Simplicity 2181

Thanks so much for the comments on my red sweater.  That was a real labor of love, and I'm so happy with how it turned out. 

Today, I'm going to share a top I made about a week ago for a little break from my cranberry jacket.  I really want to finish that jacket up before I leave for a short Thanksgiving vacay in a few days.  All it needs is buttons and a couple of buttonholes.

This is Simplicity 2181, which I made once before here.

I love how this one turned out, also, but I wonder if I should shorten it a few inches.  It's giving off a bit of a sloppy vibe here to me, maybe because it's paired with the slouchy knit pants (also recently sewn, which I'll explain in my next post)

Maybe the solution is to try it with some skinny jeans today and see what I think.  If I still don't love the length then, time for a chop.  What do you think?

Of course, skinny jeans seems to be my go-to for unfrumpying my comfiest tops.  :-)

Here is a closeup of the front detail.  The fabric is Magenta Magic from Sawyer Brook.  I love when I make this top how it all comes together in one step when you put in that little strip to make the fabric bunch up.  I still think this is a great pattern for a really fluid jersey. 

The only change I made was to give my hips a bit more room, probably about two inches total.  If you recall, on the last version, I hemmed it a bit shorter because the hip area was tight.

 

Simplicity 2181

So I finished up Vogue 1271, and it's waiting to be blogged, but first I wanted to throw this up.  :-)  I am in LOVE with this top.  I took about an hour to cut it out last night to get the placement and symmetry just right, and then it took less than two hours to sew!  I had the idea at 8 pm, and before 11, it was all finished and ready to wear today.

This is Simplicity 2181, which I just bought this week.  I'm quite certain this will be the perfect Florida spring top.  It is so loose and airy.  It's pretty low-cut, but not gaping.

The fabric is poly jersey from Gorgeous Fabrics.  Do you remember it, fellow bloggers?  It was everywhere about 2-3 years ago.  It was the must-have jersey.  I missed out on the first batch and snagged some when it was back in stock.  Then it sat and sat and sat because I was scared of the print.  How to place the white?  How to use the border?  I can't explain this top other than to say that inspiration struck last night.

It doesn't even make me look pregnant like some gathered tops can.  It doesn't exactly make me look busty, but we can't ask it to perform miracles.  I made a size 10 and the only thing I changed was taking up the hem, and that was just because it was a bit snug around my bum and made the belly bag out a bit.  If, no when, I make this again, I'll add a little width to the hip area and keep it tunic length. 

This would be so easy to modify for maternity, too, not that I'm thinking about that.