Troubadour Top (V8815)

I'm shouting from the rooftops - I love, love, love my new top!

                   Well, shouting from the deck at the sky and at the roof... same thing :-)

Don't worry, I'm not saying I did an amazing job - of course I didn't! It's just that finally I've made the sort of bold, interesting garment I would covet if I saw someone else had it.

I do love the look of these fabrics together. However... the bodice and peplum are made from leftover upholstery fabric that I originally used about 7 years ago to upholster my dining room chairs. It's a really durable fabric - the chair seats still look new - but it has absolutely NO give. You live and learn, but this is definitely not the best fabric for a fitted bodice. The sleeves are in a coordinating raw silk, another leftover or remnant from I don't know where or when - they're perfectly wearable, but I'm not going to separate them from that bodice.

I love the trim on the peplum:

I cut this from a long selvedge edge. If you look closely you'll see the stitching to hold the seams in place (this sort of fabric can be unruly).


I love the stripes matching on the not quite invisible zipper. I forgive the zipper peeking out above the waist seam. I can live with that:

 
I love the stripes also matching on the side seams of the bodice;  I love the curvy triangle between the sleeve and the bodice and peplum: 

But have I made myself an unwearable top?

The top is based on V8815, a non-designer (gasp!), very easy (double gasp!) pattern that came out this year (triple gasp!). This is view B, but with the sleeve length of view C.

I made a size 12 at the top, tapering out to a 14 at the waist. I'll do a full review soon on Pattern Review, but the summary version is that although I love this top, the pattern seemed a bit short waisted and a bit small. I doubt that I've put on weight in the shoulder or bust area (snort!); but perhaps the sizing on the regular Vogue patterns is a little smaller and shorter than on the designer patterns I've been sewing more of lately.

In my imagination I can wear this to work, but I am not really a troubadour or any other kind of performer. And all you sensible people will appreciate that this is not the attire that's expected in a conservative financial institution.  



See you!
-Gabrielle

PS I'll try to get some photos of this on me soon - it feels snug on but it does look to fit!