Sometimes when I type in the prosaic titles that I give my blog posts I almost despair at my lack of creativity.  Clearly whatever creativity I have goes more into the sewing of the garments that the blog posts are about.  I have had McCalls 6841 in the back of my mind for a couple of months, and picked up a copy at the last Spotlight pattern sale.  The pattern photo in the catalogue didn’t particularly inspire me, but I’d seen a few versions around the blogosphere and the thought of such a complex looking top sewn from just two pattern pieces really appealed to me.

This really was just meant to be a muslin. I used some fabric that I’d picked up from the Darn Cheap $2 table, and actually had to add a piece to the centre front in order to get the full piece from the amount of fabric that I had available. So try to imagine this top without those seams that you can see in the centre front of the drape – they shouldn’t be there!  I cut and sewed size Medium, and I think that I made petite alterations.

This is such a clever pattern. The kimono sleeves are cut on. There is one pattern piece for the back, and one for the front. The drape and neckline facing are all cut in, and there are tucks along the top of the shoulder seams that also give shape. As it turned out, the fabric was absolutely perfect for this top in terms of all the wonderful drape that it had. It’s also beautifully soft and comfortable to wear. I wish I’d bought more! I did add a lead sinker inside the centre front of the drape to give it a little weight and keep it hanging nicely, but later removed it as it didn’t really seem to need it.

I also stitched the centre front seam up much higher than the pattern had marked. It was SUPER low – even for me, who isn’t afraid to show a little cleavage. You can do this after you’ve sewn up the top, so can try it on then alter the depth of the neckline by just sewing it up a little more. I used a simple zig zag to hem the bottom of the top and the ends of the sleeves.

The skirt is the Colette Mabel, in the simplest – and shortest – view. Remember I am 158cm (5’2″) tall. I wouldn’t wear shorter than this. I made this skirt from ponte scraps from another (as yet unsewn) project. It has a pattern embossed into it and was also from Darn Cheap Fabrics.

There were lots of shades of blue in that outfit by the time I added a (purchased) jacket! I had almost forgotten how much I like teal blues and chocolate browns together. Time to pull fabrics in those colours out of the stash!  I will make this top again – this time with enough fabric so that I don’t need to piece any – although it is a rather distinctive design.  It would also be great lengthened to a tunic.  And the pattern includes a sleeveless version.  Hmmmm……