Hello all!

I’ve found myself sat on the sofa with nothing to do for the first time in a while and thought that it’s about time that I wrote a blog post! This top I made to wear on Christmas day. The colours are just so festive! I bought a metre of this viscose fabric from Cloth House last year because I just loved the colours and the print. I’ve had lots of different thoughts on what to make with it over the past year but at the end of the day I wanted big sleeves and the lack of fabric pretty much orchestrated the rest of the design.

First of all, let’s discuss making the pattern. I used the sleeve pattern I originally drafted for my hippy dress last year, slashed and spread at the top so I could have some gather. Then I adapted my bodice block to a wrap bodice with a midriff panel just at the front.

The construction was fun to puzzle over. The side seams ended up being one of the last things that I sewed! I started with shoulder seams, the underbust gathers and finishing the neckline with bias binding. Then it was time to sew the ties which were then bagged inbetween the midriff panel and lining. The back bodice was hemmed with bias binding and then it was time for the side seams! I sewed the elasticated cuffs into the sleeves before finally inserting them into the bodice and the whole thing was done!

So now that I’ve discussed the process of putting it together how do I feel about it? I love the fabric, I love the sleeves. I’m not convinced about the how the low neckline works on me considering that I’m not particularly blessed in the bust region, and I wonder where it would be more flattering if I replaced the bust gathers with longer tucks but I had so much fun working out how to put this one together I don’t mind at all! In fact I look forward to bringing it out again for next years festive season. I do want to find something better to pair it with next year though!

Thank you so much for reading if anyone is still in fact reading!

Lauren xx