It makes very little sense, even in ordinary times, for me to wear anything other than sweatshirts at home. I live with a herd of cats, all of whom have highly functional claws, and with whom I interact all the time. Sweatshirts can take that kind of heat. But sweatshirts are b-o-r-i-n-g.
When I saw this pattern, though, I was chuffed.
It didn’t hurt a bit when I went out to buy it, eons ago, and one of my favorite people at my local store asked me if I’d seen this new release — “I saw that, and I knew it was YOU!” he said. He was so right!
Vogue, inexplicably, tags this pattern as being easy. Which would be a whole lot more accurate if the neckline weren’t the essential part of the garment. I’m hardly inexperienced, and yet it was a battle to get it right — and, if I’m honest, it’s still not exactly what it should be.
My fabric, bought in Montreal at the beloved and eccentric Plazatex (no website; it’s in Mont-Royal), has a fair amount of loft and bounce with which I struggled — in spite of careful stay-stitching. I prevailed, but only barely. Suffice to say, good results here require serious precision — precision which might be beyond a reasonable point for novice sewers.
I’m pretty annoyed about the slight shrinkage this top is experiencing over time.
Naturally, I pre-shrunk the fabric, but I draw the line at pre-shrinking yards
of heavy cotton two, three, or four times. My bad, as it turned out.
Facing the massive collar isn’t as daunting as it looks, but it’s different, so that’s something for novices to consider, too. Because I love the aspect ratio of the top, I didn’t alter the collar, but, if I ever make it again, I probably will experiment with cutting it down slightly. Unlike the fantastically tall model on the Vogue envelope, I’m 5’2″/157 cm on a good day, and small. I could sleep in this collar and no one would know.
Because I had it on hand, I lined the collar with this floral cotton. The consonant colors were irresistible!
Aside from the collar, and the need to place the patch pockets and flaps carefully, construction is simple, and this top is a lot of fun to wear. Cropped and cute, but with an inescapable air of sophistication! But don’t count on knocking it out in a couple of hours. For that kind of project, you need a Toaster. (Review coming.)