Chevron squiggle overload: the updated Cake Patterns free Tee pattern

I actually made this Tee a month ago while I was working on the updated envelope art, but couldn't share officially until the pattern was out in the wild (available now as a free PDF via Craftsy, or a printed (and of course not-free) paper pattern via Etsy.

As you all know, I illustrate for Cake Patterns and thus have access to the patterns for free, so this isn't an objective review or anything, but I don't get paid to sew Cake and I made this for fun and my opinion is my own, and etc. So when I tell you I love this Tee pattern—I mean it!

The basics

Pattern: The Tee, Cake Patterns Riff No. 2224. A knit custom-fit and custom-length T-shirt with cut-on sleeves, hem band, V-neck or round neck options and micro pocket options. I made the single-pocket V-neck version in a 26" length (I wanted an almost tunic-length top):

Fabric: 1 yard of a really uncooperative (if totally fun) thin chevron printed rayon-spandex knit from Tex Styles in Austin, Texas. The pattern wasn't even SLIGHTLY close to on-grain at all, so I cut it to make the lines look as straight as possible. And I used a bit of chevron for the pocket to look like an "M" for "Mikhaela."

Size: I made the size 35, with 38" bust and 39" hips and a 26" length. I normally would do a snug waist with negative ease, but since this fabric was so tissue thin I only brought the waist in to 33" at the fit check step.

Modifications: No modifications, except those directed in the pattern (bringing in the waist slightly for a closer fit during the fit check stage).

Construction notes: This is a very quick and satisfying make—no sleeve setting required. Cutting out the recalcitrant fabric was probably the hardest part.

The round neckline version would have been quicker, but I love a V-neck and have never made one before, so decided to try it out and am happy I did. I just followed the written instructions, but Steph recently posted a step-by-step photo tutorial for mitered V-necks that breaks it down more clearly for beginners.

The pattern also comes with a little pressing template that makes getting perfectly shaped little pockets much easier.

Wear: I've been wearing this versatile basic constantly—with jeans, skirts, whatever. Next time I might make it a little longer to be more tunic-length for over leggings. I probably SHOULD make a solid-colored one as I need some plainer Ts, but I'm sure I'll go for a pattern again.

So what are you waiting for? Get yourself a free Tee pattern!

A chevroned Hummingbird joins the flock (with dickey! and cuffs! and buttons!)

Yes, I have a peplum problem passion. This is my third Cake Patterns Hummingbird knit peplum top (after the polka dot one and the hummingbird colors one) so I guess it's now my official tried-and-true top.

Not much new to report. I cut the same bust size as before (the 35), but went with the elbow-length sleeves and the deeper neckline with dickey and bias cuffs. I basted the dickey in place carefully before topstitching it to the neckline binding.

I've always loved the look of knit tops with dickeys—they have all the comfort of a knit with a touch of the polish and crispness of a woven.

The chevroned knit fabric is a wonderful rayon/spandex jersey from Mood, and the woven fabric is a sheer black cotton swiss dot lawn from Fabric.com four years ago (but similar still available). The iridescent buttons are from M+J, leftover from a sweater. They are BEAUTIFUL but I could not get a decent photo of them.

Er, what's this? Why are there four button holes for two buttons, you ask? Well, either I am the WORST at buttonholes or my buttonhole sensor foot hates me, because this ALWAYS HAPPENS. And yes, I stabilized the area with plenty of interfacing and carefully marked the buttonhole placement and practiced on scrap fabric...

Moving on. I apparently also cannot photograph my own back properly, as this weird hunched-over blurry shot was the best I got.

Finally, I should note that this is actually another finished object formerly known as an unfinished object, almost the LAST one in the pile (and oh, it feels AMAZING to finally finish something and clear that mental space). I started her during the Hummingbird 30 Minutes a Day Sewalong last year, but then my sewing machine went beserk on the shoulder seam...

... and I got discouraged and abandoned the top.

