I Like Big Sleeves and I Can Not Lie..

Folks, these sleeves are like crack! I'm completely addicted. It is truly all about the sleeves this season and I can't stop!

For this top, I was inspired by the...

Roksanda Truffant Bell-Sleeve Top, and here's mine:

I used Simplicity 8061 for my base pattern. This pattern had the perfect boxy-shape and the horizontal underarm dart. 

My fabric is this beautiful rayon crepe from Mood Fabrics.com. 

The sleeves are the main ingredient detail that make this top special.  

I've captured this look before. I've admired Roksanda Ilincic for a few years. I made my purple version of the famous lantern sleeve dress about 3 years ago. And here is a black version I made also.

For the modifications, I lengthened the sleeve pattern to right above the elbow. I created the sleeve ruffle which is basically just a rectangle. It's about 10 inches long and 38 inches wide. The width is calculated 3 times the sleeve opening for fullness. I've been admiring the Roksanda sleeve for years and I've yet to discover what gives their sleeve its poufiness. So I had to work this out on my own.

I knew that the sleeve ruffle would need to be treated in the same way as I would if I were making a poufy set-in sleeve -- it needed support, a sleeve head so to speak. Since the way the sleeve hangs and it's unlined, I needed to go with something that would barely show. I used nylon netting. You can find this with the tulle fabric. I don't remember how long I cut it, but it's 4" wide and folded in half. I made it it significantly longer than the sleeve opening so that I could pleat it for the fullness.

It's sewn onto the seam where the ruffle and the sleeve met.

And to give it even more structure, I folded the seam allowance over and stitched it down. 

I'm not saying this is the "right" way, but this basically achieved the look I wanted. And next time, for even more structure and poufiness, I'll underline the ruffle with silk organza.

My insides are serged and the neckline is finished with a facing.

And I used a 22" metal exposed zipper.

For my pants, I wanted a slim-fitting cigarette style with a front ankle slit since these sleeves are serving up a huge amount of volume on their own. I went with McCall's 7098. But they would need some work for the silhouette I was shooting for.

My inspiration is the Tibi Slit-detailed Woven Pants.

My fabric is a Black Stretch Cotton Sateen. I cut the size 14 in view F. But these pants are drafted with an overly generous amount of ease. And they are in no way as tapered as the envelope would lead you to believe. In a way, I guess that's a good thing so that you can customize the fit on the side front and side back seams. I made a 3" length adjustment. My goal was a 32" inseam.

I put the pants on inside out and commenced to pin fitting on myself. I compared the leg opening to other slim fitting pants I own so I knew how wide I wanted the leg opening. I had to take the pants in a lot. What the pattern does not tell you is that these pants are high-waist. My waist is 12.5 inches smaller than my hip measurement. So I should've cut the waist in the size 12. But I worked it all out, with a lot more work than I've put into a pair of pants in a long time.

The pants have a mock fly and I always interface the zipper area. And for the pocket, I underline it even though the instructions skip advising you to.

Here is the waistband open...

and closed.

And the front ankle slit.

This is the detail that drew me to this pattern originally.

I absolutely adore my top. But I wouldn't sew this pants pattern again if my life depended on it. No pattern that I have to work on that hard is worth my time. I've yet to find the Holy Grail tapered pants pattern. But when I do, y'all will be the first to know!