Monday, December 31, 2012

Simplicity 2474 in purple mosaic

I sewed! I sewed! OK, you can get up off the floor now. :-)


This top is probably the last make of 2012 for me. Tomorrow is a half-day at work but it's also going to be Tyler's last day with us as he's taking off for St. Augustine to ring in the New Year with his big brother Michael, and then back to North Carolina and being a Marine the day after. We'll have dinner together before he leaves and then I think I'll be doing some toasting of my own and it's probably not a good idea to mix that with the sewing machines. The skirt is not actually sewn yet ... just the front pinned onto Zillie for photo loveliness purposes.

The pattern is Simplicity 2474, and the last thing I bought it for was this simple top. But a simple top is what I was after since the Joann's fabric bought yesterday is from their lovely (cough:cough) polyester collection and I did not want to fight slippery poly with fussy details. It will be a nice layering piece in the winter and then move into spring and summer nicely.


I bought 2 yds since I didn't have a pattern in mind until last night. This pattern calls for just under 2 yds. Even after adding 3 inches to the length at the hem, I only used 28 inches of those 2 yards. Which means there will be a matching skirt for a 2-piece "dress" sometime in the near future. Part of the fabric savings was that I used pre-made bias binding for the neck and sleeve facings, and part was pattern layout stupidity.

I made a quick muslin and decided a real FBA was in order and so made a 1/2" adjustment. I started with the 14 at the neckline, graded out to the 16  at upper bust, 18 at hips, and ended up adding an additional 3/8" at the hip sideseam. Thank you holiday treats at the office I didn't resist this year. Back on the wagon this week, that's for sure.


These two pieces are all there is if, like me, you don't use the 2 facing pieces. The pattern calls for a CF seam, for no discernible reason I could see. So I eliminated it, which also helped in the fabric stinginess. I kept the CB seam since it does have some shaping.


Here's a shot of the inside and the black bias used for the neckline facing. I think it would've been nigh on impossible to make self-fabric bias with the slippery poly. I'm glad I didn't even try.


The sleeves have a pleat at the hem, which you can sorta see here. You can also see the same bias used to finish the sleeve hems.


The top is simple but I like it. And since it is poly, it will be easy through the laundry. I think it will get a lot of wear since it goes with the purple and with black. And if I make that matching skirt, I'll even have a mini wardrobe capsule. I'm hoping to spend New Year's Day in the sewing room to finish up the purple skirt for a new outfit to wear to work on Wednesday and maybe I can hustle and get the print skirt done too before the fabric gets buried in the stash closet.

23 comments:

  1. Oooh, purdy! I look forward to seeing the matching skirt!

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  2. Very pretty Debbie and all the very best for 2013

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  3. Great fabric - I can see why you bought it. It suits the simple pattern very well!

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  4. Great outfit. The purple colors are so pretty!

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  5. Love your outfit Debbie. It would fit great in my new year dress plans - classy but simple.

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  6. Love the fabric - the colours will really suit you! Enjoy the New Years celebrations...J

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  7. Goegeous :-)! I love the idea of the almost-unintentional capsule. Go at it!!

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  8. Nice! I like the pattern on the fabric, pretty and interesting but still flattering.

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  9. Pretty, pretty and lovely to end the year on a sewing note. Cheers!

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  10. It is a very pretty top. Happy New Year, Debbie and tell the Marine safe travels and thank you.

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  11. Very pretty top. Enjoy time with your boys and best wishes for 2013.

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  12. That's really pretty fabric! Sometimes, I just can't resist the poly (though I'm scared of sewing with slippery fabric!) - it's so easy to care for! Happy New Year, Debbie!

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  13. Good colors. That print coordinates with the solid so well. It will be a super outfit.

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  14. Gotta go looking in the sale pattern stash and see if I have this one. I really love your top and the purchased binding.Enjoy your time with the marine and Happy New Year to you and your family.

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  15. I could recap the nothing I sewed this year...oh what fun! ;)

    There's always next year, right?

    I need a simple top pattern like that. I can never find one in my stash when I "need" to whip one out. Why is that?

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  16. I like the top especially with the future purple skirt. Enjoy the festivities this evening and Happy New Year!

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  17. LOL you crack me up.

    "I sewed! I sewed! OK, you can get up off the floor now. :-)"

    Nice top. Looking forward to the Magic Pencil Skirt in purple.

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  18. The colors should go with many solids adding a nice punch of color. Very pretty.

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  19. Great top and I think the black bias adds a nice touch and I love the colours :)

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  20. absolutely lovely! Love the use of bias in finishing the top - quick, easy and a perfect finish. g

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  21. Lovely outfit and thanks for the review, I have that pattern. Happy New Year.

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Thank you for each and every comment. I appreciate them all, but I have to be honest and let you know that I'm usually bad about answering questions. I hope you understand that there just isn't enough time in the day to do everything I want to do.

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