Now I love it. I love it so much I even wore it out for Mother's Day before I attached the dickey: here I am with my daughter at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (my husband took us to the mind-blowingly AMAZING Charles James exhibit at the Costume Institute for Mother's Day and all three of us just LOVED it.):

Which is especially fitting, because Charles James' famous 4-leaf-clover skirt design was one of Steph's inspirations for the Hummingbird peplum's shape.

I like this version much better with the dickey, though—the scoop by itself was a little too deep to be decent workwear.

I think the best part about finishing UFOs is that they feel like they were sent to me in a time machine by Mikhaela from the Past. I often find that cutting fabric is the hardest and most annoying part of the whole process, so it's awesome to just be able to open a bag of neatly cut and marked and notched fabric pieces all ready to sew—like someone else did all the work!

How's your Me Made May going?

Inspiration: Pretty, Pretty Peplums!

"Pretty Pretty Peplums" inspiration featuring a Modcloth striped dress and top and a Stop Staring dress

With the Cake Patterns Hummingbird Sew-Along humming along on day 2, it's time to cut my third Hummingbird top, and I was on the hunt for a little inspiration on what I might do differently this round. Man do I love a peplum...

You might guess I was leaning towards a dress version... maybe with stripes...

And I was. Until I remembered that my daughter's third birthday party is this weekend and I only have two actual sewing evenings before both my parents and my husband's mother and young cousin come to stay in our little apartment for several days...

So I think another top it is—probably View Blue, which has a deep wide neck, with a woven dickey and cuffs. (A little step towards making my first button-down shirt, but way less commitment!). Here's Steph's version for an example.

I'm doing mine in a nice chevron jersey from my recent trip to Mood:

And the dickey and cuffs in some scraps of sheerish black Swiss dot lawn from the Stash that Must Be Busted, left over from my self-drafted reversible shirred skirt:

I hope sheerness won't be an issue here... we shall see!

P.S. On another note, this just made my day. I have a bad case of laryngitis and have been very cranky about not being able to talk properly. I got home today and my husband had washed a recent fabric purchase (sorry, can't tell you what it's for! sssssssh!) and put it on my sewing cabinet with this little note:

So are you pro or anti-peplum?

Hummingbird Peplum Top II: Hummingbird Colors

A new Hummingbird joins the flock!

So the moment I saw this hummingbird-colored fabric, I just knew it had to be my second Hummingbird peplum top, to follow my first black & white version.

In fact, most of the time involved for this super-quick sewing project was in the cutting—I had to work REALLY carefully to make sure that none of the little round flower things ended up over either "bust apex."

The pattern: Cake Patterns Hummingbird Peplum Top and Straight Skirt 0289. (Hummingbird is shipping now in paper, by the way, or you can buy the top-only PDF for instant peplum gratification).

Fabric: Soft, stretchy and super light-weight rayon/spandex blend jersey from Mood. (I bought extra because I knew the large-scale print would be a challenge.) It doesn't have quite as crisp of a drape as my previous fabric, so the four-leaf clover effect is a bit lost.

It does catch the wind nicely, though:

Also, this fabric is so bright, it is scientifically impossible to be unhappy while wrapped in it.

Differences from version 1:

• I used the second sized peplum length to make it a more comfortable top over jeans or any bottoms that don't sit at the natural waist. I like both lengths on me, however.
• Since this fabric is so light and fluttery, I finished the sleeves with a magenta rolled hem edge on my serger for variation.
• I shortened the back by a little over an inch around bust level (because the top length is sized by front waist length, you may need to do this if you are quite full-busted).

I love many things about this top, but I am most proud of the...

SMOOTH.

FLAT.

NECKBAND.

I don't think I've ever really managed this before. The key was to stretch the band quite a bit tauter over the most curved areas, and just moderately over the straighter areas (Threads has a fantastic video on this from Sarah Veblen, and this one is pretty great too). The topstitching Steph recommends in the instructions helps a lot as well—I did mine in pink.

