Summer in the Sunshine top
3 November 2009, 08:46Remember back to the warm, sunny days of August… You there yet? Because that’s when I sewed up this top, in between the dresses I made for my mom while she was visiting!
I’d bought the Hot Patterns Weekender Sunshine Top pattern almost two years ago, but I’ve had such a hit & miss experience with their patterns that I never quite worked up the nerve to sew this one. But with review after glowing review appearing on PR, I finally had to take the plunge and make my own, especially since it seemed quite a forgiving style for my hospital- and medication-induced chubbiness.
This cotton/lycra knit fabric from Totally Fabrics is so lush and soft that I’ve actually held off posting this so I could buy some more before you all snapped it up (but alas, it sold out just before they posted another site-wide sale)! I got this on sale, so the 1 metre I used here was only £3.75!
I’m definitely going to make more of these Sunshine Tops – I can totally understand why the pattern is so popular! It’s just so easy to wear, and really easy to sew together, too (almost criminally easy if you’ve got an overlocker and a coverstitch)! The only thing I didn’t like about this is that the sleeves are definitely on the tight side, which seems odd considering how generously sized the rest of the top is.
(These photos were also taken in August, with my long, black curly wig. I have to be careful what I wear it with, or it has a tendancy to go all Cap’n Hook meets Cher. Not really the look I’m going for!)
As luck would have it, I even had a bit of fabric leftover and I loved it too much to see it go to waste, so I made a pair of pants!
I used some white FOE (from Sigrid originally I think!) along the waistband, the very last of my brown satin-edge plush elastic from my elingeria.de bra kit around the legs, and a cute pink bow and pearl that Naaipatronen.nl threw in for free last time I ordered.
Just making these on a whim (using my favourite KnipMode thong pattern!) got me seriously bitten with the lingerie bug again so I’m totally eyeing up the lingerie pack Sigrid bought me for my birthday. I’d forgotten just how much fun smalls can be! I’ve worn these so much since August (even more than the shirt, funnily enough) and they’re just SO comfortable!
Tags: hot-patterns, knit, lingerie, top
Yes, that
isvery cute.. Beware though, I think the smaller sleeves is a good part of what makes this look fine. When you have a big loose top with big loose sleeves you risk falling into the 80s potato bag look. Well, at least that’d be very un-Cher like :-)..— Marie-Christine Nov 3, 09:48 AM #
After seeing that fabric on your blog when you first got it I managed to get some too! It is indeed a gorgeous soft jersey and a trendy print. I made a lovely cross-over top for my daughter (in fact a nursing top from an Ottobre pattern) and it has been both useful and admired. I hadn’t thought of using the remains to make pants – what a good idea and one I shall copy. So congratulations on your very stylish top and thanks!
Anne
— Anne Frances Nov 3, 11:42 AM #
I think I would need rather more leftovers than you for my pants!
The top looks very comfy and absolutely right for a sunny day. I agree with Marie-Christine that if the sleeves were made too large it could make the whole thing dowdy.
Cap’n Hook? Never!
All the best
Kim
— Kim Hood Nov 3, 01:19 PM #
What a good use of the scraps – loely top & knickers!
— Sue Nov 3, 09:36 PM #
That is a great top. I think that Hot Patterns generally have small sleeves. I always measure the bicep area before cutting.
— gwen Nov 4, 12:13 AM #
Really cute!
— Karen M Nov 4, 12:14 AM #