Our Fave Top #4

Here we go again! Another "Our Fave Top" by Tessuti patterns made in the same fabric as my most recent make, but bought whilst in Melbourne last year. I *think* the fabric is from Rathdowne Fabrics but I cannot quite remember now?

My rolled hem didn't produce the nice "fluted hem" this time around...not sure why. Overlockers are very temperamental things. I do like the hem, but I would've LOVED for it to be nice and wavy.

I did change the side seams a little bit this time around.  The pattern is drafted in such a way that you can easily turn the slopped hem under to stitch but I don't need this as I don't hem my top. Instead I just brought the side seams down to a point...you might be able to see what I'm talking about in this photo. Also, I'm aware I look 20 month pregnant in the photo on the left, but that's just the effect of having big boobs!

So I wore this top to work today have so far gotten FOUR unsolicited compliments on it. FOUR! Three of the people actually had no idea I sew so I was quite chuffed to say "oh this? I made it myself"! I'm sure that there will be more "Our Fave Tops" in my future...but I think I have enough for now (though I would like to make one with full length sleeves for winter...if winter ever arrives in Sydney that is).

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Pattern: "Our Fave Top" by Tessuti
Size: One size fits...most
Modifications: added an extra 0.5cm (so a total now of 1.5cm) to the width each sleeve piece which continued under the arm and tapered off to zero at the bust. Lengthened sleeve by 5cm and added a cuff.
Fabric: from Rathdowne Fabric in Melbourne (maybe?)
Changes for next time: none

Our Fave Top #3

This is my third version of Tessuti's "Our Fave Top" and I don't think it will be my last. I love the way I can be VERY lazy with this top and finish the it with a rolled-hem on the overlocker. The top looks great with textured or wrinkly fabric - like this fabric brought from The Remnant Warehouse.

I sewed this top up yesterday morning -- it look about 3 hours including cutting time -- and then wore it into the city for lunch. For this version I added 2.5cm to the sleeve length on top of the 2.5cm I'd added to the pattern previously. I also finished the sleeve with the cuff. I'm still finding the lower sleeve a bit tight so for my next version I'll add a bit more width to the sleeves.

I love the shape of the top from the side...it's very voluminous, not sure if it's the best silhouette for me but life is too short to worry about stuff like that. I would like to add a bit of length to the top but not quite sure how to do that given the shape of the pattern. 

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Pattern: "Our Fave Top" by Tessuti
Size: One size fits...most
Modifications: added 1cm to the width each sleeve piece which continued under the arm and tapered off to zero at the bust. Lengthened sleeve by 5cm and added a cuff.
Fabric: from The Remnant Warehouse
Changes for next time: add some more width to the sleeve

"Our Fave Top" by Tessuti

How great is this fabric that I picked up from The Fabric Muse during one of my lunch breaks. Rhetorical question as it's obviously fantastic! The print is so pretty and the fabric (polyester/spandex) feels so nice. I initially bought 90cm for another Maria Denmark Kimono Top but after feeling the two way stretch and drape of the fabric I thought it would do nicely as Tessuti's "Our Fave Top".

I've made this top once before and the underarms/sleeves have been widened to accommodate my ample "guns". I also decided to lengthen the sleeve pattern by 2cm and add a cuff. I think I could make the lower arms a bit wider still and the cuffs are a smidgen too tight (as I decided to make the cuffs 1cm smaller as I didn't want them to be loose and messy looking - if I'd just left well enough alone the top would be perfect - d'oh) but the fabric is SO stretchy that hopefully they'll not be too uncomfortable when I wear the top.

As my overlocker is playing up a bit I decided to stay stitch the neckline before overlocking as I didn't want the fabric to stretch out and be ruined. I think I should unpick the stay-stitching as it looks a bit messy on the inside now. I'm going to drop my overlocker in for a service next week and I shall miss it dearly whilst it's gone.

With the hem, as with my first version of this top, I decided to roll the hem with my overlocker...because I'm lazy! As I was sewing I kept thinking "ah, f**k, it's stretching out and I've ruined the top", but as soon as I finished and pulled it off the machine I LOVED the fluted finish to the hem. LOVE. IT!

So, whilst not perfect in sewing or fit I do love this top, mainly as I think the fabric is so well suited to the pattern and the print is just so lovely. I'm really going to enjoy wearing this once the weather cools down a bit more.

** I'm wondering if I have forward sloping shoulders (or something) as it's very obvious when on that this top is twisting and something funky is happening when I wear it???

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Pattern: "Our Fave Top" by Tessuti
Size: One size fits...most
Modifications: added 1cm to each sleeve piece which continued under the arm and tapered off to zero at the bust. Lengthened sleeve by 2cm and added a cuff.
Fabric: Flashing Lights & Florals Printed Jersey (95% polyester and 5% spandex) from The Fabric Muse in Chippendale
Changes for next time: none, though leave the cuff piece as I've already drafted and don't make it smaller.

"Our Fave Top" is now my fave top!

"Our Fave Top" is a free t-shirt pattern from my beloved Tessuti. There's not much too it - just two pattern pieces and about an hour of sewing. I love it!

I downloaded this pattern when I VERY first started sewing so it's been sitting there, along with this crinkly knit fabric from Spotlight, for about 18 months. Not sure why I didn't make it up sooner - but now that I have this toile done I already have another cut out and ready to go.

Before I cut out the pattern I added 1cm to each sleeve piece which I continued with under the arm and then tapered off around the bust. I knew I'd need this as the sleeves on the Mandy Boat Tee are too small without this adjustment so I figured it'd be the same situation with this top. The sleeves "just fit" now but would be more comfortable in a fabric that has four-way stretch, which this does not so it's a bit snug "around" the arm, but up and down it's fine. If you have chunky upper arms I suggest that this alteration is probably a necessity...

I love how simple it is to do the neck on this top (and the Mandy Boat Tee). Just turn each piece under, stitch it down and then sew the back to the front. I overlock the neck hem and then turn it under and stick it down using wondertape...it's cheating, but it's SO easy! Things are then neatened up with a little dart along the side of the neck to hide where the front and back join. The sleeves have a cuff as I can't help myself and the hem is finished with the rolled hem function on my overlocker - which was PERFECT for this crinkly fabric.

Pattern: "Our Fave Top" by Tessuti
Size: One size fits...most
Modifications: added 1cm to each sleeve piece which continued under the arm and tapered off to zero at the bust
Fabric: mystery crinkly knit from Spotlight
Changes for next time: none as long as my fabric has four way stretch to make the arms a bit more comfortable