True Bias Ogden Cami

This has been an absolute classing in the sewing community for the longest time. I finally decided that it was time for me to give it a go, and honestly I was so sad with the finished result.

I used a dreamy viscose fabric cut it out in my size, it sewed up fine and the instructions were fine. It’s a simple top so they don’t need to be overly complicated. My problem was with the fit. It was awful.

Now I am not one to blame the pattern for poor fit usually as I know that all bodies are different and I expect to do some fitting adjustments with any pattern, but this one was just wrong and would have needed too much work to be worth it.

It was really tight on the bust but lumpy and large at my waist and hips. The bust lining was far too short and sat weird and the overall finish just wasn’t great.

I’m so glad that so many people love it, and maybe I just went in with too high expectations as I know this is a very beloved pattern by many but it’s just not for me. I’ll stick to my trust Ashton Top going forward.

I have been wanting to try this pattern for a long time. Finally got around to it and encountered a few problems for what seems like a fairly straightforward pattern. It came up very large compared to the finished garment measurements. Some of this I was able to rectify by just shortening the straps a lot. But once the inside facing is in, it's really a big deal to make it smaller. I have taken a few cms off the outer cami to make it a little smaller but the fit is not perfect. The lining piece is a strange length too. I would definitely make the lining slightly longer next time. I also had a slight issue with the v's not sitting brilliantly either. Also struggled with the understitching around the straps. Most of these issues could be rectified by sizing down next time.

Sometimes the weather in the UK is warm enough for strappy tops. The Ogden Cami is a popular pattern and I can see why.
I made these 2 using Dashwood Studio rayon fabrics, they have a lovely drape and are cool to wear. The garment came together well, the straps are a little tricky - do make sure you use enough seam allowance when attaching them to the top.

I had such high hopes for this pattern, being that it is an absolute cult staple in the sewing community. Unfortunately it just didn’t work for me, the fit was all off, the bust darts were in the wrong place, and it just didn’t work.

I think it has so much potential if you want to spend time hacking and tweaking to get the fit right, but there are other patterns similar which fit better and work better with my body.

I think as a base for hacking it’s a really good block, but for its designed style it just doesn’t work for me and by busty chest

This is a staple pattern for a reason. Not only does it take less than a meter (fabric consumption includes facings so you can save even more fabric by using a different one for those) it's a fairly quick sew. I think the possibilities for hacking are endless- tiered dresses, square necks, and peplums are all easily doable with this as a base. For the dress in the pic I cut the pattern 1.5 cm below the lengthen/shorten line and added a gathered skirt for a simple tank dress. Plus added side seam pockets because, duh.

In terms of sizing, I'd recommend choosing a size based on your bust. Mine fits a bit snug but only because I sized down when I shouldn't have. The pattern has plenty of ease in the waist.