Silhouette Ice Cream Shop Sweater

I made this top a few weeks ago and have been saving it because I had this strong urge to take it apart and make a different top with the fabric. I thought it would be interesting to show how the same fabric worked in two different top styles using the same Silhouette Patterns #195 base.  However despite the fabric making the weekly trip to Wellington with me (and the quick unpick) it hasn't been taken apart yet.  It is in fact quite a well travelled top having been to Wellington, Auckland and Dunedin in my overnight bag and each trip it has come back in one piece.

So instead of blogging about one fabric two tops I have one top two fabrics for show and tell.

I did wonder if getting this top out there in the universe would remove the pressure (self imposed) to produce a bigger better brighter top, or at least one more suited to the fabric, and I would be able to attack it with the quick unpick.

The finished garment

Have to say that the top doesn't look that bad in these photos but it doesn't match my vision.  I think the fabric is too substantial to drape as I wanted and provides an unsightly poof of fabric in the small of my back.  Also it doesn't show in the pictures but there is something strange about the shoulders - I actually wondered if I had managed to set the sleeves in backwards.

It wouldn't be hard to do as being a knit sleeve they are essentially the same front and back the only challenge with my knit sleeve is that I make the front seam shorter for my forward shoulder so if inserted backwards it would make the back seam doubly short.



The fabric

This is another Art Gallery Fabrics 95% cotton 5% spandex jersey knit.  This one is from the Boardwalk Delight collection by Dana Willard and is called Ice Cream Shop purchased from Fabric.com.  Absolutely love the fabric and the colour.

I purchased this fabric because I thought it would fit in to my imaginary travel wardrobe.  The colours wouldn't go with my dress (if it is ever made from the skirt) but it may work with my white jeans.

The pattern

This is a favourite Silhouette Pattern #195 the sweater set.  I have made it numerous times as designed and made various slightly altered versions too.  The pattern is described as our best basic for anyone and everyone.  This is the classic t-shirt, the classic cardigan and the classic shell. Made only for knits. This pattern has a French dart in the front and fits beautifully on all figure types.

The pattern alterations

This pattern is a true TNT and has been tweaked over many makes, so recalling all the changes is difficult. It is based on the size 4, D cup, with the size 3 French dart, a forward shoulder adjustment, scoop neck (my favourite neckline), a couple of inches longer in the body and a hi-lo hem with a shirt tail back.

This variation has a two inch single inverted box pleat at the centre back which is just anchored by the neck binding.  I have used this technique on a number of merino tops with a silk chiffon back. In these tops the inverted box pleat provides the extra fabric across the back to compensate for the lack of stretch.

Most of my knit tops are based on the #195 sweater set.  I always compare my #195 to the other knit pattern I want to sew to see what changes need to be made.  I have been known to add the French dart to tops with no darting as it really does provide a slimmer silhouette.

The sewing

Nothing new just sewn on the overlocker, with hems and neck binding sewn using my Singer Featherweight.

Outfit of the day

I thought it would be a good idea to take my Boardwalk Delight Ice Cream Shop top to the seaside and take my photographs on the promenade at Sumner (a beach suburb in Christchurch) with an ice-cream in hand.

Unfortunately as you can see it was a bit windy and extremely cold so I was more inclined to clutch a warming cup of coffee than an ice-cream. I also wasn't willing to take any layers off for photographs, so you only get a peak of the top below the hem of my furry jacket. It should be noted that this is the only photograph we took as standing still allowed the cold to seep into your bones, so we took this quick photo and continued our march along the prom.  Note my bag slung across my body in position for a quick march along the sea front.

A bonus top

I made the top again this time in a more drapey rayon knit, allegedly a Donna Karan, from The Fabric Store. This fabric was much more successful.  Being only a thin rayon knit it isn't that warm so will sit in my wardrobe waiting for Spring.

I did wear this top to work and it was sufficiently cold in the office for me to wear it with my Front Row Society "Effi Briest" cashmere scarf (made in Kashmir).  Actually it wasn't just the temperature in the office it was the coffee stain I acquired first thing in the morning which my cardigan didn't cover but my scarf did.  It was a subtle reminder to pay attention when going through the security gates - don't just wander through chatting to a colleague without swiping your security card because the door closes when you are half way through.

So for the coffee stain I wore it like the picture on the left.  If you are caught out in harsh air conditioning you can wear the scarf wrapped round your shoulders like the picture on the right.