This weekend I was totally after some instant gratification sewing because I am an olympic widow. The husband insists on watching every moment of medal earning sweat. Now I am not anti-sport, nor am I against the 40 pound Wellington he served for the opening ceremony. I just can’t watch every Costas laden minute. Sorry, Bob- you get boring.
I saw this Simplicity and I thought, oh, perhaps I could use some fabric I already have. OH, what a thought! So I donned my pith helmet, grabbed my machete and an orange cat guide and opened the door to the textile Hoarding closet of doom and sallied forth. Tada! 
I was generously gifted with a ton of fancy sheers and fluffies from my friend Deanna when she moved and they are all cut into lengths and soo prettypretty! When I find a pattern that has long narrow pieces I immediately save it for these fabrics. This pattern is perfect for it.
I did a hybrid of 2 views- I always want a little sleeve on things, so I added the short sleeves to the faux wrap view and skipped the back gathering section. I like it belted, anyhoo. Especially some zebra!
So how does a 1 hour top turn into a 3 hour top? Chiffon and french seams! I am proud to announce that every mother-lovin’ blessed seam is french seamed. I tried to explain to the husband how cool this was, but he didn’t really understand the idea of an indestructible chiffon top. Well, fine!
I only had one issue, I got a little dizzy with all the turning and flipping to get the crossover part french seamed- but I did. By the by- does ‘french seam’ have tenses? I keep wanting to write ‘I frenched it’ but it just seems so wrong…. 
One more Disney top done!
On an unrelated note- this week the animals got a pet door. It is baffling them. If they walk up to it, they don’t think that they can go thru it. If they run up to it, they barrel thru. It’s sort of the dachshund equivalent of Hogwarts train depot.
photo credits: headhawg, pattern review, google images
Pretty Grievances 
That is a beautiful top. You found the perfect pattern for those narrow strips.
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It may see many incarnations!
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LOL! I understand completely the Olympic appeal you know, although I was cringing at the equestrian eventing this morning. Love your rendition of this top. I’ve made this up as a vest, a long sleeved top and used it for a save on a wadder of another pattern. All good. Tell the fur kids not to let that flap hit ’em on the butt on the way out the door! 😉
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It’s such a great patterh- I’m embarrassed at how long it languished in the pile!
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Oh, yes, the zebra just makes it all perfect. Great look!
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Oooh, purty!! 😉 And I’m lovin’ the term “frenched it”. Totally going to have to work that into conversation some time. 😛
We’ve watched a lot of swimming and volleyball (*Yawn*) so far, but I’m hoping we’ll get to more exciting stuff soon!
LOL @ your doggies and their new door. They’ll figure it out soon, I’m sure!
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Oh, the google searches that any ‘frenching it’ tutorial will send here! Eek!
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Beautiful top! And is that a zebra belt peeking out there? If it isn’t, it should be.
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I think my signature fantasy cologne is Hibiscus Zebra!
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Very pretty, and love zebra belt — the very thing. Congrats on the frenching labor (see how easily it slips into conversation?).
Last night, even Bob’s eyes were quite bleary!
Waiting for track so that I can fantasize running.
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I know I’d be enjoying it more if NBC weren’t cherry-picking events and interviewing these poor athletes with questions and the Biebs?!
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Your top and that fabric are adorable! Your frenched seams look very well made. 🙂
We got a new dog door a few months ago. I love it and my little Cavalier spaniel can’t get enough of it now.
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Well, 1 out of 3 dogs is a door pro…Liesl! Katze just keeps skidding up to it. One day, one day.
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Thanks for the laugh…I would like to be flipped and turned and….ya frenched! Also thinking I might need to add this top to my collection….quite nice:)
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I highly recommend!
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Gorgeous!
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Thank you so!
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Too much French seaming turns you almost European – you’re looking cool in chiffon. Opening and closing ceremonies are the limit of Olympic viewing in our house but I’m picturing the dogs running at the pet door, I bet there’s some gymnastics there!
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They really need little helmets- it’s gettin’ ugly!
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Lovely little floaty top! I esp. like it paired w/ the zebra belt. 🙂
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You can’t go wrong with animal print, I swear it!
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Lovely top – enjoyable read as always. Love your fabric too.
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That’s really pretty, I love the print on it too! I haven’t been able to concentrate on projects while the computer streams live Olympics, so I am resticting myself to fix-it-and-finish-it jobs! Nothing was done yesterday while the men’s team gymnastics was on though, it was far too nailbiting to be holding scissors or an un-picker! I’m loving it all!!
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I do keep running to the living room to see whatever he is screaming about- I try, I do!
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Your husband should pay more attention, you make your fabric hoard attack sound like an Olympic sport.
Your top is lovely ‘frenched’ and all. I am a tad disappointed there is no toga.
Next week? Got a spare bed sheet?
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It’s not a bad idea, now is it? I’m shocked Sew Weekly didn’t have Toga interpretation week!