I'm also pleased with myself for once again getting out of the apartment for a photoshoot—this time the courtyard of my apartment building. (I did worry that the neighbors were wondering what I was doing out there by myself with a tripod twirling around, but oh well.) No idea what those chalked numbers are there for.

Honestly, I feel like this neckband trick is life-changing. I have never really gotten any knit neck bindings to properly cooperate before—they tend to ripple and sag and wibble and wobble all over the place, which is one of the reasons I have made the Jalie scarf-collar top twice—no binding necessary.

In fact, I went to see the Star Trek movie with my husband last night and had trouble concentrating on the film because I kept touching my neckband to see if it was still lying flat and crisp—which it was.

What's your favorite tip for taming knits?

P.S. Full disclosure again, in case you've missed the million times I've mentioned it: I'm the envelope illustrator for Cake but I am NOT paid to sew or blog about Cake!

Hello, Hummingbird (Cake Patterns peplum knit top, #0289)

Instant peplum gratification—this little Hummingbird took maybe me two hours to sew up, INCLUDING basting it together first to check fit!

A properly fitting peplum (seam snug at the waist, skirt at the right length and proportion) is a thing of wonder. It can suggest an hourglass figure, or accentuate one that already exists. Even better if it's in a forgiving, comfortable knit and can be whipped up in a single evening for a quick sewing high!

My mother has actual live hummingbirds in her yard, but try as I might I could not get one to land on me for my photos!

The pattern: Cake Patterns Hummingbird Peplum Top and Straight Skirt 0289. It's shipping this week, in case you're wondering! (Full disclosure: I'm the envelope illustrator for Cake Patterns and I designed the envelope and instructions along with my husband ... but I only work with Steph because I love me some Cake, and I sewed this top on my own time!)

Pattern Description: Knit top with horseshoe-shaped neckline, cap- or elbow-length sleeves, and four-leaf-clover-shaped peplum with different length options and optional dickey and cuffs. (There's also a woven skirt which I haven't made yet). I made the top in View Green (cap sleeves, no dickey or cuffs).

Pattern Sizing: The top is sized for a 30-59 inch full bust, and is also customized by actual waist size and front waist length (to ensure the peplum sits exactly at the waist).

• My full bust is 38.5", so I chose the full bust size 35, then selected my actual front waist (17") and waist (29") sizes. Thanks to this size magic, the bust and waist fit perfectly in front, no FBA needed!
• For the peplum, I chose the 20s size (proportioned for waist sizes in the 20s range), which created a neat little peplum perfect for wear over skirts. I think next time I will make the slightly longer 30s range peplum, for extra length over jeans... though it works fine as is, too... here it is at work on Friday:

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Absolutely!

Were the instructions easy to follow? Again, rather surreal following along with my own illustrations (and Steph's instructions), but I find them quite clear and thorough if I do say so myself!

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? My favorite part is the unique little four-leaf-clover-shaped peplum drape (in both front and back).

Fabric: Soft, light-weight black & white polka dot ITY jersey from Spandex House, leftover from making maternity tops some time back. Excellent stretch and recovery, and it drapes nicely for the peplum (which I did not hem, as this fabric is not prone to fraying).

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: Zip. Nope. None. A first for me, really!

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Oh yes and yes! I'm going to make my next version in true Hummingbird colors, I'm starting to get bored with all my monochromatic sewing I've been doing lately... this is a rayon-lycra knit I got at Mood last weekend:

Wear for: Everything all the time. Dress it up with a pencil skirt (like the matching Hummingbird skirt I'm working on now!), dress it down with some jeans. Also good for hanging out with bubble-blowing toddlers:

A final thought: You know, I was looking again at the tagline for Cake and it occurred to me why I jumped on board so enthusiastically when Steph approached me about working on the art and design. "Sewable wearable basics for busy women—always with pockets." (What she doesn't need to say there is that Cake Patterns are fun, vintage-inspired and figure-flattering, too!)

