Vacation Wardrobe - Top #2

BWOF 3/08 #109

Happy Independence Day to those in the US! May you never forget how wonderful the freedoms we have are and those who have paid dearly to give and keep secure those freedoms for us.

Here's my version of BWOF 3/08 #109:

The original model photo and line drawing:


I am very pleased with the way this top turned out! The print is quite something to work with! I've taken a while to think about the print and to find the right pattern to make the most of it. The fabric is from Gorgeous Fabrics, and I know Gigi has already made a fantastic dress from it, and Cidell has been working on a dress from the same fabric this week, too.

A clear ruler, rotary cutter and mat were really helpful when trying to cut exactly down the center of the motif:

I chose to use the print so that part of the green paisleys framed the neckline and the border print of blocks could be used to make the front band. To get pieces of fabric wide enough to make the front band and loops, I had to do a little engineering. The band on my fabric is printed as only one or two blocks wide, depending on the part of the design. I carefully cut and seamed the fabric to make larger sections of fabric. Here's the piece that I cut the loop out of from the front:

From the back, you can see all the seams necessary to get a piece this size. I wanted the pink stripes vertical for the loop (the pink stripes are horizontal for the band), and since the loop has a pleat and is folded to meet at the back I needed a wide section.

As far as the actual pattern and construction I only made two changes. I changed the neckline, as it was too low for me. I'll show you next week a neat trick I'm using for these necklines, especially BWOF. The other change I made was not to use the side zipper called for in the instructions. Since this is a knit, it stretches enough so that I can put the top on over my head. Tany discovered this when she made the same top in a different print, and I was hoping it would work for my fabric, too.

This top was pretty quick to make and will look good with both white and black shorts and trousers. I hope to get a pair of black bermuda shorts done either today or tomorrow, so maybe tomorrow you'll actually get to see me wearing some of the clothing I've made myself recently!

Parting Shot: Sneak Peak. I have been working on REC. Next week, I'll show you my progress and how it is made.