Birgitta Helmersson Zero Waste Wrap Top

I got the Birgitta Helmersson Zero Waste Patterns book for Christmas and this is my first project from it, the wrap top. The book is focused on five pattern blocks, a tee, some trousers, a singlet/vest, a skirt and a shirt. Then there are projects which are variations on those blocks. The wrap top is based on the easiest of those blocks, the tee, although it actually ended up confusing me a lot. Of which more below.

The fabric is some slightly slubby cotton from Minerva, if ordered it to make Pietra Pants but it's just a little too light for making year round trousers, so I switched to using it for this. It's a good match because it still has good structure despite the weight. I don't think this would be as good in a slinky fabric. 

Essentially the way these pattern work is that you draw straight onto your fabric, with a very small number of exceptions (none in this one) there are no pattern pieces, just measurements. You really only need very small amounts of fabric - in this case 110cms of this 140cm wide fabric. The tee and the shirt don't have individual sizes, it's pretty much one size fits most, with some instructions for larger sizes. 

I found drawing and cutting them long straight lines really challenging, I've never been the worlds neatest cutter. But it turned out that it didn't massively matter, because of the one size sizing.

The instructions for how to actually sew everything together are fairly minimal, I don't think really suitable for beginners. They are illustrated with photos which doesn't really work for me. I was also convinced most of the way through that if made a mistake in the cutting, as the front sleeve is much much wider than the back sleeve. It all worked out perfectly fine, I just think a little bit of reassurance in the instructions would have been good!

I'm really happy with the final product, it's very summery in feel, but I think I will wear it with things underneath just now.