As part of my recent style/colour consultation, I received a colour swatch (mine is Warm and Deep).  It’s been fun pulling fabrics out of my stash and seeing which ones are in the same family as the swatch.  I figured that comparing colours in the swatch to colours in my linen remnant tub would be a good way to get used to applying some colour theory to my wardrobe. It was an enjoyable hour pulling fabrics out, comparing them to the swatch, then seeing what else was there are how they coordinated.

As you can see, there are lots of colours in the swatch that I already love and wear, but there are a few that I haven’t really explored. Those purples! I will definitely give those ones more of a go. By the way, I will still be sewing and wearing colours that are not in my swatch if they are colours that I like – it’s up to me whether I break the colour ‘rules’ or not! However, keeping the swatch colours in mind will help with wardrobe cohesion. So, let’s see what I made from four of the colours in my linen remnant tub!

I had spotted the Nature Top Tutorial on Instagram a month or two ago and knew that it would be a great way to apply my new swatch knowledge. The tutorial is a combination of written instructions and diagrams and a video. I probably could have figured it out myself, considering that I have done plenty of patchwork and quilting in the past, but sometimes I prefer to use the experience and knowledge of others and pick up a few tips and tricks in the process.

I chose to use the Marilla Walker Maya top as my base pattern. I’ve sewn it a couple of times before and all my previous versions are still in my wardrobe. It’s a boxy top pattern that works well on my boxy shape, and I’ve already made a forward shoulder alteration on the pattern. To sew this top I used the back pattern piece and traced out a full sized copy onto mid-weight non-woven interfacing (that was in stash and I never use in garments; it worked well as pattern paper). I then drew my design and sliced up the pattern pieces, remembering to add seam allowances. Once the top front and back were assembled, I recut one piece with the lower neckline and shoulder line of the front.

The wavy seamlines needed a good steam press at each step along the way. After each press I topstitched beside the seamline in bright mustard thread (mostly because that was already in the sewing machine, and I liked the contrast). I also made bias binding from another shade of remnant linen to use to finish the curved hemline and sleeve hems (I did this before sewing the side seams) and to finish the neckline. Normally this pattern has facings; bias binding worked really well as an alternative. I used the same mustard thread to topstitch down the bias and add an extra detail.

I wore this top to a family lunch with linen pants that happened to be the same linen that the bias was made from! Glad that I kept those scraps. Everyone at the lunch was very complimentary about my outfit, and I felt great in it. Thanks, colour swatch!