Vogue 7612 - Loose Fitting Top

The best I can say about this garment is that it's one of the most comfortable tops I own. As far as my sewing technique, I cannot give myself a passing grade. I must go back and try this one again. I was using a small piece of fabric that did not allow me to make the top in its full intended below-hip length. I ordered the fabric online, meant to order 2 yards and somehow ened up with only one. This was actually a good thing, since the color of the fabric turned out not to be as I expected. It is a murky sort of mauve that doesn't match any other item in my wardrobe. For this reason, I probably was not as diligent as I should have been, and I'm definitely not motivated to rip out seams and fix my mistakes.

Part of the problem may have been that the fabric is a very thin cotton-lycra blend that was a bit difficult for this rank beginniner to handle. So when I make this top again, I'll try a light-weight denim or chambray. I may also extend the opening all the way down. I don't really like the center seam with the button-tab at the top. But will the top be as comfortable in chambray or denim? I doubt it. The comfort partly comes from the lightness of the fabric. Hmm ... there is surely a reason the pattern designer recommended light-weight linen, denim or chambray for this top ... all I can do at this point is try it and see. I'm not smart or experienced enough to predict the results with any certainty.

The biggest error I made was in pulling the fabric when I attached the top piece of the collar. The pattern instructions called for attaching the lower collar first, rather than sewing the top and bottom sections of the collar together first. Obviously, it's possible NOT to mess up the collar, because the non-pulled side is almost perfect. Well, except for that one little pucker. Oh dear! Back to try again.

Also this past week I made my first ever pair of trousers, a practice version made with fabric from an old bed sheet. The waist was too big, for which I compensated by taking gathers in the back. I didn't quite think it all the way through. The gathers in the back, without corresponding gathers in the front, cause the side seams to fall way toward the back. They're pretty funny looking trousers. Good thing I'll only be wearing them to work in the garden.