Isla Top

 PROJECT: A comfy jersey top with dolmen sleeves and back yoke 

PATTERN: Tessuti Patterns - Isla Top

REASONS FOR MAKING: I’m trying to build a more considered wardrobe and this looked like a top I’d enjoy wearing.

FABRICS: A linen mix jersey with a slight sparkle from dressfabrics.ie

TRIMS: A hand embroidered shoulder applique

 HOW TO: The great thing about jersey tops? They’re so bloody easy to make! This whipped up in an evening and I can see myself making more for sure.

With only 3 pattern pieces, it’s a very straight forward make. Centre backs together, back panel to shoulder seam, side seams together, slap the neck band in, hem it up and boom! You’ve got yourself a super comfy top fresh off the machine.

I did a slight hack in so far as, I wanted longer sleeves because, well, I live in Ireland and we’re getting into winter time so brrrr! To do this, I lengthened the sleeve and then made a cuff panel since I can see this being the type of top I’ll like to have poking out from under a jacket maybe? And I just love a slouchy sleeve!

When I was designing my wedding dress, I had a fleeting notion that I would hand embroider and bead the appliques on my dress. I went off, bought a tambour hook, metallic thread and beads and got stuck in. I soon realised that I was going to get verrrrrrry bored with this so I gave up but not before getting to a point where I had a usable applique. So rather than have it go to waste, I held onto it and now I’ve used it as a shoulder piece. And I’m delighra with it. I’m not holding up much hope that it will be ok in a wash but time will tell.

WHAT WENT WRONG: I sort of shoved the neck band on in a hurry so I had to stretch the final quarter a bit for it to work. But it went in and that’s the important part right?!

I made the rookie error of chopping down the centre back instead of having it on the fold. So I now have a centre back seam which irritatingly doesn’t match up very well with my shoulder C/B but the fabric is too delicate to go ripping out the over locking so that’s one I’ll just have to live with. Boo Urns.

 LESSONS LEARNED: Cut the centre back on the fold next time!!

VERDICT: Such a quick satisfying make. It’s going back into my ‘to-do’ pile when I come up with another colour.