I have pulled Katherine Tilton’s Vogue 8710 out of my stash several times and contemplated making it, but it always lost out to a repeat of something I’d already done. Then last week I ordered a bamboo rayon/spandex stripe from Hart’s Fabric and decided I wanted to try the horizontal vs. vertical stripe scheme. Once I prewashed the fabric and felt how soft it was, I couldn’t wait to cut into it, hoping to finish the top to wear to a Saturday multi-birthday party at some friends’ cottage on the shores of Lake Erie.

I love this top and want more of them!

Here’s the review:

Pattern Description: Semi-fitted, pullover tops have topstitching details. I made View B: forward shoulder, top mostly cut on crosswise grain, bound neck edge, long sleeves, stitched hems.

Pattern Sizing: Y(XS-S-M), ZZ(L-XL-XXL) I cut L, which tends to work for me on most Katherine Tilton designs. I’m thinking I might have had to go up a size – or this would have been a snug-fitting top – if I had done the front and back vertical instead of horizontal. As it is, I love the fit. Just love it. Did I say I love it?! 🙂

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, except for the horizontal/vertical switchup.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Y. On the side front, I pressed to the side and topstitched 1/4″ from the seam. On the side and armhole seams, I did double-stitched seams. I interfaced the hems with tricot fusible and used a double needle.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I loved the flair in the “skirt” – although I added to the flair with my drafting when adding the 2″ to the length.

Fabric Used: Bamboo rayon/spandex knit – like buttah! – from Hart’s Fabric.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I’m 5’8″ and find I always need to add a couple of inches to Katherine Tilton’s tops. Because of the shaping in the front and side front, I ended up tracing from the large at the “lengthen here” lines out to the XXL at the hem. Because of this, I got a fuller, more twirly top that is great over skinny pants. The combination of this soft, supple fabric and the fuller hem is a dream!

As I was cutting – in a hurry and not referencing the pattern – I cut the stripes the opposite of how Katherine envisioned them. My front, back and sleeves are crosswise stripes. Only the side fronts are lengthwise. I think I like this better than the pattern illustration. (I’m also very proud of how my stripes matched. (Patting self on back.))

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes and yes!

Conclusion: I made this to wear to a group birthday party for which I was one of the honorees. What a great birthday present to myself!

Here’s my second installation for #mmmay14, pulled from my daily Facebook posts. I believe I only repeated once or twice, and that only because I was traveling and wanted specific highly-wearable tops.

May 16, 2014 StyleArc Sunny Top	May 17, 2014 Honey Cowl	May 18, 2014 Butterick 5891
May 19, 2014 Vogue 8831	May 20, 2014 Vogue 8831	May 21, 2014 Butterick 5925
May 23, 2014 Butterick 5925	May 24, 2014 StyleArc’s Sunny Vogue 8590	May 25, 2014 Tilled Scarf Malabrigo Rasta and Silkpaca
May 26, 2014 Vogue 8831 Vogue 7597	May 27, 2014 Vogue 8817	May 28, 2014 Butterick 5925
May 29, 2014 Vogue 8582	May 30, 2014 Butterick 8817	May 31, 2014 Cutting Line Designs 41357 Stars in Heaven

I posted last week about the fabric I bought in Germany last November and my lack of sufficient yardage. I pulled five swatches from Mood Fabrics and subsequently ordered “Chocolate Rayon Jersey” for the sleeves and pocket trim of Butterick 5925, View A.

I finished it yesterday morning, just in time to leave for a road trip to Western NC to celebrate my mother’s 101st birthday. I slipped it on for the Spousal Equivalent to see. He—who is usually rather quiet about my wardrobe—immediately said, “But you already have one of those.” Hmmm. What I have is a similar print in a very different top. But I should be happy he noticed that much, right?!

I have mixed feelings about the bands at the bottom of the sleeves. I’m wondering if I should have omitted them and just left the sleeves solid brown. I’d love your comments—love ’em or hate ’em? They’re just zigzagged into place, so would be easy to remove.

Here’s the review:

Pattern Description: Pullover top has neckline and pocket variations, seam detail, and shaped hemine. A: slightly draped neck and pocket bands. This is my second time with View A. Made a View B in a solid red RPL a year ago and it’s my go-to top!

