Today I’m sharing my version of the Ogden Cami by True Bias.

Who you gonna call?

Scrap busters!!!!

I finally decided to try the world-famous Ogden Cami by True Bias in order to satisfy my  desire to use every last scrap of the delightful merino jersey I bought from The Fabric Store for my Juniper Cardigan.  By combining black with white, I had just enough fabric for an Ogden Cami!

Layering it up

I have had my eyes on the Ogden Cami pattern for a while. One of the things holding me back has been that I’m not a huge fan of my upper arms. Given this, a Cami just isn’t the wardrobe item I thought I would get the most wear out of. But as the temperature cools, I feel the need to learn how to properly layer during the coolest seasons. For us Australians, hard core Northern hemisphere layering does not come instinctively.

And an Ogden Cami in cosy merino jersey seemed like the perfect layering piece (layered in the pic below with my Juniper cardigan).

A minor nuisance

There’s not much I can really add add to what has already been said about this much loved pattern. The Ogden Cami PDF pattern is only 13 pages long. Which almost doesn’t even count as a PDF pattern at all!

Although the pattern is very well set out, there were a few small things that bugged me a little. The sizes are marked only on the key, not on the individual pattern pieces. This is one of my little sewing pet peeves. Also, the pattern uses a half an inch seam allowance. Since my machine only marks 3/8 and 5/8, I found it a bit annoying.

But these are minor and totally surmountable gripes!

Visible bra straps?

My Ogden Cami is sewn up as a straight size 8 and is, obviously, sewn up in a jersey, rather than a woven, as intended. There was nothing challenging about sewing the Ogden Cami in a knit. In fact, it was even quicker because no staystitching needed nor seam finishing.  I just sewed it up in my regular size.

I have spent a long-time internet-stalking this pattern. And I was astonished that, in so many photos on so many different bodies, there was barely a bra strap in sight.

Hmmm, I wondered. Is this a miracle cami?

Or are they all going braless or strapless for the sake of good photos?

Well, in the interests answering the question which had burned brightest in my own mind (as well as avoiding the discomfort of a strapless bra, if only for the 10 minutes required to take photos), I decided to take my photos wearing a normal, everyday bra. So you can see how the bra strap situation falls on my body.

In fact, I took it a step further by wearing black bra straps with a white cami, so you can really get the full idea. I’ve now realised that the problem with sewing a cami that is both black and white is that there is no good solution to the black bra or white bra question…

Overall visibility is not too bad, but, on me, there will definitely be something showing somewhere.

The Ogden Cami of Miracles?

I had also read a few Ogden Cami blog posts that made it sound almost like a miracle in terms of security and avoiding flashing when bending down. While I really like my Ogden Cami, it is not any better or worse for security than any other top of this nature. I do need to be careful when bending down.

Perhaps this is because it’s designed for a C-cup, which I, most decidely, am not. To this end, I decided to shorten the straps for future versions. You can see how this worked out below!

Speaking of security, has anyone tried to turn the half lining of the Ogden Cami into a “cheat/basic shelf bra” by attaching elastic to the bottom edge of the half lining? I had been wanting to try it but decided against it for this one due to the very light nature of my white jersey. If it caused unsightly bulging or digging, my precious final scraps of merino would have been ruined. Also, upon closer reflection, I couldn’t really think of an objective justification as to why it would be more secure to have elastic under my boobs (although I instinctively maintain that it would…).

The real Ogden Cami miracle

But there is definitely something miraculous about the Ogden Cami.

It’s a miracle pattern in that you can make plenty of them without ever buying any fabric!

I have now made 4 Ogden camis without every having to dedicate any specifically purchased (or stashed) fabric. Instead, it is all scraps, scraps, scraps.

I’ve made a couple out of the leftover of my merino jersey and another couple out of scraps of beloved fabrics that had been languishing in my stash. On a couple of these true scrap busters, I’ve had to add centre seams, but only a sewist would notice that, right?

Loop the loop

Can I just say that I hate turning out thing straps with a passion?

It had always been one of my most hated sewing chores. But I always convinced myself that it was because I didn’t have the right tools.

So, in anticipation of the Ogden Cami, I actually bought myself a loop turner.

And it is bloody awful.

Honestly, despite many youtube video viewings, I barely manage to use the thing. The problem is getting my fabric hooked in the “hook”. I find it almost impossible to do and my multiple attempts just ends up completely destroying my fabric. After all, let’s face it, the design of the Ogden Cami lends itself well to rather delicate fabrics which may not appreciate being repeatedly stabbed with a blunt-ish hook.

While I eventually managed to use my loop turner on the straps of my knit Ogden Camis, I failed to have the same success with the woven versions I have made. For those, I reverted to a safety pin, which was much easier and less damaging to the fabric, especially for such short straps.

So, unfortunately, my hatred of turning out straps cannot be solved by new equipment. Grrrr!

Next time, I think I’ll just top stitch them down!

Repeat effort

After my first black and white effort, I have made a few more.

On subsequent Ogden Camis, I have shortened the straps by an inch and lengthened the bodice by 1.5 inches (basically just to counter-balance the shortened straps). This is how the new version looks in jersey:

I have also made it up as a woven, using some beloved scraps of liberty cotton and an Atelier Brunette cotton gauze. Here they are:

It’s definitely much better in terms of security. But, I feel like it loses a little bit of the allure of the Ogden Cami. I guess I feel that a Cami should appear like there is a risk of flashing, giving it a bit of sexiness and excitement, but there shouldn’t be any actual possibility of that happen. Got that designers? Easy, right?

My strap shortening may have gone a bit too far. The woven versions looks a little “if-the-Amish-wore-camis-they-would-look-like-this”.

In other words, I feel that some of the illusion is gone…

Oh and a word of advice, don’t do like I did!

I shortened the straps and balanced this out by lengthening the bodice, but I forgot to lengthen the lining pieces. Luckily, an A-cup doesn’t need too much coverage, but now they only very barely serve their purpose because I am an idiot.

And, of course, for basically the first time ever, I decided to do some batch-cutting of Ogden Camis, which hasn’t really worked out because I still need a few mods to get this just right. Sewing lesson learnt: don’t batch cut when you are still tweaking the pattern!

The sum of it

I like the Ogden Cami a lot and I can totally see why people have gone nuts for its simple, pretty and wardrobe gap-filling goodness. At the same time, it remains to be seen just how much I will reach for these on a daily basis. While they’re all quite lovely, everytime I see a Cami, my brain thinks “pyjamas”.

Also, the challenge with a very simple pattern is that you really need to get the fit just perfect and I still haven’t quite found that balance yet. Hopefully on the next one…

But, I am super happy at having successfully stretched out the life of my lovely merino jersey…