I’ve made a new little top…. well, just a summer version of a T-shirt really, from scraps, the leftovers from this shirt. Constructively finishing off another small wad of fabric from my stash. Smug self back-patting ensues.
This stuff is pretty good top/blouse/shirt fabric. It is uncrushable and beautifully light. Sam has been wearing his shirt stacks. And luckily has no neuroses about his mother having a garment in the same fabric, although for both our sakes I have undertaken to only wear it if he’s not wearing his.
We do have some pride. 🙂
I had dreamed that this top would be cut on the bias, with those gridlines laying diagonally across the design, and to have little kimono/cap sleeves, like my preliminary sketch below. I thought it would look pretty cool like that, and had been thinking about it long enough that my heart was virtually set on it. But cutting on the bias is such a fabric hog, demanding way more than I actually had and so my plans were sadly not to be…. Visiting the fabric store to purchase just a leeettle bit more to indulge myself was pretty tempting as the fabric was not price-y, and still plentifully stocked. But I had to admit that doing so would utterly defeat any aspirations to green-dom. sigh
So …
I used the pattern for top “a” from Unique Clothes Any Way You Like, by Natsuno Hiraiwa, a very simple design that really does use a very tiny amount of fabric. In its simplest pared-back form this is a fab basic little top pattern. I grudgingly economically cut the pieces out on the straight…. which might not look as cool as my original idea, but is very effective for stash busting 🙂 And it is a good useful and casz little summer top.
The seams are all French seams. It doesn’t have any closure but can just be pulled on over my head. I left off the stipulated bias finish to the armholes and neckline, and instead made three sort of tubes or funnels to finish the apertures off. The sleeve tubes are just single fabric width, and sewn into the armholes and finished with a little hem, and the neckline tube is doubled over, and slipstitched invisibly down on the inside.
Details:
Top; modified top “a” from Unique Clothes Any Way You Like by Natsuno Hiraiwa, in navy and white check stuff. I have made this pattern up twice before, here and here….
Skirt; Vogue 1248, white cotton voile, details and my review of this pattern here
Thongs; Mountain Design
I can see how a bias plaid would have been very tempting. It's lovely how it is though, and it looks just right with your white skirt.
I love it! And I´m so surprised about the versatility of that skirt! I liked it very much when I first spot it on Vogue but never ordered it, just because I thought I´d tired of it soon, and then I see you in it and looks great with everything! You have a good eye!
Very cool shirt, I really like the collar
Oooh, fun!
That top is SO cute, Carolyn, even if it's not on bias. But, yes, I'd love to see it on bias, too. 🙂
The whole outfit is adorable.
Very cute, doing the tube sleeves and neck worked great. I just finished making 10.5 yards of bias binding so yep good move there. :O)… It fits wonderfully. I do agree if you had had the fabric on the bias would have been lovely too. It looks super with your skirt.
This outfit looks great, love your doggie always there with you. I love your sketch, you are so talented.
OMG HOW DO YOU FIND THE TIME ? I am totally in awe of how quickly you can make up a gorgeous garment. The top looks wonderful, love the shape of it – very flattering on you. Great job xx
Carolyn, this is a wonderful look for you. Cute, cute, cute. I also am working through some stash, and now have some cute little tops for summer. I like the tube, which I see as a modified turtleneck, or funnel neck. In a more fluid fabric, it might make a nice cowl. I really like the whole result!!
What a nice top, the collar detail is excellent! And I love that you paired it with this beautiful skirt.
Love it. Even if it isn't on the bias (which would have looked wonderful)it still looks great and uses up fabric that would have otherwise been lurking around doing nothing.
And I ADORE that skirt!
I really like this top and skirt combo. The top will be really good for avoiding that dreaded down under sun especially on the back of the neck.
Goodness its that fabulous skirt again..taunting me…taunting me.
The little top is so cute and very cool looking. It will look great layered and I am thinking you will get a lot of use out of it.
Go Green!
Lovely, lovely top! And you manage to pull this over your head with no opening, hmm… May-be I need to try this…
Nice. Goes so well with the skirt too. I love the first photo in particular.
So cute. So here is the question. When you wake up in the morning and both put on that fabric, who has to change?
You look like a little girl…
Sienna's fur is growing again… (it's right in english? in portuguese it would be: "O pelo da Sienna está crescendo novamente")
Simple and beautiful blouse, and a perfect match with this skirt. Sunny!
Kisses.
Your top looks great, I love the collar. Hopefully we'll get to see your sketch made up because it looks pretty cool too.
I wish I could draw like that, stick figures are all I can manage!
A gorgeous outfit….I love the details..
Very nice! I like checks on the bias too but same as my pink/green check dress, I envisaged it on the bias but not enough fabric too. It still looks good – your top reminds me of a lovely summer dress I used to have from (remember this shop?) Spendiferous! Ha ha – showing my age again!
Oh, what a unique top!
cute little top. HOpefully you can make a bias one later on as your sketch of the bias version looks very appealing.
The top as it is looks fantastic with the skirt, but I love your drawing and the original idea of cutting on the diagonal.
Entirely lovely – and a perfect match with your gorgeous white skirt.
Also – I just logged onto Burdastyle – to discover that the much-maligned rating system is no more! Rejoice!
I love this little top, a shame you couldn't do the neckline as per your drawing but I still think it looks delightful! And probably best not to wear your shirts together, as you said…
And the beau likes your good looking dog. Men…..
Fresh, airy and crisp! Love it!
Yet another great top! I don't know what I envy most – your sewing skills, your long legs or your warm weather!! Just colour me 'pea-green with envy' (a Southern expression from the States).
A cute and clever design. I can see why you liked the idea of a bias cut. Next time perhaps.
It's a lovely demure and light looking top! Your sketch looks very appealing, but it's a satisfying feeling to finish off some fabric…
I read the post after this and oh I want a fashionary of my own!
Nice top! I too can see it in bias. However it looks lovely as it is.
I usually check to see if I can pull any top or dress on without the help of a zip before I insert one, as so often I don't need one. I figured it was my flexible shoulders? But maybe it is just easier for most people than the pattern instructions presume. Who knows!
I love those sleeves! I am curious to know: Are they comfortable to wear? and is the armscye they are set into shaped in the standard way for an armscye? if not, what is the shape?
I really love that although you use patterns , you put a unique stamp on each one and have such a distict style as a designer that your work is very coherent and it all seems to be a part of a collection, BTW is that you or your daughter?
Lovely – I may have to make my own copy of that!! [NB. your dog always looks so happy, I always love to see pictures of him]