Well, that busy woman is me—I sewed this top after a long day of work, followed by a long evening of trying to get my toddler to do all her medical treatments and finally go to sleep ... I didn't start sewing til past 10, so didn't finish til past midnight. But the satisfaction of being able to wear it to work in the morning was so worth it!

P.S. For those of you who bought the pattern during the presale or since, and are wondering when you'll get your itchy hands on it... it's shipping this week, in big pretty green, pink, orange, and blue envelopes!

P.P.S. I'm feeling seriously pleased with myself for already sewing two tops and refashioning a cardigan this month–so good to get back to my machine after my ridiculously long hiatus!!!

P.P.P.S. In case you're wondering why my photos look so much better than usual, I was visiting my mom in Massachusetts... so I borrowed her porch and her Canon Rebel camera! She's promised to let me hold onto it a few weeks more, too.

Finished: Tiramisu Striped Top (Cake Patterns 0144)

Striped Tiramisu top love! Don't you adore the directional striped neck and sleeve bands?

Oh, you know how it is... You wake up in the morning snuggled up in your handknit socks and striped me-made sleep bra and panty set. Then you pull on your Tiramisu top and your me-made corduroy wide-legs... just another day, right?

The pattern: Cake Patterns Tiramisu Dress 0144. (Full disclosure: I'm the envelope illustrator for Cake Patterns and I designed the envelope and instructions along with my husband ... but I began working with Cake BECAUSE I already thought what Steph was doing was so awesome.)

Pattern Description: Knit knee-length dress with front mock wrap neckline, cut-on sleeves, customizable midriff and half-circle skirt. (I left off the skirt for this test garment top version).

Pattern Sizing: The pattern is sized for a 30-50 inch high bust, 25-50 inch waist and has bust cup sizing A-D. My high bust is between 34 and 35" and my full bust is 38.5", so I initially chose to make a 35D.

After basting to check fit (as recommended in the pattern), I realized I should probably have chosen a size up instead of a size down ... so I tightened up the width and length of the front bodice pieces by quite a bit. Probably slightly too much (and I overdid the overlap, so it's somewhat more modest than intended), but this is a test garment, so I'm not about to unpick it now. (See Steph's underbust tune-up tutorial and video from the Tiramisu sew-along for more on how to do this).

Never mind my photo-bombing toddler... ("I love stripes Mommy!")

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Why yes, though as a top.

Were the instructions easy to follow? It was a rather surreal experience following along with my own illustrations (and Steph's instructions), but I find them quite clear and thorough if I do say so myself!

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? It's such a flattering style on so many figure types, mine included. But my absolute FAVORITE thing is the stripe matching options... don't you love those striped sleeve bands and neck bands? AND the back chevron effect is some kind of awesome:

Fabric: Soft, medium-weight gray & white striped cotton-lycra blend jersey at $6/yard from Spandex House, leftover from making fun panties (which I'm actually wearing here, in case you're curious). It's very similar in weight/recovery to the much more expensive $15/yard fabric I'm going to use for the dress version.

Because of the stripes, I cut the pattern pieces out on a single layer to make extra-sure I aligned them with the stripe matching guide printed on the pattern. Cutting stripes on the fold can lead to stripey tears (ask me how I know).

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I left off the skirt, and extended the midriff band down and out to the hips a bit.

Construction notes: I made this on a mix of sewing machine and serger (now both repaired and working great) as recommended in the pattern instructions. I used a ballpoint twin needle for the hem.

My walking (aka dual feed) foot helped a lot in keeping the jersey from rippling out of shape and in pattern matching at the side seams—almost invisible, am I right?

There is a side seam there... but I can barely see it! Thanks walking foot.

Successes:

• Stripes! Stripes! DIRECTIONAL stripes!
• A perfect top to go with my wide-legged me-made Vogue 9745 trousers (shown at top).

Recommended Reading:

• Tiramisu 30 Minutes a Day Sew-Along.