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Ooh, pretty pretty. The frenching was so worth it 😀 I laughed at your description of the stash… I’m in danger of getting buried in an avalanche of fabric when I open the door of The Fabric Cupboard.
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Always take a buddy! Safety in numbers- as long as they tell no tales!
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Love the top. And your jeans are so cute. What brand are they, if you don’t mind me asking?
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They are some old as dirt Old navy capris! Thanks!
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I would love to see a video of the little-uns barreling through the pet door… it has gotta be sooo frickin’ cute!!!
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Really pretty! You look like a water nymph in a lotus pond.
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where the zebras do gather in the dusk to have cocktails!
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Nothin’ like a zebra with a G&T!
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“Frenching” chiffon should be an Olympic sport…getting the seams lined up and flipped without all the fine hairs sticking out of the finished seam. You can step up to the podium and claim your gold medal, Girl! Who knew zebra belts could be so darn cute!
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No offence to you Yanks, but watching the Olympics isn’t nearly as painful when watching on a Canadian network. I am not a sports fan, but I can get in a couple of hours of watching without wanting to damage my vision and hearing (NBC, are you listening?). We also get a more international look at the athletes, not so US focussed.
Love the top, love “frenching it”. You have created another sewing term, like seersucka. You are so clever. But of course you knew that already.
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NBC’s coverag is vry insulting to the American intelligence- they over-describe and only show you glossy winning sound-bites. It’s pitiful.
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i love it! and that color looks great on you!
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I was worried it was too blue for my negative skin tone! But I love it!
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Love the top. Non-sewers (notably husbands) are often mystified by the finer points of sewing. We appreciate them.
I was at a restaurant on Sunday and gymnastics was on the screen behind the people I was having lunch with. I couldn’t stop watching it. Like a train wreck as the one poor Chinese girl fell on the pommelhorse. After that, I kept thinking everyone was going to hurt themselves so every wibble or off landing made me cringe.
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This is one more reason I couldn’t reproduce- I’d have them in a bubble convinced that they were going to break.
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Once again, another fabulous top and hilarious post. And I am properly impressed by the French seams. I haven’t gotten up the nerve to attempt them myself.
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Do it, do it! You will be so proud of yourself!
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BWAHAHAHAHA! A Hogwarts train for doxies! That’s such a funny image. 🙂
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They are so not going to make it to the Tri-wizard cup at this rate!
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I’m loving this – how clever are you? The fabric is beautiful and so summery! Those ONE hour patterns also don’t take into account the phone ringing, the child pestering you, the door knockers, the dinner on the stove – they should really do something about that 🙂
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I love this pattern and now you have inspired me to try this view. I love doing french seams – makes me feel like a real sewist.
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I swear, I may wear it inside out, I’m so proud of myself.
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Get up on that podium and accept the gold medal for sewing!!!! French seams! You’re an Olympian in my book!
Beth
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Aw, I tear up as they play my anthem….’Buttons and Bows’…..
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I’m with ya…. I am more of a Winter Olympics girl – true blue Canadian; the only sports I care for involve ice LOL!
One hour top my fanny – I do not believe these lies that patterns tell me, as I have never spent one hour doing anything; I’m much too fiddly and picky to be a rushy-rushy kinda girl ^__^
l’m a lover of French seams – they are so elegant, aren’t they?
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beautiful top and I love reading your blog – you have a great sense of humor and are good with the turn of a phrase 🙂
PS – I love the Olympics, I am a moderate sports fan but am a total sucker for the thril of victory, the agony of defeat!
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It’s just not the same without Dick Buttons!
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oh wow, that fabric is GORGEOUS! very pretty top. and I’m totally with you on the hubby watching all kinds of sports stuff–i think I’ll just head on upstairs to my sewing room now… (every time the sports channel comes on) 😉
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Hey, French seams make us feel good when we slide that garment on, who cares if anyone knows, or even understands.
I recently bought my little dog a set of stairs to help her get in the bed. She was waking me up 3 times each night to pick her up. That had to stop. This is a dog who has in the past flown down stairs as though she was wearing a superman cape, but one look at this set, and she was having no part. A LOT of coaxing later and she loves her stairs. They do keep us in stitches!!
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I have an evil cat that likes to perch at the top of the pup stairs and drive them crazy- they can’t get up or down!
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Bless your French-seaming heart!! You look beautiful in this, as always. And ooh–zebra belt, zebra belt!! Great job. And another case of your perfect timing. I was in the middle of ordering for that $2.99 Simplicity sale on Pattern Review this week, and I desperately needed a pattern for the chiffon I have in a color that will match everything (at least in my imagination), so this lovely pattern is on its way to me now. Thank you thank you thank you.
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Very pretty print.
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Love it!
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You totally frenched it! Especially with that zebra belt. Awesome combo.
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Love seeing what you did with that pattern!
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Oh thank you! Its getting a lot of wear!
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