Tops that pop

This is going to be short and sweet (or at least as short and sweet as my usual runaway jabber will allow).

I missed the deadline to sign up for Faye’s 2018 Tops That Pop sew-along.  My son was visiting (a once-a-year occurrence) and somehow that took precedence over keeping up with what’s going on in the sewing world.  But – that wonderful lady Faye contacted me and bent her rules and I was in!  I knew that I could manage at least one top – something that was already percolating in the brain.  Something that I would actually need if the weather ever gets warm enough for me to wear sleeveless – or at least sleeveless with a topper.  (At the moment I’m feeling as though I’m destined to live out the year as an icicle.)  Here’s what I made – not exactly a top that “pops”, but – I got it done – picture sent off to Faye yesterday.  It’s Kwik Sew 2976 – sewn several times – no fitting and fussing necessary.

Last night I decided to really “wind myself up” (i.e. challenge myself?) to see if I could actually produce another top before the deadline.  Something very, very easy.  It’s self-drafted – kimono sleeve – actually drafted for a woven, but now made up in a knit.

The fabric was exactly 17 inches of 60 inch wide fabric.  Stripes were a little bit wonky in the printing, which didn’t make laying out the pattern all that easy, but with a little fudging I did manage to get the stripes to line up on the final product.  One problem to solve was the distinct lack of length.  I had a cropped top.  I am definitely not a candidate for wearing cropped tops. Luckily there was a wide-ish strip of unprinted fabric on the edge which was just the right size to split in half and add to front and back.  No more cropped top.  Narrow hems all around.

So, thanks to Faye’s generosity I now have two new tops for summer.  And I actually participated in a sew-along!  Whether I will actually get to wear these tops any time soon – time will tell.