Tops and well, more tops.


My wardrobe is moving slightly in the direction of wearing ‘office wear’ more often. Blech and double blech.

Typewriter1

I’ve been struggling to reconcile my taste to things that go with slacks. Secretly I hate dress pants. They make me feel like a cater waiter. I also have never found a pair that didn’t make me look like Eyeore from the back. I recently discovered that  I whipped out 3 new workable blouses and didn’t share them. Don’t be disheartened- my gaudy parade continues!

zieg

So here comes a Burda, an  old friend  Simplicity and a Vogue- tops

first victim:

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This is a repeat- yes, Ms short attention span has repeats! This is my 3rd- I love the ease of this shape.

simp1

When I feed new sacrifices to the Textile Hoarding annex, I like to buy 5 yards of something. You just never know. Maybe I want a tank top, maybe I want to make a car cover. I will not be limited!!! So if I like it, I want 2 of it. Perhaps a summer dress and a top. Or leiderhosen and a hoodie. You get the idea. This Anna Sui fabric is in 2 prints- from selvage to selvage so it can give some fun mixes. Previously, it was a dress to match my fav Dr Marten flats. Now those flats will get even more out of the closet time paired with this.

Simp2

I added the cuffs for contrast, but really, the location of the prints was based on how much fabric I had left. A roll of the matching dice as it were. I’m happy and I can consider this stash busting, right? Can I shop now? Please?

Burda1

This years squirrely goal is more detail and structure in my makes- so Burda will be my target- lots of seemingly random seams going on in most of them- this was fun to sew- a nice saturday morning no-brainer with a nice reward. I let the print do the talkin’ and only added a little accent button for fancy. 7125-

7125

burda2

Last but not so least is my take on Vogue 1367-

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I used an embossed nylon ultrasuede snakey fabric for the yoke and a frisky chiffon for the body. No design changes or ‘that didn’t work- better get creative’ design changes. My other goal to combine more fabrics is still in effect- I love these two pieces together- a summer something will happen for these I’m sure!  It’s a little wide thru the shoulders- I will gladly announce that next time I will drop it down a size.  I will pause to reflect on that. Ahhhh…….

Vogue1

a little more fabric detail- I’m loving my faux fuzzy snake! vogue3

I would have made a 4th top but we only have 3 dogs and Flannery is away at her writers workshop in the Berkshires……

vogue4

photo credits: pattern review, meadhawg, google images, Pattern Review. All images remain the property of their original owners.

61 thoughts on “Tops and well, more tops.”

  1. You must be amazingly productive or too in a hurry to get through stash busting. 🙂 Three beautiful tops in one post! I am struggling to finish one!! This reminds me that spring is almost here….

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  3. Well you’ve been busy sewing up a practical storm! That Anna Sui double print is genius. Matchy but not matchy – you know what I mean – and I like that in a fabric. I love the name you’ve given your stash – the Textile Hoarding Annex – ha!! I call mine… ‘The Archive’. I’m loving all three of these tops!

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  5. Love your idea of buying 5 yards at a time – I might join you in that habit. Loving all of your tops. I can’t decide which one I like best. Do love me some snake skin.

    Thanks for introducing me to some great patterns. We both have been on a top / tunic productivity pulse. We are certainly twinning the war on the stash!

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  9. Love all three but that Burda has no shoulder seams…hooray! It is the most neutral of all even though it is a wacky print. And the cool thing is….if you like them as tops…they all can grow into maxi dresses for the summer to catch breezes under your skirt. You snuck in some modern touches to the page as well….very nice!

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  11. I love all of those! I think I’m going to try that Burda pattern. I think the blog redesign too 🙂 Most of sewing has to fall into the work-appropriate category. That’s what I wear most of the time, so you know how it goes!

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  15. Ooh, lovely tops and some gorgeous print combos ..im especially taken with the Anna Sui prints. Gorgeous!!!

    Maybe we have faulty DNA … I’m just the same, I know I should make some plain stuff that will go with other things but its always prints that set my heart beating faster. Maybe we should start up a gaudy print addicts club? Count me in.

    P.s. love your blog makeover!

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  19. I have that Lisette Continental pattern next up in the queue (I got it for $1.50). I loved the top and your version is gorgeous! The colour blocking is fabulous, I have been hmmming and hawing for days trying to figure out how to colour block it as I was thinking about using the same fabrics for the skirt. I like how you also seemed to use a very lightweight fabric. I couldn’t decide between that or a heavier cotton to add structure. And, I can’t see the cuffs in the pic, do you have another pic where I can see them? Pretty please. 🙂

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