2016 sewing retrospective - knit tops

Well 2016 has certainly been memorable but I  won't dwell on the bigger context focusing instead on the simple art of sewing.  When I went to gather the 2016 garments there were more than expected.  So this post will feature the knit tops of 2016. These are all hits because they are still in my wardrobe any misses are long gone or deep in the "for charity" bag and I am certainly not going digging to find them.

Some of these were made for our trip back to the UK in May and I had the foolish idea that pictures could be taken of them out in the wild but it never happened.  Others went to the States in October but still no pictures.

I was surprised by how many of the knit tops are from the same pattern - the WORLD Cut, Make and Trim Tee from the book Home Sewn by the New Zealand Fashion Museum.  The book contains patterns from 10 of New Zealand's leading designers.

Here it is in a Gorgeous Fabric's knit - no scraps left from this one.  You may see this fabric again soon as it was intended for a cardigan and I cut out the Sewing Workshop Opal jacket for my trip to the States in October but didn't have time to sew it up. Typically sewed the left overs t-shirt first.

Shirt tail hem variation

 And here are the other versions...

Long sleeve pattern variation

Original pattern in a Liberty cotton jersey

Not enough fabric - add a sleeve cuff

Left over red ponte with sleeve cuff

Another favourite pattern is Giorgio's top by Silhouette Patterns but I only made one in 2016.  It has a neckline variation from the Tilton sisters' Artful t-shirt Craftsy class.

Trying to be trendy with this Style Arc Sunny knit top using three different fabrics: a cotton knit for the top half of the body; a laser cut goat skin for the bottom half and slinky knit sleeves.  Slinky is an ideal knit for these sleeves as you really do need that stretch for this to be wearable. The trendy bit is mixing leather into the garment which required a bit of pattern fudging to go around the hips without the benefit of a knit fabric. Not sure it is entirely successful but for now it is still in the wardrobe.

And a couple of knit cardigans using the Sewing Workshop Opal jacket. First a blue merino knit made up as per the pattern that was made for our trip to the UK (excuse the creases it has been folded up for a few months).  I wore this one whilst on holiday but it has not been a wardrobe favourite and for once I stopped to wonder why.

Here is the second version in a black wool cashmere bought when we were on holiday in the UK in 2012 from Misan Fabrics in Berwick Street.  For this version I reduced the fall of the curve in the front and I like it much better. It doesn't have any buttons either as it appealed more without fastenings.

I still have dresses and woven tops to show but will save them for another day.

Happy new year may your sewing be fruitful and energising.