When the latest Perfect Pattern Parcel popped up in my feed reader I jumped straight on it.  Patterns for tweens – just what I’m after!  And it includes casual patterns for knits – plus the Figgy’s Sunki dress, which I had been considering buying anyway.  So a click or two later, a pattern download and a press of the “print” button (plus some scissors and sticky tape) and before I knew it I was cutting out an Asymmetrical drape top for Clare.

This is such a simple top, and has similarities to the You Sew Girl! Drape dress that I have made myself a couple of times and the almost ubiquitous side draped top from Drape Drape 2, the Japanese sewing book. After measuring Clare we decided to make size 8. It’s still rather roomy, and long enough to wear as a tunic over leggings. I suggest choosing the size by hip measurement.

The fabric is from Darn Cheap Fabrics, and is an ombre print that fades from orange down to almost white. We cut the neckband from the orange part, and the bottom band in a way that it incorporated the white and the orange. The bottom band is great – it means that Clare can easily hitch it up higher to give it more side drape, and it stays in place.

The neck band is very narrow, as it is only recommended to be cut at 1.5 inches wide and is folded in half. When I stretched it to fit the neckline it narrowed ever further. Once it was pressed and top-stitched the viscose knit gave quite a nice neckline, but I suspect that if you were using a cotton/spandex mix or similar that you would need to cut the neckline a little larger and the neckband a little wider and longer. As with most knits, experimentation is the key!

Since I had the pattern out, and it was only one piece for the front and back (with the front neckline cut lower than the back) plus the hem band and neckband I figured that I should just go ahead and make two. This brightly striped viscose knit (also from Darn Cheap Fabrics, I think) behaved in pretty much the same way as the ombre fabric, also resulting in a narrow neckband. The sleeve hems were finished by overlocking around the edge then turning to the inside once and topstitching with the twin needle. I did the topstitching with two colours this time, bright pink and bright orange.

The pattern actually gives two options to create more or less drape on the side – this is the one that creates more. The lower band and the neckband are also optional. These should fit for all the summer and potentially next summer as well.

I sewed these on the weekend – Clare wore one the following day and the other the day after. Clearly they tick all the right boxes! I’m looking forward to making more from the Pattern Parcel – next on the list is the Lily knit blazer, in the leftover fabric from the Finlayson sweater.  The Pattern Parcel is such a cost-effective way to buy patterns from different independent designers you may not have encountered before – I suggest taking a look at this one if you have a tween girl to sew for.