Fifty Dollar Fashion: Nicola Wrap Button Modification

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Victory Pattern's Nicola Wrap, Modified Button-Closure. Styled by Krystle Clark, Rep of Designer Jewelry by Sara Blaine (Also, Named Jamie Jean Pattern)

Victory Pattern's Nicola Wrap, Modified Button-Closure. Styled by Krystle Clark, Rep of Designer Jewelry by Sara Blaine (Also, Named Jamie Jean Pattern)

Necessity is the mother of invention

And this RedTag flannel just NEEDED to become a Victory Pattern Nicola wrap. But ... my end-of-bold cut measured short of the minimum fabric reqs. If my vision was going to come to life, I had to get creative.

The Nicola isn't the Nicola without the wrap bodice and petal sleeves. I carefully laid those pieces out across my fabric. Left behind was approximately 5 inches of unclaimed fabric, selvage-to-selvage. 

I learned from last week's Nicola wrap, that the ties were a bit of a fabric hog. (I mean, they do have to wrap around, tie, and hang after all!) The scrap I had was not going to cut it. ...But what if this vest could wrap, and fasten instead? 

I dug through my button collection for inspiration. It's a really fun gift from my grandmother-in-law, who has salvaged buttons off of her own garments for years, *just in case*. In it, I found a pair of large gold buttons that just BEGGED to be a part of this project! But, how to use a pair of buttons in an artful play on this awesome pattern?

Nicola

Nicola (clipped to polyvore.com)

The bodice has a beautiful dart detail. Ideally, the wrap would fold across the body and button closures would line up under these darts. After an awkward try-it-on and fumble-with-chalk experience, I confirmed that the bodice lines up under the last dart on each side. So my buttons? Those would line up under the center darts. 

With my bodice assembled (using an accent fabric from my stash for the lining), I grabbed my remaining 5 inch wide strip of flannel and headed to the cutting board. 

  1. I opened the bodice and measured across the bottom (X). 
  2. I unfolded my flannel strip, cut a length measuring X + 1 inch. (1 inch accounts for 1/2 inch seam allowance on either side) Houston, we have a Wasitband!
  3. Page 10 of the pattern explains the "Sausaging" technique I used to attach my newly cut waistband and enclose all my raw edges. (Side note: I love when a designer includes the technical terms in their tutorials! Makes me feel like they want me to become a more learned sewist overall.) 
  4. Try on the garment (wrap right-over-left) and repeat awkward chalk-fumbling. Theoretically the button markings should be the same, and line up under the center dart. But the fit of the band may require a little extra room for comfort. Now's the time to find out - before sewing those button holes!
  5. Sew your button holes, and buttons. (Remember! In women's garments, buttons are on the left, button holes are on the right.)
Victory Pattern's Nicola Wrap, Modified Button-Closure. Styled by Krystle Clark, Rep of Designer Jewelry by Sara Blaine (Also, Named Jamie Jean Pattern)

Victory Pattern's Nicola Wrap, Modified Button-Closure. Styled by Krystle Clark, Rep of Designer Jewelry by Sara Blaine (Also, Named Jamie Jean Pattern)

Step 6 - Battle the wind and crazy hair for some traffic-dodging road photos. Do you ever consider how ridiculous some of these photos are?? I sure do ;)

Victory Pattern's Nicola Wrap, Modified Button-Closure. Styled by Krystle Clark, Rep of Designer Jewelry by Sara Blaine (Also, Named Jamie Jean Pattern)

Victory Pattern's Nicola Wrap, Modified Button-Closure. Styled by Krystle Clark, Rep of Designer Jewelry by Sara Blaine (Also, Named Jamie Jean Pattern)

There you have it! Your stash-friendly Nicola Wrap with BUTTONS! Now go Sew Yourself Some Love! ...But first, enter the giveaway below to win this pattern and many more! Happy Sewing :)