I haven’t done any sewing for a week!  I am itching to finish off the bag that I started at last weekend’s class, and have a lovely pile of cut out items and pattern/fabric matched items developing to take to Sewjourn with me next weekend.  I actually made this StyleARC Island Ali top right back at the beginning of October.  That shows how behind my blogging is!  You got a glimpse of it in the last post, worn with my Darcy pants.

The fabric is a stretch printed mesh from the Darn Cheap Fabrics $2 per metre table. I think it works beautifully with this pattern! There was a hitch, however. When I put the top on, it was MUCH tighter around my body than the line drawing had led me to believe. It’s not clearly apparent in these photos, but believe me, it was almost skin tight.  But it seemed to fit well elsewhere, and I had made size 12, my usual StyleARC top size.

Then I had a little epiphany. I remembered that when I inserted the side panels, they had been higher on one end than the other. Also not in the instructions.

So I went back to the instructions. I had missed the most basic of things – cut two PAIRS of the side inserts. I had only cut one pair, so had essentially cheated myself of inches and inches in fabric around the body. I did some unpicking, found my fabric scraps, cut another pair, and resewed the side panels and side seams, and reattached the bottom panel and reinserted the elastic. It’s a good thing that I’m quite efficient at unpicking overlocking nowadays! So here is the top again, as per the pattern!

A much more relaxed fit through the body, still with definition because of the elastic through the waist seam.

I left the edges of the sleeve flounces and the bottom of the top raw. Stretch mesh is not all that amenable to being turned and hemmed. The neckline is a little wider than I’d like, and if I make this again – I probably will, it’s a style that flatters me and is comfortable to wear – I’ll bring it in slightly and make sure that it is stable. The sleeve flounces insert into the front and back princess seams either side of the underarm inserts – you can get a better idea in this photo of the “before” top.

Now I wish I’d bought more of this scaly fabric! When I bought it I really wondered what I would use it for, but it’s wonderful for this top and goes with a few of my bottoms. My husband really liked the print too!

StyleARC have just released November’s patterns – and I like all three of them! Ack! No wonder I find it difficult to restrain myself when there is so much pattern and fabric temptation around. I figure that there are worse addictions. And I figure that if you are reading my blog, you probably agree with me!