a little more...goddess - The Apheleia Top

The ApheleiaTop


Please Note: During the following explanation, anyone caught verbally or mentally using the word ‘TOGA’ will be speared on sight. Thank you.

Do you badly need a vacation? Would you like to look a bit more statuesque? Are you trying to dress to complement your classical nose? Yes, you say? Then you need...

Rosewilde and Canderley’s Apheleia top!

Our inspiration:

the Ionic Chiton of ancient Greece. We confess, it might have been in response to our getting sucked into the gorgeous photos on some travel sites.

The early Greeks, when they wore clothes, were known for their beautifully draped and folded style of dress. The best part is, copying this look yourself means little to no sewing. So we decided to name it Apheleia, in honor of the ancient spirit of simplicity.

Gather your tools as follows:

- 1 ½ - 2 yards of 36 inch wide fabric, in a light to very lightweight weight (a heavier weight will not drape properly), any color, dark or light, plain with no pattern, or just a simple geometric print or border;

- 2 buttons 1 inch wide or larger (again, very geometric), and 4 smaller, matching buttons;

- about 3 yards decorative cording and

- thread to match your fabric. 

You’ll also need

- scissors and a

- sewing machine.

How much fabric should you buy, exactly? 1 ½ yards will fall a few inches past your hips, depending on your height. Decide how long you want your finished top to be. Point to that length and measure down to it from your shoulder. Multiply that number by 2, add 3 inches, and divide the results by 36 to know how many yards you need. Round up to the nearest ¼ yard. Wash and iron your fabric before sewing!


When sewing, stitch seams 1/2 from edge. Turn your hems under twice 1/4 inch, or serge and turn 1/2 inch.

All ready? Great! Here we go:

1: Even the cut edges of your fabric. Fold it widthwise in half (perpendicular to the selvage), and lay it out flat on the floor. Slice along the fold, creating a 2-layer rectangle about 36 inches wide (or elbow to elbow plus 5 inches) and 27 or more inches long.

Is the fabric too wide? Don’t be afraid to cut it down on one side. Also, don't worry if you’re an inch or two short in length because the fabric was cut unevenly. You might even want to make it shorter. Just be sure all sides are even, and wide enough to reach generously from elbow to elbow, and shoulder to past your hip.

2: Serge all your edges, or turn them under ¼ inch and iron folds in place. Turn side edges another ¼ inch to the same side and stitch it down. Turn and stitch top and bottom in ½ inch.

3: Measure the face of your buttons. Working on the top edge, 9 inches from the center on each side, pull the back piece over the front, overlapping by the width of a large button. Pin and stitch a 1/2 inch line down the center of the overlap. Apply the large buttons on top. Do the same at the outer corners and 5 inches from each side, overlapping back over front by the smaller button width.

4: Right sides together, sew front to back at sides, close to the folded edge (about 1/8 inch), leaving about 7 inches open at the top. Stitch twice for sturdiness, if desired. Turn fabric right side out.

5: Take your decorative cording and criss-cross it a few times around your midsection. For ideas, Google "Ionic Chiton", or have a look at some Greek art.

Ta-dah!

Want some extra beauty secrets?For a goddess glow, cover your skin with a nice sheen of olive oil and pat on some chalk or white lead. Smear those lips and cheeks with red iron oxide, then grab a stick of charcoal and fill in a lovely unibrow.

Please Note: Rosewilde and Canderley list these tips for entertainment purposes primarily, and do not endorse the use of lead in any beauty regimen. Thank you.

A little more fancy! Enjoy!

Rosewilde and Canderley

For a bolder look:
Don't hem bottom edge. You'll need an extra 1/4 yard of your initial fabric, or a matching shade of knit fabric. From that, cut a rectangle 6 in. long and the measurement around the widest part of your hips plus 3 inches wide. Fold in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press. Turn long edges under 1/2 in. and press. Run 2 lengths of long, gathering stitches all around the bottom edge of the whole shirt. Pinning right sides together, pull gathering stitches to match the long edge of the rectangle, keeping gathers even, and stitch. Fold along pressing lines, and stitch through both layers 1/8-1/4 in. from where the rectangle joins the shirt.

Creative Salsa! On Tomatoes, Tunics, and anything else I can think of

Today is for making salsa! I'm currently searching for some recipes with peaches, mango, and pineapple, as well as the normal tomato variety. I wanted to do some canning, but for simplicity's sake, I think it's going to end up in the freezer.

