Saturday, February 19, 2011

Long in the making...Lutterloh princess top

I wanted to do number 48 on this Lutterloh sheet because I loved the princess lines and had not made a top with princess seaming probably since I was a teenager, except for the Lutterloh shirt I made a few years ago from the much heavier cotton Lycra poplin, and that was altogether different. Since I had drafted this pattern last year, and then cut it last Fall, I was happy it got a review on PatternReview.com sometime in the same few months. As with all Lutterloh patterns, you use your bust and hip measurement to then enlarge the small pattern from the pattern sheet, using a special measuring tape. After the first few times, you can do this pretty quickly. You use the bust measurement for all above the waist and the hip for the waist and below, unless you have a small waist, and then some people prefer to use the bust measure there as well. If this works - do it, there is nothing set in cement. I use my hip measurement and then have to make the waist larger anyway. I make shoulders smaller and waist larger. At any rate, then my cut out fabric sat there and waited for me to get to it after I had made a cotton broadcloth muslin. It has taken me awhile - sewing sporadically - but it is finished. Interestingly, others have found that this pattern runs large, and I am no exception. My top is too large, yet I wore it yesterday and people loved it, so that means a lot. I will make the pattern smaller, which will pull the seaming somewhat farther into the bodice front because it could use that and at the same time make it all over somewhat smaller. It is drafted for knit fabric, and I used a very light cotton knit print with Lycra in it. The fabric was difficult to say the least, as far as sewing on it. I used several feet trying to get one that worked best, and ended up with the regular Viking foot B. Top stitching around the collar I used the left-edge-stitching foot. I didn't want the neckline of this pattern, nor did I want the low loose cowl collar on the on the other view because I wanted it to be a transitional wear garment, and I wanted to wear it now in the winter as well as the Summer, so I drafted a loose T-neck collar. Finding a book with directions for sewing a T-neck was interesting, as none of my books really address this in a knit. Online there is a wonderful video by Sarah Veblen at the threads site which is just what I wanted. I am thinking of getting rid of almost all my sewing books because they haven't been of much use with modern fabrics, whereas the web is full of videos now! So, using that video I sewed on that collar. I used a Burda pattern for a turtleneck to use as a guide to cutting and assembling the collar, and it all worked out very well. I see I could have made it even smaller, and then it would be a regular T-neck. I am happy with the outcome, and the topstitching around the collar. For a free brochure and instructions, see the Lutterloh New Zealand site and sign up for the Newsletter. Also at the New Zealand site Sonja gives sewing classes online and is available certain periods of time each year to answer your email questions. Wonderful classes, and Sonja and Andre are terrific about customer service and wanting you to become a really good Lutterloh sewer!

3 comments:

glorm said...

Can't have too many basic tops and this one is great for making some design changes which will give it different looks.

I'll pretend that I didn't read "I am thinking of getting rid of almost all my sewing books....". Oh, my.

catspec said...

;) Yes, well...I have weeded my books pretty often, and have one shelf left - the magazines take up a lot of space, so I have re-homed a lot of them as well. :)

HeathersSphere said...

Delightfully lovely turtleneck! Flower power rules!