Saturday, December 14, 2013

Complete: Style Arc Rowe Top ( & Rowe Top...& Rowe Top...)

Hello all! I'm grabbing the first spare hour I've had in over a week to sit and post - honestly, December this year is feeling like a massive To-Do list. I think I'm usually pretty good at keeping things fairly relaxed over the festive season, but I've gotten right out of whack this time :/  Must remember for next year ... simplify!

I do have some big (for me) news though - I have made friends with knits! I've been genuinely intimidated by the notion of knit fabric for "ordinary" clothes. Even though I've made plenty of costumes using knits, I didn't really think I could achieve a nice, professional-looking finish on everyday wear. So even though I cut this pattern out back in - wait for it - May, it sat on the desk until two weeks ago. (Yup, this was one of the four projects I pledged to make for MMM. Oops.)

Two weeks ago though I decided it was ridiculous to be defeated by fabric and had a go. And in doing so I discovered my new favourite pattern! This is Style Arc's Rowe Top / Tunic. (I'm having trouble linking to it, but googling that should take you straight there :) ). I've been wanting a slouchy tee for a while, but a lot of the RTW ones I've tried on are very boxy, which is a look I really like - but only on other people. Also, a lot of them seem to gape at the neck, and I wanted something comfy I could move in without having to constantly glance down and check on.


It's nice and slouchy, but has a nice shape at the sides ( not that you can really tell on the hanger...) And I'm not sure how the fine folks at SA did it, but the neckline sits flat at all times. Hurrah! This was straight from the pattern with no modifications.


You know when you tell yourself you're only making a muslin, but you're actually really hoping it turns out to be a proper wearable garment? Here 'tis :)

The sleeves are finished with bands of the same fabric, which makes for a really nice finish.The only change I'd make from now on, and this is purely personal preference, would be to take a bit of volume out of the sleeve hem. 4cm / 1 1/2" would be just about perfect.


I like the design line on the back; I think it's a nice little added feature. Plus, it would lend itself to colour-blocking very nicely.


I had a bit of trouble getting a smooth stitching line at first - as you can see on that back seam above. But what I was more worried about was getting the hemline to look right (you know, not "homemade"). This was the main intimidation factor, after all! But my machine's instruction manual had this strange, random-sounding little tip that I'd never heard of before: If stitching line is not smooth, sew with a sheet of paper underneath.


I gave it a go, even though it sounded a bit like some editor was bored and having a laugh. You know what? It works! Below you can see the one of the first practice pieces lying over the top of the sewn-to-paper piece:



Who'd have thunk it! Mind you, I'd also like to add that you need to be very careful as you're tearing the paper away afterwards...One side at a time works best I found :)

A few months after I cut that one out I bought a beautiful remnant of a neutral coloured wool jersey (about 1.5m, I think). I bought it with this pattern in mind, hoping that one day I'd actually be brave enough to attempt it. Then I happened to notice that colour-wise it worked quite well with the sequin fabric I made my last post's Festive Skirt out of. I'm trying to get a bit more creative with leftover project scraps - I really hate waste - so I experimented a little. And I think it worked!


 From memory, the sleeves are 5cm / 2" shorter than the pattern, and hemmed rather than finished with the bands. I also combined the upper and lower back pieces into one pattern piece. This is easy - just match up notches and make sure the seam lines are laid on top of each other, rather than laying the pattern pieces edge to edge:


I generally cut out pattern pieces pretty frugally (a legacy of years of costuming on minimal budgets!), so once I'd done the one above I thought I just might be able to squeeze another top out of what was left over. This fabric is so soft and fine and warm, that it seemed a shame not to have a long sleeved top for winter out of it... And, as luck would have it, there was a post I'd read by Grainline a few days earlier that explained how to convert a short sleeved pattern into a long sleeved one. There was just enough to make it work!



There's probably a bit too much volume in the lower arm; I could have graded it in a bit so it was more noticeably 'batwing". And in a perfect world, I would have finished off the hem with a band also. But these are pretty small niggles overall, especially given I got my two tops out of one remnant!

So there you have it; my new go-to comfy pattern! Don't you just love accommodating patterns??

Do you have any "blank canvas" dependables like this one? Or any more tips for sewing with knits? Do share!

Have a wonderful week :)

Danielle oxo


13 comments:

  1. How impressive! I like that paper trick too! There are so so many tips out there for sewing with knits! I really like the v-neck finish and of course love the sparkles! From my own experience the two areas that seem to make a knit look homemade are the quality of the neckline and hem finishes. I find using Steam a Seam or gluing the hem down with fabric glue (or purple UHU if you're a bit of a fool like me!) also helps with the wiggling and also reduces the formation of a ridge or channel of fabric when using a twin needle. And as for necklines I think it's the combo of a great pattern and practice!

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    1. Great pattern - check. Experience - will work on that! I haven't tried Steam a Seam before, so I'll have to get some of that - thanks! Especially if it helps with the twin needle thing, which I just bought myself as a reward...

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  2. Those are fabulous! I love sewing with knits... welcome to the club! I think I'll have to get myself a copy of that pattern!

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    1. I like this club very much! And it's a great pattern; in fact I've been really happy with everything I've tried of Style Arc's. Well worth a look!

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  3. Wow! Your tops look great! I am terrified of knits, and am not going near them (blaming it on the fact that I don't have a serger...). My machine is only a cheap one with little, to none extra bits and no instruction booklet, and I am not experienced enough to know what to do. I would love to make things like these, tho.. Maybe I should give it a try? Thanks for sharing :)

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    1. Thank you! Definitely give it a try - Lladybird has a great post on sewing with knits, and makes it all seem easy. http://lladybird.com/2012/02/23/conquering-knits/ Good luck!

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  4. My favourite is the sparkly shouldered one. Beautiful. Thanks for sharing your tips I'm struggling with knits and the paper idea is something I am definitely going to try.

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    1. Thank you! I think that's my favourite too. The paper trick is great, isn't it! I must read my manual more often :) I found it helpful to stretch the fabric ever so slightly as I was sewing it over the paper too.

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  5. 3 tops in one go? Impressive! I don't know this pattern, but it's nice. I love your sequin sleeve version. A really easy way to make sequins everyday. The paper tip is an interesting one. Must bear that in mind.

    Hope December calms down for you soon!

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    1. Once we get past this Sunday we should be fine! Hopefully it'll cool down enough for some proper Christmas baking too...
      And thanks, I love the sequins too.:) I was planning to wear the skirt to my work breakup, but the dress code has just been downgraded to Neat Casual (half the staff show up in jeans and tshirt anyway!). I think the top will be my Plan B - casual AND sparkly!

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  6. Love these tops! The sequin sleeve was an absolute surprise, and is stunning, but I equally like the practicality of the other two. Thanks for sharing the paper tip too!

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  7. Your tops look great! I'll have to take a look at that pattern (& feed my growing StyleARC addiction!)

    Lladybird did an awesome, very helpful (!) post on sewing with knits some time ago:
    http://lladybird.com/2012/02/23/conquering-knits/

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  8. These are glorious! All 3 are perfect - and I hadn't noticed that seaming in the back piece - that's really cool! Lovely work! No turning back with knits now!!! ;)

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