New Look 6677 + eyelet = summer top perfection

It is entirely possible that I have achieved peak summer top perfection with my latest sewing project. For which I will take partial credit - as this top is for my friend Alice. Who looks so very good in blue. (Which we have already established here - a look at a blue silk jersey dress I sewed for her).

She is always in search of the perfect tunic top, summer or winter version. Recently she did a big clean out and gave me a bunch of patterns she will never use, including the little gem that became this top.



The minute I finished it I started again on another one, for myself in a small remnant of silk so I will show that one soon.




Perfection in a summer top, right?  Of course the color is fantastic - and this fabric is really nice. She bought it in May when we were shopping over at Stone Mountain. I was just there on Monday and I think they still have this color. Now that I've seen this one I want a version for myself in emerald green, although my web searching has not turned up that color way.

Here is the pattern which at first glance might not look very promising. It has a date of 2007 on the envelope so long out of print.



And now I will give my encouragement to try New Look patterns. I'm not sure if they are readily available in other countries but I think so as I have seen them on plenty of UK and Australian sewing blogs. All their patterns are one price ($ 3.99 here in the US) so relatively cheap. They include all the sizes in one pattern envelope. Although their size range is usually more limited than Simplicity or Vogue. Looking at the back of the pattern envelope this one is sizes US 10-22, EU size 36-48, bust measure for those sizes they list as 32"-44". I find their pattern markings to be excellent - and their instructions are good.

But the best part of their patterns typically is that they have more than one view in the pattern envelope. In fact they often have at least two completely different looks. Value for your money. See above  - those tops really have no connection style-wise other than they are in the same envelope. And are vaguely tunic top-y. They have some dress patterns that include mix and match components with different skirt, neckline and sleeve variations where you could make 10 different dresses if you were obsessively inclined to put a pattern through its paces. ALSO - for those of you who think Simplicity patterns have excessive ease, particularly in the neck and shoulders - which is my personal nemesis in pattern fit - then take a look at New Look. I find they have a smaller frame across that area and don't tend to be as large. I have mostly made dresses and tops from New Look patterns including my favorite NL 6150 knit top. Although this one might be my new favorite :)  Lately I have been doing a lot of PDF downloads from the Burda website, as well as a couple of Bootstrap custom patterns and while those are great it is such a pleasure to just use a tissue pattern from the envelope. No printing, no taping, finished garment measurements printed right on there, no seam allowances to add. Easy peasy!

Sewing info: not really all that much to tell on this one. Other than the slightly tricky issue of how to interface that placket and collar.
Can you see it? The interfacing? No, well then my lucky dip into my interfacing stash was a success. I happened to have some silk organza in a color that I would describe as beige/gold/nude. So kind of a non-color and definitely not white. Which turned out to be perfect for the placket and collar so it disappears inside. You don't see it and it preserves the eyelet look in that area. White would have been hideous and also fusible would not have worked either. Silk organza for the win! Plus it has just the right level of body and structure to support the cotton eyelet without changing it.



Other adjustments - well obviously - cut in armholes! As I always do. Because I can't stand a sleeveless top with clunky wide shoulders. Alice had used this pattern before so it was a bit chopped up, she had used it previously and made the size 10, which cut off the other sizes in some pieces. However thanks to New Look, the placket was there in all the other sizes (that is a thing they do in their patterns, instead of nesting all the sizes often the facings/plackets/collars etc are each printed in their own size, which makes finding and using a lot easier. And she had mentioned that it was a bit constricting across the shoulders when she made it before, so I morphed this one into a blend of size 10 and 12 to give a bit more room across the back and through the neckline. But the length of the placket in the size 10 was just right so I used that.

And she wanted the hem edge to take advantage of the scalloped selvedge. Which she mentioned, oh I don't know maybe 4 or 5 (or 10) times. Which was worth mentioning because it is so cute ! Also I lengthened the pattern by 4 inches. You can see I tried to match up the rows of eyelet, not that I think it is noticeable but why not? Actually above on the placket I cut all the pieces exactly the same so the left and right side would match. Not that they it is noticeable  but I think if they were not then it would be noticeable, in a not so good way. Does that make sense?



A few more pictures.











I think it is going to be a hot one here today and through the weekend - so these floaty tops are becoming wardrobe staples. Here is a little sneak peek of the version I sewed for myself - recognize this fabric?



On another note - I think it is time for a new Pattern Whisperer post. I was thinking of skirts - or any requests?

Happy Summer Sewing,
Beth

today's garden photo, some pink gladiolus which were the last few bulbs remaining in the bag when I had planted a bunch throughout the yard. And so I stuck them in the not so great soil in the retaining wall next to this blue/purple hydrangea. And what a great color combo they turned out to be.