Pattern Description: From the website: "Stylish V-neck top, raised neckline at back, with or without sleeves.
View A has a zipper at front neckline for more coverage.
Voted "A Best Pattern of 2007" by patternreview.com members."
It's cute that they include the PR honor!
I made it with sleeves and no zipper.
Pattern Sizing: Oh, jeez, a million. "F-FF" in fact. I cut an "S" at the top grading to a "T" in the bottom, but the lines are so close together that anywhere in the S-T range would have been fine. I based this off my measurements and got a good fit.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, I suppose.
Were the instructions easy to follow? Well, they are printed sideways in a corner of the pattern sheet, in small print, with all the diagrams separate from the text and labeled with numbers to correspond with the steps, which I hate, but I deciphered them eventually. Not the clearest I've seen.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I totally fell in love with the construction method. Basically you cut two identical front pieces, lay them right sides together, stitch a line right down the middle, then fold it over (like a butterfly) and the line of stitching in the middle becomes the center seam and the fold the finished the neckline. Brilliant. Plus it goes together super fast. Bonus - the empire seam hits me just right (which I gathered it would from all the normal-busted-ladies' reviews saying it was too short. I have a very small bust).
Fabric Used: A thinish sweater knit from the bins at Michael Levine Loft in LA. I was glad of the double layered top half in the front, as my fabric may have had some show-through in a single layer across the bust. I think though that the fabric may have still been too stiff to lay right along the neckline - either something drapier or even stiffer would have been better.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I had to finish the sleeves with cuffs since I wasn't paying attention when I was cutting and the bottom of one sleeve got placed on an already-cut-out section of fabric... oops. Otherwise none.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I bought it to try my hand at making a bike jersey using the sleeveless, zippered neck option, and I'd still like to do that. I may revisit this version in a different fabric at some point, since I love the construction so much! Highly recommended, especially if you want a v-neckline in a fabric that won't make a nice finish with a binding!
Conclusion: I do think this top is a win, I'm just not as over the moon about it as I thought I would be. I wanted/assumed that this top would end up a little dressier, but the pattern is kind of sporty to begin with, and with this fabric it turned out more casual than I'd've liked. But I still have nothing but goodwill for it since it's such an ingenious design.
Blogged at no time to sew
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This is cute and you had the same idea I had about it being a little dressier, but I see sporty too. I have this about ready to cut but have kept putting it off but love Jalie and how they do their stuff. You did a great job with this, and it's a cute top!
2/13/13 5:14 PM
Looks great on you!
2/14/13 0:55 AM
"the bottom of one sleeve got placed on an already-cut-out section of fabric... oops. " - oh boy, have been there! I think it's a real nice top on you. I've made it in fleece (twice actually) and it's my go-to top this winter.
2/14/13 10:02 AM
If you go to the Jalie website you can print the directions and add them to the pattern so you don't end up with the great big directions sitting sideways. They also have some really neat videos. For their way to finish off a ribbing like neckline go to some of their newer skating pattern videos. Neat one on making their diapers as well. This is my favorite top of all time and I especially like it sleeveless for summer.
2/14/13 12:31 PM