Last month’s StyleARC freebie was the Gail top.  Tops (and dresses) with twist features always interest me, and I rather liked the way that this one incorporated the collar.  StyleARC’s description: This cleverly designed knit top has a flattering scarf neck with a bit of a twist. Make it with either a short or long sleeve.

The fabric I used for this wearable muslin was a soft cotton/lycra – possibly also containing viscose – from the Darn Cheap Fabrics $2 per metre table. The red stripes have run slightly, but it’s not all that noticeable unless you look at them close up.

I did attempt to line up the stripes when I cut it out, not that you can tell. They are so far apart from one another that it was quite difficult. I can assure you that they do match along the side seams and down the sleeve seam, and they are at least symmetrical elsewhere even when they don’t match.

So, on to a review. StyleARC are not renowned for their instructions and this top is definitely a case in point. I found that the instructions for assembling the collar/twist/neckline to be very confusing and to not always correlate with the illustrations. So I essentially used logic and the last diagram in the series, and pinned it all together the way that I thought it should go. And yes, that worked. So basically, my version of the instructions was:

• sew the shoulder seams
• sew the centre back collar seam together
• fold the collar in half lengthwise wrong sides together as far as the notches. Finish the edges between the notches on the left collar by machine (I just folded them to the inside and top stitched). Also finish the left front edge between the notches.
• Pin the collar around the neckline right side together, matching the notches, and sew from the right hand side notches to the left.
• Following the final diagram in the series, lay out the top on a flat surface, pass the right side through the opening in the left, and pin the sections together.
• Sew the angled side front seams first, then the centre front seam.

Then construct the rest of the top as per usual – set in the sleeves, sew up the side seams and sleeve seams in one pass.

As you can see, there is plenty of style ease in this top, especially in the front. I made size 12, my usual StyleARC top size, and it’s roomy.  It also dips down quite a lot at centre front. I should have tried it on before hemming and taken it in more through the centre front seam, and then sliced some of that curve from the hemline. At the moment I feel that the combination of the angle of the stripes and the curved front just make my already significant abdomen look even more obvious. As it is this top would work quite well as a maternity top!  I also think that the shoulders need to be brought in a little to fit me better.

So, the final verdict? I’d like to make this again in a solid fabric, with the modifications described above. I like the height of the back neckline and the front twist, and now that I’ve done it once it wouldn’t be hard to do a second time. This top is most likely going to passed on to a friend, but I don’t think that the pattern has seen it’s last attempt!

By the way, there is a great series about fit taking place over at Sunni’s blog A Fashionable Stitch.  There is quite a lot to think about and digest there.

The lines of Vogue 8881 and the ability to either play with stripes of combine different fabrics appealed to me when it was first released.  Luckily for me it was in the drawer at my local Spotty when patterns went on sale recently.  I gave view C a try, the view with the asymmetrical neckline and hem points, with the full length sleeves from view F.  This top can be made sleeveless or with sleeves of varying lengths.

I sewed this up at size Medium (12-14) with no alterations. The fabric is a lovely viscose knit that was given to me; it had a beautiful light hand and was great to sew. However, like most of my first goes at a pattern, this is really a wearable muslin. I have come to the conclusion that I would rather take the little bit of extra time required on a simple garment like this to make it wearable than to sew up a straight muslin that couldn’t be worn. I have plenty of friends who are happy to take my wearable muslins if they’re not quite right for me.

So, onto changes that this one needs for next time. I am happy enough with the tunic length, and the fit of the sleeves – they are narrow, but not too tight. And I like my long sleeves quite long, as these are.  But I need to bring in the shoulders and I definitely need to raise the neckline and bring it in at the shoulders.

At this stage I plan to take a centre back fold at the top of the back pattern piece, which should bring the shoulders in a little and will also snug the neckline closer to my body. Or else I could just redraw the neckline at the shoulder seams and the armhole, but with my curved upper back I find that altering the centre back has a similar effect in knits. I’ll also infill the front neck pattern piece by about an inch and a half, and will bring in the front neckline at the shoulder seams and adjust the front armhole seams by a similar amount at the top. I will try to remember to photograph the pattern pieces once they are done!

I wasn’t able to match the stripes completely, as the angles where the seams meet aren’t acute enough. They are matched at the side seams, and the sleeve seams are matched too. I really like this pattern, and it will definitely get another outing, but a friend may be the lucky recipient of this version!