THE WEEKEND IN REVIEW...

As usual I was in a rush to get to the weekend. First I needed to stop by Hancock's to pick up this pattern because Vogue patterns were on sale for $3.99 again. I had noticed this pattern before but failed to buy it last time. I was attracted to this version of the class wrap front tee. I've tried several other wrap tops, but wanted to try this one because it's designed just a little differently as the wrap part is closer to the neckline than the others. I made it in a powder blue to match the gray stripped suit that I made as an entry for the fair. The sheer ruffled blouse that I made to go with the suit will have to wait until next summer, so I needed something a little warmer to wear with the suit now. The top fits very nicely and the slackness in the wrap area that I had experienced with the other sursplice tops is eliminated by this pattern. I am sure that this pattern will become my new TNT for tees because the pattern offers 5 views and includes crew and vee necklines.

The only thing that I will change about the pattern next time is the elimination of the side slits at the hem area. That will also eliminate extra seam finishing work in that area.

Last week one of my students wore a knit tunic similar to this pattern. To achieve a knockoff of her tunic I had to combine two views of this pattern. I wanted the neckline from view D and the band and sleeve from view B. Not a real problem except - I was in a hurry to get the pattern cut out so I could join sewing buddies Lisa and Ebony for an early evening "Sew A Long", and secondly I was talking on the phone when I was trying to choose my a pattern pieces and didn't choose the correct ones. Then I misjudged the yardage of the fabric which meant I had to scrimp on the layout and even do some patching to get the look I wanted due to not having enough fabric...uggggg! Here's the way it turned out. The fit is good and I tried to place the seams where I patched in inconspicuous places so they would not be seen. I think I can put my perfectionism aside enough to wear this less than perfect top. I didn't have enough fabric to make a self belt but that's ok since I not a lover of self belts anyway. I'm showing it without and with a belt. I think I'll be wearing it with the belt.

Sewing this up would have been super easy but it took some time to figure out how to piece fabric to get the collar and hem band cut out. So I'll call it a wrap for this weekend. I figure I'm successful because I have two new tops to wear to work this week which means easy dressing in the mornings....