* This garment has been re named the Hacker 1/05/2021
The design and make of the first Ninja top was one of those “light bulb “moments.
I was struggling with an arduous commission- work trousers- they had a hammer loop, reinforced knees,a special pocket for the measuring thing…all the bells and whistles, and just 2 legs to attach everything to. The process involved makes and remakes - I believe there were 80 pattern pieces- most of them tiny pieces of pocket construction.
It was December, it was dark outside and I was just gearing up for the 4th version of the trousers.I was about 3 weeks into what I would call a “ windmill project “ and needed to do something else. I had a couple of pattern pieces attached to a funny green thing that I had sewn together the previous Summer.I call these scraps of ideas “sketches”
I put the trousers to the side; found my half baked raglan idea and just drew onto the paper.
Then I cut out the first version and sewed it together… in under 30 min! It was just there.
Other than lengthening and shortening it, I haven't changed it.
It is one of my best patterns in my opinion… because it is So... Simple! It is a beautiful shape reduced into 3 main pieces.The shape translates into different moods depending on the cloth choice. A slinky viscose turns it into a perfect blouse ERSATZ*, whereas making it in a thicker cotton stretch makes it quite outdoorsy. It suits different body shapes - squares shoulders and round shoulders; big busted , small busted. It just is.
Mine is in a thick 98% viscose / 2% EA. I wear the longer version over my Annie hose… very often from late September to late April. It is a favourite , and not just mine.
The photos below.
My good friend Meike from Crafteln in a casually elegant ensemble.
The Ninja dress and the Stadtmantel.
Me in my play clothes.
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