to give a width at shoulders that was more balanced both in breadth and weight.
Once finished it was soaked in hot water and then hung, dripping wet, to dry to take out the fabric folds but leave the natural crinkle of the cotton. (Wrinkle energy is fascinating and I am just discovering that science is looking into it)
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