Room for improvement?:

• When I make the dress I'll try cutting a different size for the front bodice—probably the 30D—and play with it a bit before sewing real seams. It's really a matter of personal ease preference.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Heck yeah and triple heck yeah.

Wear for: Work, weekend, pretty much anywhere.

Readers, it feels good to be sewing again after my long illness! And I can't wait to make the dress version... in red and white stripes, of course:

Then it's on to Hummingbird... and Bonny... and Pavlova... and... Cabarita... I think I need to clone myself! I have many other patterns in my queue but I've grown so attached to these after drawing them that I just need to bring them to life NOW.

In Progress: Tiramisu Top Muslin, Or the Over-Enthusiastic Bust Assessment

My basted-together Tiramisu muslin: So I think I chose the wrong cup size, huh?

So I'm making the Cake Patterns Tiramisu dress (reprinting now and temporarily on presale for $12) in red and white stripes as part of my Spring Sewing Plan, but before I cut into my super-nice fabric, I figured I'd test it with some other leftover stripes from the stash.

For variety, I decided to make it as a top, since I wasn't worried about fitting the skirt. I just extended the midriff down (too far down, I think). and shaped it out for the hips.

In sewing, it is always a perilous thing to ignore your actual measurements in favor of half-remembered or wishful thinking or denial measurements. Numbers and letters are just that. Now, back when I was pregnant, and then nursing, I got REALLY good at making extreme bust adjustments (for F, G, H and even at one point, I). But I recently weaned my daughter and I think I need to wake up to the new reality of more subtle E-cup bust roomage needs.

Anyway, my high bust is 35" and my full bust is 38.5. So I chose the size 35 by high bust, which I'm pretty sure was correct since it fits well in the back (and how cool is that chevron effect?!):

But for the cup size I chose the D, which I now think was a mistake, since according to the cup size chart it creates a finished measurement of 39.5"... a whole inch of positive ease when I prefer at least an inch or two of negative ease.

Plans & Observations:

• I think I'll recut the two front bodice pieces as the 35B, which should be a finished full bust measurement of 37" (1.5" negative ease) and should remove some of the front length, too.
• I was so careful with pattern matching when I cut the midriff pieces and the back bodice pieces but totally forgot about the shoulders. Oh well! I'll be more careful with the dress version.
• The length is bad—way too long. I'll chop at least a few inches off the bottom before I hem it.
• It is SO weird to be sewing from instructions that I designed (along with my husband). WEIRD. I remember drawing some of those diagrams and now I am following them!

How would you fix this?

P.S. Update! Somehow despite being part of the Cake team, I missed Day 5 of the Tiramisu Sewalong series, which is completely dedicated to the issue of fitting the bodice of the Tiramisu and tuning up the underbust seam, with videos and step-by-step photos. So here it is!

P.S. Speaking of over-enthusiastic bust roomage, I tried to put on my silk Flutter-Sleeve Cardigan for Me Made May today and boy does it need a refashion... when I was knitting it I became convinced it needed bust shaping and did all these improvised short rows... and then it stretched out after wear... and NOW:

Finished: Polka Dot Scarf Top (Jalie 2921 Knit Top, Take 2)

 My second Jalie 2921 Scarf-Collar Knit Top. Pros: It fits great! Also: Polka dots. Cons: The fabric is flimsy, see-through and not really all that stretchy. Also: My serger and my sewing machine hate me. Also: I forgot to match the dot pattern at the center seam.       

A few months ago between bouts of illness, my parents took little Z out on a Saturday and I vowed that I would actually sew—something fun, something simple, a quick tried and true pattern requiring no adjustments.

Yeah, so, that didn't work out. I don't know about you, but every time I get my serger and sewing machine out of storage after a long hiatus, they grump and crank and sulk and refuse to do a single thing I ask of them, toddler-style. So I spent five minutes adjusting the pattern (I wanted to make the three-quarter version this time), three hours swearing and crying over my serger as I rethreaded it twenty times and it kept eating needles... and maybe an hour or two actually constructing the top.

