Sewing my March project

Well, Monday I talked about choosing to make this top and Wednesday I showed how I cut it. Today I will show how I sewed it.

As you can see, the front neckline is drapey, but the back is not. As a matter of fact, the back needs to be stabilized so it doesn't stretch, to allow the front to hang nicely.

The first thing to do was finish the back neckline, which I did with a strip of the knit fabric cut on the crossgrain.

I measured the paper pattern to get the neckline length and cut a piece of soft seam binding (NOT bias tape).  This stuff is extremely useful, but I can only find it on line in 100 yard reels ... not too expensive and you will have it for YEARS!

After sewing it into the neck seam, I trimmed the excess off.

And, pressed and slipstitched it down.

The instructions gave measurements, but I wasn't trusting them.  The clear elastic (used to stabilized the shoulder seam) was supposed to be 5" for all sizes but ...

The pattern measured 6" for the small size. I imagine the larger sizes needed an even longer piece.

The front drape is just an extension of the front pattern piece that sticks up high. I serged the edge and then folded it over the finish back neckline.

This is what it looks like when all finished.

So, neckline is all done and now it's time to sew on the sleeves.

I used the stripes, again, to help me make ...

a very straight and even sleeve seam.

WHOA!! it's BIG! too wide and too long. So, I folded it to the length I thought I would like. 

Instead of turning and stitching a hem like the instructions said, I decided used folded bands of fabric to finish the bottom and sleeves.

BUT, I'm glad I only machine basted this because I still think it is too long and I can now see I need to take it in on the sides, too.

It didn't really matter though how I sewed on that lower band, because I just cut the whole thing off and made a new band.  Again, those lovely stripes makes all this cutting very quick.

I now have a great top I think I will wear a lot.