Pattern Sizing: Y(XSmall-Small-Medium), ZZ(Large-XLarge-XXLarge) I’m 5’8″ and generously-busted. I cut a Large, adding 2″ to the length at the shorten/lengthen lines.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
Love the style. Love the offset neck and pocket binding.

As I mentioned in a previous review, I found the pocket bottom to be challenging. I didn’t have enough of the main fabric for both pockets in this version, so just made one. I interfaced the hem of the inset/godet first, then laid the bound pocket on top of the inset, basted the sides, but also basted the bottom of the pocket to the interfaced hem allowance so that the basting would not show. Then I folded and pressed the hem allowance on the inset. I moved to the sewing machine and slipped the presser foot inside the pocket, sewing the inset hem from about 1.5″ in from either seam allowance. To clarify: the hem on the pocket/inset is sewn before attaching the inset to the front and back side seams, but I’ve left enough free so that I can sew those seams.

After inserting the inset and sewing the side seams, I [double-needle] sewed the hem from the edge of the pocket/inset around the back, the other inset, and the front, ending a half-inch into the pocket/inset. I had about an inch on either side of the pocket that was not hemmed, so just whipped that into place invisibly by hand.

I’m pleased with the result. The pocket bags down a little below the hem, but I didn’t have the bunching I experienced with the pocket/inset hem on the previous version.

I haven’t checked this theory yet, as I was rushing to leave on a trip, but I believe the pocket should be sized to the inset—should be cut the same width as the inset—not one-size-pocket-for-all-sizes. I suspect the pocket is cut the same size as the XL or XXL.

Fabric Used: A rayon/lycra (maybe rayon/poly/lycra) blend that I picked up in a department store in Frankfurt, Germany, while on tour last year with the Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus. Lovely memories every time I look at this fabric.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: See note above re pocket. Interfaced the back shoulder seam allowance and the hem allowances with a lightweight tricot fusible interfacing. (A trick learned from Marcy Tilton.) Next time I’ll trim the pocket to match the inset.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Probably will make one more – in black for performances. Would absolutely recommend! This is a beautiful top!

Conclusion: Make it! Wear it repeatedly!

One more picture for your enlightenment, from the hotel bathroom.

Six Months. This fabric has been waiting for six months, since I captured it from the fabric department at the Karstadt department store in Frankfurt, Germany, last November. It was similar in print and hand to the “Poster City” rayon/lycra print I got from Emma One Sock last year. The new fabric has waited patiently through the brutal winter we just endured. And now its time has come.

I’ve been pondering pattern choice for this fabric periodically over the six months. I thought I wanted a simple top because of the busy-ness of the pattern. However, after making a Butterick 5925, View A, for a friend a couple of weeks ago, I wanted to make one for myself. So I laid the fabric out and thought I had enough. But I lengthened the body by 2″, so I didn’t really have enough.

Could I have chosen a different pattern? Sure. I have a wide variety of patterns that I haven’t tried yet that would have only required the two metres I purchased. But—stubborn me—I wanted this top in this fabric. So I cut out what I could: back, front, godet, and (I think) collar.

Then I snuggled into my bed with my iPad and started looking around for either more of this print or a coordinating print or solid that would go well for sleeves and pockets. I found several possibilities online at Mood Fabrics and ordered swatches. In a few days I can audition them with the “poster print” fabric and see what I like.

My helper was in place tonight, doing his part to assist impede my progress.

Last week I ordered more Soft Stretch Fusible Tricot interfacing from Sarah Veblen. So tonight I stabilized and sewed the shoulder seams, then stabilized and pressed up the hem. Once I choose the companion fabric, I’ll be that much closer to completion. I might even be able to have it done before I drive to the mountains of Western North Carolina after Memorial Day for my mother’s 101st birthday.

I’m participating in #mmmay14, but I’ve been posting daily photos on Facebook rather than posting them here.

May 3, 2014 Handknit sweater “Knit Kimono”	May 4, 2014 Butterick 5523	May 5, 2014 Vogue 8859 Safety Scarf
May 6, 2014 Top: Vogue 8582 Pants: Vogue 8859	May 7, 2014 Vogue 8859	May 8, 2014 Hemlock Tee Vogue 8859
May 9, 2014 Vogue 8793	May 10, 2014 Vogue 8817	May 11, 2014 Vogue 8817
May 13, 2014 McCall’s 6035	May 14, 2014 Vogue 7637	May 15, 2014 Butterick 5961