Sunday, June 2, 2019

Catching Up With Table Runner and Two new tops....Bellavista from Itch To Stitch Headlines...


I did finish my Itch to Stitch Bellavista, probably the most popular top on PatternReview.com for awhile now. It *IS a nicely drafted pattern. I made the cowl way shorter, as I am short. I love the curving panel lines of the bodice - it fits so nicely, and is made to flare like that over the lower bodice and high hips. I think I made mine longer. My one critique is that the arms had to be completely redrawn for me. Even the largest size was a tight fit. I redrafted the whole sleeve pattern and redid the armhole on the bodice as well. Now it is a fit. As far as the shoulders - it was perfect.  I think the pattern sizing is a bit small, and I used the largest and next to largest sizes to cut. However people must like a snug fit because I suppose had I used a more stretchy fabric it would have had stretchy form fitted sleeves. I did not - so had to redo the sleeves. I wouldn't have likes a snug fit anyhow. I used a somewhat stretchy, rather on the upside of a midweight woven - it had a bit of stretch and is a synthetic blend, but not really made for this pattern. However, it worked and i like it - not crazy about a raw seam on the cowl either inside there, but that seems to be what the pattern wanted me to do so I did it - another time I will use another method - like you do with a turtleneck. Don't care for raw seams.

Finished the Bellavista in April along with a top I made from a self drafted pattern this didn't turn out so well, but it is very comfy and wearable - the neckline, instead of being like the funnel top it was drawn from, turned out to be a boat neck really - very odd and it is like a boat-cowl - if that's a thing!  HAHHA...but it used up the last of my garment fabrics so that's a good thing. Picture makes it look like an unformed entity but it is very comfy. :)


Here is the way the neckline and shoulders look - the rest is a drapy loose fit.  I may have another go at designing the neckline much better or maybe I won't.



This is a catch-up post really!! I did finish that table runner I was working on in the last post or so, and here it is!  Not the most artistic of table runners, but in person it looks better and it has a use already! I love it on my long coffee table. :)


4 comments:

glorm said...

That light blue top is lovely. There have been a lot of complaints of tight sleeves on patterns. Maybe the pattern companies thought we lost weight in our arms. LOL.

Congrats on finishing the table runner. It feels good to complete a project, doesn't it?

LindaC said...

Your top looks lovely on you. The color is very flattering. Sometimes cowl necks are sewn on the inside of the neckline so that the seam is on the outside. Then the cowl covers the seam as it drapes on the outside. It leaves a very clean seam on the inside of the neckline that is often visible. The seam on the outside isn't visible because it's covered by the cowl. Just a thought. :)

catspec said...

Thanks for the nice comments. I do remember a video on Threads for attaching a turtleneck that actually ends up with no raw seams and that is how I will do another but I wanted to follow the directions for once! Hahaha!!

SewLibra said...

Both your tops turned out lovely and good colors on you! I don't like raw seams either, usually serge them if only to make myself feel better. Haha. Of course sometimes that creates too much bulk so you were probably right to follow the instructions. Cute table runner!