Simplicity 1463: Lace back top

 

Spotlight had a really good sale on patterns this week so I ducked in yesterday and got a few. I've been eyeing this top off for awhile so grabbed it (along with a pile of Vogues and another Simplicity jacket pattern).

It was a very quick sew, I didn't bother with a muslin but did double check the flat pattern measurements and did a 1"FBA that I eased into the side seam.

It has a lot of ease, I should have made a XL or a XXl according to my measurements but this is a SzL with no other fit adjustments other than the FBA. I did change a couple of design things - I did a scoop neck instead of the V-neck and I cut the hem off rounder.

The fabric is a rayon knit from the Alannah Hill outlet in Melbourne and the lace was a remnant out of my scrap drawer.

I'm happy with it, the rayon is drapy enough that the top hangs nicely, I've normally struggle making tops and I think I've just been using the wrong type of knit fabric. I'm not quite sure about the drape at the front of the top, it is designed to be a bit swingy but I have taken a wedge out of the centre front for next time I make it so it sits more like a basic tshirt.

I really like the lace at the back, it does show off my bra straps but I'm bogan enough it doesn't worry me, lol.

StyleArc: Monica Pants and Jess Polo Top

Jess Polo Top

I've had the fabric and pattern for this sitting around for nearly a year and finally sewed it up.
I cut a sz20 with a 1.5" upper arm adjustment but otherwise the fit is out of the envelope. I'm not really happy with it I have to admit, I'm counting this as a muslin as it doesn't fit quite right - I can see the pulling at the bust, its too short and it needs a forward shoulder adjustment as it keeps tugging itself backwards. I will sew it again, the StyleArc patterns are a bit too expensive to only sew up once and I really do need a couple of nice fitting polo tops!
Fabric is a waffle knit from The Fabric Store and the buttons are shell ones.

So the good: I think the sizing is pretty good, it fits just like a sz20 RTW polo does and it doesn't worry me that I need to do a couple of adjustments before I'm really happy with the fit.

The bad: The placket instructions are awful, I know they are always a bit sparse but this pattern has some illustrated ones as well. I've sewn a few plackets now (3 or 4 of the Banskia Top MN 2102) and even though the StyleArc instructions were different I thought I'd go with them. At the bottom of the placket where you sew through all layers to finish it off there are 9 layers of fabric to sew through and it just doesn't look neat.

I highly recommend the Banksia top placket instructions, there is a lot less layers and a lot nicer finish to it compared to the StyleArc instructions (and I'll be using it instead next time!)
I'm not really happy with the finish of the collar stand either but I haven't sewn enough shirts to know any tricks to finishing it neatly (it has you topstitch it down and my stitching looks really wonky, maybe I should have hand stitched it down instead to make it neater?).

Monica Pants

 I have to admit I don't like sewing exercise clothes. I struggle to find the right type of fabric locally and I tend to either add way too much ease or not enough. However, I am so picky about fit now and after trying on that many pairs of RTW leggings looking for a decent fit I had to give in and make some!

This is the Monica pant by StyleArc. Its a sz20 graded in at the waist by a couple of inches. Fabric is leftover grey Supplex and the purple is dance lycra from Lincraft.

 

 

They went together pretty easily, I did do a bit of head scratching over the gusset though. I actually emailed StyleArc to check if I had sewn it in right and I have!

I found a couple of mistakes on the pattern, the gusset says to cut 2 but the instructions say to cut 1 - you are meant to only cut one. Plus the notches are back to front on the knee and lower leg piece. Otherwise they went together fine.

Cake 0169: Pavlova Top

I liked this pattern when it first came out but it was Heathers version that pushed me over the edge to make it! I really like it tied with the neckline lower and the look of it open as a draped cardigan.

This is a sz 45 but I took the side seams in by nearly an inch under the arms especially. Next time I'm cutting out a 45 on the back and a 40 on the front which is what I do for the Tiramisu dress. I copied Heathers idea and rounded off the back flap too as I'll be mostly wearing it over pants. Be aware that it is pretty short, I wore it out today with a singlet underneath because I don't have any pants high enough waisted.

Fabric is purple bamboo rayon from fabric.com. Its a funny colour, looks blue in bright light and purple in darker light. Its just gorgeous, has great recovery and feels so soft. Next time I order from them I'm getting more of it!

The lapped seam had me scratching my head until I started doing it and then it all came together.

 

I really like it left open as a cardigan too so if I don't wear it much as a top I'm cutting the ties off, I did have a think about how you could make the ties removable (press studs? zipper? tied on somehow?) because that would be pretty cool! But everything I thought of either wouldn't be strong enough or would make it too stiff.

Lekala 4177: Peplum top remake

There are so many peplum tops in the shops lately and I love them!
A couple of changes from the last version, heightened the midriff band and lengthened the peplum plus made the neckline lower. Makes the proportions nicer and its such an easy top to wear I made it in grey and purple!
I'm still stuck on a twin needle sewing thing so I did it around the neck band, arm bands and hemline.
 