When I finally made my way over to the sewing machine, the revolt had spread—the cheapo flimsy fabric (a discount Fabric.com rayon-spandex blend) refused to take a twin-needle hem, and I just gave up. I wore the top unhemmed to the Brooklyn BurdaStyle Sewing Club the next day, but I didn't feel good about it and I certainly wasn't going to show YOU all.

Last night I was finally feeling perky enough to wrestle with the machine again, and I finally managed to get the thing hemmed—it's just a narrow zig-zag stitch, but it's barely visible and it works fine.

Sadly it is rather see-through, so while I'm showing it here untucked, I'll probably need to tuck it in and wear it with a cardigan at work so you can't see my skirt or pants or bra straps through it. 

Here are the details again—a bit abbreviated, since I've already made it (blogged here).

The pattern: Jalie 2921, the ever-popular scarf collar top.

Pattern Description: Close-fitting (negative ease, baby!) v-neck knit top with various sleeve length and scarf collar options. Front is 2-piece.

Pattern Sizing: Includes wide range of sizes, from toddler girls to plus-size adult woman. I made the S (34" bust) overall, but as per Katie's tips traced the size V (37") for the bust and front sleeve armhole. (I have a 38.5" bust, so I maybe should have gone up a bit more here given the not-so-stretchy fabric.)

I took it in at the waist a bit as well to remove the positive ease that bugs me on my other version, but I may have overdone it... From the back I feel like it looks a bit too snug (also, my waist looks way smaller in the back than the front? Weird):

Fabric: A cream and red polka dot rayon/poly/spandex blend from Fabric.com that I probably should have just returned when I received it but didn't bother. Flimsy, thin, see-through, not much stretch and wrinkly and rumply. The original description read "This stretch jersey knit fabric has an ultra soft hand, a beautiful drape and about 40% stretch across the grain for added comfort and ease." Um, no. It does NOT have 40% stretch... and it's not all that soft compared to other rayons I have know and loved. Whatever.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: Did a cheater width FBA (see above link in sizing), took in the waist by an inch and added half an inch to the length, too.

Construction notes: All seams done on serger, and the hem and sleeve hems narrow zig-zagged on my conventional sewing machine with a ballpoint needle. Shoulder seams stabilized with 1-inch strips of self fabric.

Successes:

• I actually sewed something I can wear for the first time in MONTHS.

Lessons learned:

• Don't forget about pattern matching.
• Cheap fabric just isn't worth the trouble. I have so little precious sewing time, and I have many nicer fabrics in my stash—I just need to get over my fear of destroying them. I learned this with knits a while back—if I'm going to spend a year knitting a sweater, I'm not going to use cheap plasticky acrylic yarn.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yeah, done and done!

Wear to: Work (with a cardigan), home, weekend, mommy stuff, whatever. 

Full outfit details:

• Top: me-made, tie-neck knit red and cream polka-dot top (Jalie 2921), rayon/poly/spandex from Fabric.com.
• Corduroy skirt with flounce: Anthropologie
• Red Mary Jane heels: Camper, from forever ago
• Green Cat Eye Glasses: Bevel. 

Side photo note... I originally tried taking all the photos near the window in front of my polka dot couch, but the background was so distracting I gave up. It's the same couch I've always had, but my mom covered it for me (in less than a day!) with some other Fabric.com fabric since I was getting sick of the floral print.

And if you think my apartment looks remarkably clean and organized considering how rough things have been around here, that is because I use the handy crop tool on all my photos. This is probably a much more accurate picture of my life—crap piled everywhere!—complete with a toddler photo bomb:

OK, I'm off to the Colette Patterns cocktail party at Brooklyn General that starts in ... half an hour! See some of you there?

Done! Scarf-Collar Floral Knit Top (Jalie 2921)

My Jalie scarf-collar floral top: quick, easy and satisfying. Now officially my favorite top I own! Wore it to work Friday and received two unsolicited compliments (by which I mean, they were given without me blurting out "I-made-this-top-what-do-you-think?!" first).