But before I go, I'm going to include the pattern for the medieval tunic I am wearing, which I have decided makes a cute and comfortable nightshirt you can wear alone or with lounge pants.

Medieval Tunic

You will need 2-2 1/2 yards of a light to medium weight woven fabric, matching thread, and an optional yard of ribbon. 45 inches should be a good fabric width, any other will simply lengthen or shorten your sleeves. The softer the fabric, the better it will look, since this design is very loosely fitted. For a pretty neckline, just search the net to learn more about medieval embroidery methods.

A yard of fabric should give you plenty of length, or you can choose the place on your thigh where you want the tunic hem to fall and measure down to it from your shoulder. Add 3 inches and/or round up to the nearest 1/4 yard. You can always shorten it later.

1: Right sides together, fold your fabric in half widthwise, with the selvage edges running down both sides. The foldline will be your neckhole and the center of your sleeves.

2: Measure around your hips, adding 3 inches or more. (3 in. will give you a rather slim fit around the hips. If you're nervous about it, add 5 or even 7 in. for a looser fit and cut it in as needed later.) Divide this measurement in half, and center it on the bottom of your fabric, drawing lines straight up toward the top fold.

3: Measure around the widest part of your upper arm, adding 2-3 inches. Divide this number in half and measure down from the fold at both sides, drawing a line straight in towards the sides.

4: On one side of the excess fabric, mark a 5 in. x 5 in. square (gusset).

5: Cut out your pieces!

6: Attach gusset squares to shirt at underarm corner, connecting front and back. Pin front to back at gusset corners, sleeve edge and bottom edge. Stitch arm and side seams from gusset corner to end. Trim sleeves to desired length. Turn raw edges of sleeves 1/4 in. and bottom hem 1/2 inch.

Front view gusset

Side view gusset

7: Lay shirt out flat again, still inside out. Mark a half-circle app. 8 in. diameter (depending on the size of your neck, I use a small salad plate as a template, hehe) around the center point of the top fold. Cut through both layers. On front side, make a vertical slit about 6 in. long, or until the shirt slips easily over your head when putting it on. Turn raw edge of circle under 1/4 in. and top of slit 1/2 in., tapering down to nothing at the end of the cut. Stitch.


OR: Fold your ribbon in half and use to encase fabric edges, starting and ending at bottom front of opening. Stitch down near ribbon edge. Use a small, decorative stitch to cover ribbon ends at front.


For a bolder look:

A: Leave bottom hem unfinished. Wearing your shirt, mark where it hits your waist, sew side seams only from underarm to that point, and measure from there to the bottom edge. Take the 2 layers you cut your gussets from, laid out just as they were before, one over the other, measure and cut a rectangle 10 in. wide x the measurement you just made. Pin the sides of the rectangles together. Cut diagonally from one corner to another. Stitch sides where pinned, creating 2 triangular gores 19 in. wide at the bottom. Attach each gore to front and back at side edges. This version look best when worn with a belt.

B: When laying out fabric, make original marks as directed. Leave out gusset squares. Then measure out from underarm corner 2 in. at a 45 degree angle, mark. Shorten sleeve measurement at side by an inch or more. Redraw lines from new sleeve mark to new underarm mark, and down to original bottom edge. Round out underarm corner with the lip of a small plastic cup as a template. Cut, sew side seams, trim sleeves, hem edges, and cut neck as directed.

Hurray!

My Youthful Hope...Jeune Esperanza's!

Here at R&C, we LOVE international food. I don't know what it is. Something about living life and doing things the way they do in far away times and places is very exciting, and makes us feel more enriched as people.

Near our sister's workplace, there is a man with a little taco stand. Suddenly the idea seemed so fun to me. Just a little trailer that's a couple decades old, and small and clean and mobile, maybe with a few tables set up under an awning, a string of lightbulbs, and funny foreign music crackling out from a nearby radio. A place not many know about, but secretly has really great food for a ridiculously good price. In this little world of dreams there is a place called...

Every night of the week has a menu from another country, as well as classic American fare! Gourmet this isn't, but you'll find cherished favorites and everyday flavors from all over the world. It's dinner on vacation, any night of the week. So come chat, laugh, dance, sing, and of course eat with us at Jeune Esperanza's!

With local musicians as special guests, dancing space, silly games and prizes, I don't know what all... Plus, with all the international students from the nearby university, and an extremely high number of missionaries here who've served all over the world, we'd have a great resource for ideas and feedback. And it might be a way to bring everyone together. Practicalities aside, of course, as always, it sounds so delightful. Sigh...


liv-cate