The Style Arc Vicki top is a lovely summer top.  Their website describes it as follows: VICKI TOP: This fashionable swing top looks great worn with your crop pants. The “V” neck and Interesting back yoke treatment adds interest and sets this apart from a basic top. Thank you Sharmaine for your designs!  FABRIC SUGGESTION: Crepe, Silk, Cotton or Scuba.

The angled seams at the back really interested me.  There are no seams on the actual shoulder line – the front shoulders extend to those angled seams where they join the back.

My first try of this pattern was in one of the recommended fabrics, a printed scuba from Spotlight. I sewed straight size 12. It is a slightly cropped length – remember that I am only 158cm tall and am short waisted – which looks really good with certain styles of skirts and pants.

Because I was using scuba I decided to topstitch the seam allowances down either side of the the shoulder, side and centre front seams, about 3-4 mm away. This is a simple top to construct. The neckline is bound before sewing up the centre front seam, which gives a lovely finish to the V shape.

The neckline and armholes were finished with strips of scuba, sewn to the right side then flipped around to the wrong side, topstitched in place from the right side then trimmed close to the stitching on the wrong side. I’m not a huge fan of stitching in the ditch, and find that stitching a little bit away from it provides a pleasing effect.

I decided to give this pattern another whirl with some beautiful Merchant and Mills white linen left over from another project.

So, different fabric, different effect. I found this version fractionally tighter above the bust. It just seemed to pull a fraction. I have put on weight, but think that the difference is really due more to sewing the top from a woven instead of a knit.

I didn’t do any topstitching on this version. The neckline and armholes were finished with a strip of bias cut fabric folded in half and used like a facing, completely turned to the inside before stitching in place. Once again, it gives a lovely finish.

You can see that the bust darts are a little higher in this version and aren’t pointing to the bust apex as much, and the fabric is straining a little bit more. Bummer! I sewed a simple double turned hem. I feel that this top is definitely still wearable as it is, but will keep in mind that if I make it again in a woven I would need to make it a little larger through the bust.

I really fancy lengthening this pattern to a dress, continuing the side lines out to calf length. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful loose and cool dress for summer? I think I should give it a go at some stage.