Although I am interested in fabric and construction, no one could reasonably accuse me of being interested in trends or in fashion, per se. Particularly in warm weather, for everyday wear, all I care about is being able to toss something on without having to think about it at all.
Photo of a sleeveless top with a cowl collar.
The light knit fabric is printed with small white
flowers and green leaves on a blue background.
This top fits the brief — you might say that it even functions as a kind of tee-shirt! But it´s a bit lighter to wear, and perhaps a bit more polished.
I´ve made about a half dozen of these now, beginning in 2017. Plain shells don´t appeal to me, and, in truth, I´d be happy to just slap two rectangles of fabric together, and pin them, toga-style, for wearing in summer.
That´s possibly a bit careless for modern living, though. This top isn´t far from that most simple of garments, but the cowl adds a nice touch, and maybe makes it a bit more appropriate for contemporary wear. (And maybe a little more interesting.)
Photo of a parchment paper pattern for
the front of a sleeveless top showing
a curved cowl collar.
The pattern is self-drafted, and simplicity itself. The truth is that it would be possible to add this collar to almost any loosely-fitted top. The cowl is easy enough to draw, and just sits between the shoulder seams.
Photo of the top part of a pattern for a sleeveless
top showing a close look at the cowl.
After finishing the back neck with binding tape, I serge the edge of the cowl, and then it´s folded over and the sides are sewn into the shoulder seam.
Photo of the inside of a sleeveless cowl top, showing
the side of the cowl collar where it is attached
to the back of the top.
This gives a neat finish inside, with a nicely stabilized collar. However, the fabrics I use are thin and float-y, so there´s a little trick I use to ensure that the cowl stays in place when it´s worn:
Photo of a small fabric pocket, matching that
of the top, with a dime hidden inside.
I make a small pocket from a scrap, and put a dime into it. Then the weighted pocket is sewn to the center front inner edge of the cowl. A US dime is just heavy enough to keep the cowl inside the top, but light enough that it can´t really been felt when the top is worn. It´s fuss-free wearing — just what summer calls for!
Your top is very pretty. I also like the dime trick! I only have one cowl sweater, so I never thought of wearing them as a t-shirt. I admire you drawing your own pattern. Hacking is something I aspire to, but I have a starting place!
Ha, ha — I have zero drafting skills, but this top is so simple that it seemed worth a shot. The gamble certainly paid off, since I´ve been wearing the tops for years. But anything more complicated would stump me, as well. Hacking is a great place to start!
A cowl neck is aways pretty and a little more elegant. Love your pocket with the dime trick.
Thanks, Barbara! I wish I could remember where/how I first heard of this trick, years ago. I never liked wearing light cowl tops until I started putting these little weights in place!