BWOF 4-07-111

Hey, my head didn't explode AND I finished my top!! Here's the BWOF top from 4-2007, #111 in an Amy Butler cotton print:


I really like it, but it's not exactly what I envisioned...partly because I didn't have enough fabric to do longer sleeves (I was thinking more elbow length, with a rolled up cuff). I was going for more of a "western" shirt feel, but I didn't have any pearl snaps lying around (who does except maybe Porter Wagner?) and I was too lazy (and, all right, chicken) to go buy some/set them in.

So I used buttons I had on hand in a tortoise-y khaki color, and they give the shirt an overall "hawaiian camp" feel that I wasn't expecting. But still, it's a cute shirt. Here it is on me, although I had the goofy camera on the wrong setting, so it's not a great picture. Also my face is incognito today (post headache puffy eye syndrome) so you'll have to use a wee bit of imagination here:


My favorite part?? It FITS. Like perfectly fits...I don't remember the last time I had a woven top that fit this well actually. I used the size 44 at the shoulders & armholes, and added an FBA using the pivot/slide technique. I also moved the fullest part of the bustline down just a bit.

There are lots of other little tweaks. I ran out of fabric, so I had to do a short sleeve. I added a topstitched cuff and a button on tab, which ventured a little further into camp shirt-military territory. (My shirt is schizo at this point.)


The shirt pattern has a straight hem, but I scooped out a more traditional shaped hem:


What I think adds to the magnificent fit of this top is the interesting dart treatment on the front. It's a princess seam that ends in a dart almost to the hem of the front. Very cool pattern piece, but a little finicky to finish the edges on (you end up with an unfinished portion of the dart/princess seam.) They aren't that visible in this top with the wild print, but I think you can see the princess seam darts below (I topstitched them too):


I'm also fond of the collar with stand. Such a nice, professional look! Unfortunately, the back neck is too high (common problem for me) and I didn't adjust this before attaching the collar. It's not enough to really bug me, and easy enough to fix on the pattern for next time. Pretty collar:


There are little tulip shaped pockets on one view of this shirt in the magazine and I may go back and add them later. For now, I'm so happy to have found a woven top pattern that fits well & was fairly easy to put together!!

I should mention I didn't use the BWOF directions at all. I used the Sew U book (from Built by Wendy) because it has a basic shirt with collar & stand in it. Any basic shirt pattern with instructions would be better than BWOF's. My next project might be a dress...OR possibly another top. I'm eyeing several in June 08 and a couple in June 09 in fact.