Simplicity 3887 - Redux!

I probably have 150 patterns I want to make...and that's not counting all the BWOF stuff I drool over every month! In my brief week at home (I leave for Nashville at 4:30 a.m. tomorrow!) I waffled from one BWOF pattern to another in indecision.

Then inspiration struck with this adorable top by Amanda, who makes the darn cutest things ever! I don't have the particular McCalls pattern that she used, but I remembered that my similarly styled Simplicity 3887 had the same hem treatment AND flutter sleeve as options! Woohoo!

I used a poly knit from Gorgeous Fabrics for my version. If you remember, my last S3887 was out of a crinkle gauze. I thought that my ample booty probably needed a body-skimming knit to be able to wear the elastic-cased waist treatment. The length is perfect on my dressform, but after running back & forth for the camera timer, the casing does ride up a bit, causing a shorter look. I still like it!


The neckline gave me fits. I thought I was gonna have to quit it! First, the sizing runs large on this top (and my issue was partly due to the knit too.) I knew this from my last one but forgot until it was too late. I started with an 18, but really could have used a 14 at least, for the neckband pieces.

After sewing the neckbands together, I pressed the raw edges together with Steam a Seam instead of basting, because the squiggly, wiggly poly knit was not playing nice. The SAS worked great until I pressed a big old glob of it on the front neckband! I never did get it out so had to start over on the neckband (a half hour on the net, a half hour trying all the net fixes, and an email to Adrienne later.)

Keep in mind at this point I'm still not remembering it's not going to fit anyway.

Finished the top except for casings, tried it on...and the neck was a mess. Way too gapey and drapey. We're talking on the verge of cowl neck here. After working on that darn neckband TWICE I threw caution to the wind and made a dart in center front & back. (This was easier than taking up shoulder seams, because I had already understitched.) Perfect fit.

So that the neckline didn't have an unsightly bump at the CF and CB, I slit the dart and topstitched from the front in part of the pattern (so the topstitching wouldn't show.) You can't even see it from the right side of the top. Looks like crap on the inside.

Crap neckband save.

But the sleeves are so cute! They could be a tad bit longer I think, but I was a little overzealous with my casing turn-up. Slippery poly booger. I even resorted to a plain old zigzag for the casing hems!

So the moral of this story is...even when you're yearning for amazing, fashion-forward clothes, and you want to try all the patterns calling you from your stash, sometimes all you really want to do is SEW. And that might just mean pulling out a previously-sewn, easy favorite.

Ok, I'm off to Nashville until Saturday. Toodles!!