Inspiration: After three of my four secret sewing doubles (Katie, Elizabeth AND Kristin) made fabulous versions of this top, I knew I had no choice in the matter.

Sketch:

The pattern: Jalie 2921, the ever-popular scarf collar top.

Pattern Description: Close-fitting (negative ease, baby!) v-neck knit top with various sleeve length and scarf collar options. Front is 2-piece.

Pattern Sizing: Includes wide range of sizes, from toddler girls to plus-size adult woman. I made the S (34" bust) overall, but as per Katie's tips traced the size V (37") for the bust and front sleeve armhole (to adjust for my 37" bust).

Even with the full bust adjustment, there's still about 3-4" negative ease across the bust--just enough to make it fitted, but not enough to distort the side seams when I wear it (unlike all my RTW tops!). The waist (which I tapered back to the smaller size) has a few inches of positive ease--I'm not sure if that's good (hides squishy post-baby belly?) or bad (too boxy, if something so fitted can be called boxy).

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Sure.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Not really, because the illustrations aren't very clear. I relied on bloggers who had been kind enough to show the process.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? Love the close form-hugging fit, love the v-neck, love the tie neck. And it's a great basis for a TNT pattern!

Fabric: Poly (ITY?) geometric floral jersey from Metro Textiles in NYC, with a fun 1960s vibe to the print. It's one of the many not-quite-right fabrics I bought for the dickey of my Mad Men dress. $6 for 1.5 yards, I believe, and I still have enough left for a sleeveless top. It's really awesome and soft and substantial and has a great drape and cling to it. Sadly, like most of its polyester sisters it does NOT press, so the hemming was a bit difficult.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: Did a cheater width FBA (see above link in sizing), and added half an inch to the length, too.

Construction notes: All seams done on serger, and the hem and sleeve hems topstitched on my conventional sewing machine with a twin ballpoint needle.

I usually stabilize knit shoulder seams with an inch-wide strip of self-fabric cut along the vertical (i.e. with much less stretch), but I tried to do something new and use clear 1/4" elastic. It was a disaster--the shoulders bunched up and gathered awfully--and I had to unpick miles of serger seams and go back to my tried and true method.

Successes:

• My first truly successful non-maternity knit top EVER.
• One down on my spring separates plan!
• It is super awesome and I love it.
• I have a TNT top pattern!!!!

Room for improvement?:

• In my excitement I completely forgot about pattern matching and pattern placement, mistakenly treating this as a small-scale floral...when it actually is a medium-scale floral with quite a big repeat. This especially sucks because it has a center front seam. And I really shouldn't have put the lightest area right over the belly.
• I don't know about all the positive ease at the waist--I might make the next version with zero ease.
• Hello major swayback issues! (though I'll probably often tuck this in).
• I sewed the little hole that the scarf is supposed to be pulled through shut... and when I tie it the inside of the V of the neck flips/droops forward a bit.
• Undecided on how I feel about the sleeve length--maybe cap sleeves would be better on me.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Oh yes and yes and yes and super yes. This only took me three evening stints to do (one to alter and cut the pattern, one for the serging, one for the topstitching) and I bet it will go faster next time.

Wear to: Work, home, weekend, date with husband, playground with daughter... Everywhere!

Conclusion: I'm so glad I decided to take a break from my misery-inducing alteration-intensive Mad Men dress and make a quick fun spring knit!

Full outfit details:

• Top: me-made, tie-neck knit blue & green floral top (Jalie 2921), in ITY knit from Metro Textiles in NYC
• Corduroy skirt with flounce: Anthropologie (gift from Mom when I went back to work after baby)
• Tights: Spanx brand reversible tights (my favorite--they're super sturdy and one side is black, the other is dark brown)
• Chartreuse heels: Gentle Souls, from forever ago
• My daughter is wearing a dress and leggings from Old Navy. But where are her shoes?!

How's your seasonal sewing going?