A Fifth Alternative

The top looked pretty bad as a jacket, and I could tell it would look at least as bad if I cut it off at the waist. I doubt that anyone would want it if I tried to give it away. That left the scarf alternative. But as I gazed sadly in the mirror, I thought of another possibility -- a godet. Yeah, I know godets are generally inserted in skirts, but why not a top?

I found a video on How To Insert a Godet, and it looked easy. The video also has some nice guitar music at the beginning (it is from a website called www.flamencodressmaking.com). Actually, I became quite distracted by the various flamenco videos that showed up. If you like flamenco music, listen to this by Paco De Luci: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t7ngya7e90&feature=fvst  and here's a TV documentary on the life of the magical flamenco dancer Carmen Amaya: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaNe5IqD_LM&feature=related

Anyhow, back to the godet. Sadly, I didn't have enough fabric left over to make the godet in the same fabric as the top. I had some black silk broadcloth that was of approximately the same weight and a not entirely dissimilar texture.

So I inserted the godet, using the instrcutions in the flamenco skirt video. The process was successful, and the top is now more than roomy enough at the hips to button in the front. The problem is that from the back, it looks very silly. My husband commented that it looks like a Batman costume.
Here it is viewed from in front:

And now the back:

What a terrible failure! I can't even pretend it's a fashion statement. It's just plain ugly! I should have made 3 or 4 small godets instead of one large one. I'm not going to try to rip this one out and do it again. The fabric is too delicate. But I think I'll make another top like this, the same too-small size, and insert 4 small godets in the back. It would look something like this, except I think this dress/top has godets all the way around.:

Hmm ... maybe all the way around would be good. Instead of all one fabric, I think I'll use two different colors ... maybe solid red, and white with red dots, like a flamenco dress. This time, I'll remember the lesson I should have learned a long time ago -- make a muslin first.

Even though the top I'm working on now is a failure, all is not lost. It will look OK with a jacket. The bright point of all this is that I learned a couple of new things, for the cost of my time and about $17 worth of fabric. Plus, I found the website of a very interesting woman, Anke Hermann. It was her video I watched to learn how to make a godet. From her website:   In 2004, after years of working in Information Technology as a programmer I decided to leave the corporate world behind and turn a dream into reality: to combine two passions of mine - sewing and flamenco - as a dressmaker for flamenco artists. Now, my clients include flamenco schools, flamenco dance companies as well as numerous flamenco dancers and students 

After so many benefits, being able to actually wear the top is gravy.