The fabric out of my stash, its just a cheap ponte knit from Lincraft. It pills really quickly but is a nice weight and stretch.

Banksia Top double up

 

I feel like I'm just using the same patterns over and over again lately! My daughters best friend came and stayed and fell in love with the Banksia top so they both plotted to have matching tops for their upcoming school camp.

 

They picked out yet another cutesy fabric, little yellow duckies this time around. I still think they look like pajama tops but got outvoted!
My daughters top is a Small, with a sloping shoulder adjustment and the darts raised by 1". Her besties is a sz XS with the darts also raised by 1" and a 1/2"SBA.
The placket is a lot easier to sew this time around, I know it has to be really well marked and measured for it to turn out evenly.

I like the inside finish, I used self fabric bias binding to finish the armholes and collar and serged the shoulder and side seams. It makes a nice neat and hardy finish.
Now these are done I have a pile of new StyleArc patterns that are calling my name :)

Colette 1001: Macaron Top

 

*Autumn SWAP*

I started making a pendrell blouse as the first top to sew up out of my fashionary sketches, I adjusted the pattern and made a muslin but in the end I just didn't like it on me. I felt really blocky and square in it so I scrapped it and made this top instead!

Same as the dresses - Its a sz18 with the Éclair front bodice and a sz12 knit yoke.

I used the leftover Sateen from my Christmas dress and some of the knit from a garage sale (think its polyester or at least a cotton/poly blend).

I liked the idea of using a peplum but stuck with the pleated skirt this time around.

Heres the completed outfit (Winnie Trousers and Macaron Top);

Lekala 4177: Peplum top

I've been eyeing off the peplum top currently in City Chic and this pattern was nearly identical except for the mullet hem which I think looks better than a straight hem anyway!

I've sewn lekala before so I knew I'd need to add seam allowances and that the instructions are pretty scant (think Burda magazine, lol). I still had credit on the original site but it looks like you can now buy Lekala patterns on Craftsy and on this new site and you can request they are sent with seam allowances (I forgot, D'oh!)

I used a ponte knit so didn't have to use a zipper but I did end up taking it up at the shoulders a lot, I think it was the stretch in the fabric made it sit way too low, plus the shoulders were too wide so they got narrowed as well. When you order from lekala you give them height, bust, under bust, waist and hip measurements, but no shoulder or upper bust. Next time I'll order by my upper bust measurements and do a FBA, so much easier than adjusting the shoulders and armscye.

The proportions look a bit off now, the midriff needs to be wider and the peplum longer too, its my own fault from raising it at the shoulders so much! I need to lower the neckline next time as well, looking a these pics its a bit too high.
I'm wearing it with a RTW shrug and my Juniper pants that I didn't think I'd wear much and have been living in them!

Simplicity 2369: Wrap top.

In an attempt to take the ideas of the last top (Butterick 5783) and make it more wearable I pulled this pattern back out and changed it a bit.
I haven't worn the last version of this top, much mainly because the ties tend to pull the back and side seam around towards the front if I do it up tight but if I don't do it up tight the neckline is too loose and I end up  periously close to flashing strangers!
So for this version I sewed the wrap tie ends into the side seams and added the ties separately. I like the sleeves and the crossover a lot more on this one, but I think the back and length of the Butterick pattern was nicer. I have the new Vogue 8825 pattern to make up soon and it seens to be the best of both worlds! I'm not using a polyester knit again though, it always feels like I"m wearing a plastic bag

Butterick 5783: Wrap top

I have a few issues with this pattern.
Firstly; there is no finished garment measurements printed anywhere on the pattern or in the instructions so I flat measured to pick a size. I went with L and the fit is ok so I would say this pattern runs a bit large. I do wish I added some to the arms because I found them a bit tight on me.

Secondly; there is some funkiness going on with the neckline, I think the back neck is drafted too wide which then gapes the neckline quite a bit. I had to take out 2" up at each shoulder seams to get the neckline not gaping. I'm not that keen on the fold over and sew for the neckline finish either, it looks a bit messy and it doesn't really stabilise the neckline at all.

Thirdly: The neckline is quite low, I actually sewed the wrap part closed because otherwise it shows a lot more than I am comfortable showing! It needs a FBA but I couldn't work out how to without rotating out into the neckline which was already too long and gaping (unless it was rotated back into the backwards princess seam at the front?) There are a lot of drag lines at the arms/bust.

Finally: I found the ties slightly too narrow on me so when I crossed them over one side pulls out at the bottom each time.

I do however really like the wide ties and I like the elastic waist because it makes the back sit really nicely. I can't see me wearing this top because of how I feel about the neckline but I do want to modify it into another top or adjust this pattern enough its more wearable. I wonder if it would work better if the ties weren't sewn into the backwards princess seam at the bust and were just sewn into the side seams at the waistline?