Alabama Don't Give Up Hope Sweater

Don't give up hope could be the anthem for this year. As I typed this I was thinking about the Peter Gabriel song Don't Give Up which suited my mood but...

...in my Google search I found this song Don't Give up Hope by Third Day which whilst not my type of music its lyrics are tailor made for now even though it was released in 2010.

However this is a sewing blog and it is all about a piece of fabric purchased from Gorgeous Fabrics at the beginning of the year in the early days of COVID when my fabric still flew across the Pacific Ocean to arrive swiftly in my collection. Now shipping takes so long the fabric must be swimming here under its own steam which is a positive as I am less tempted to buy it!

The finished garment

This top has been worn quite a bit and goes nicely with my Megan Nielsen Flint mustard boyfriend jeans which hadn't been made when these photographs were taken. These pictures were taken at different times over the two months I spent at home earlier this year and contrary to the evidence I didn't spend the whole two months wearing this pair of Andrea Moore Boyfriend jeans. It is quite revealing that I am wearing different shoes (Trippen Fight boots in the first collage and Clamp Uncut ankle boot in the second) but the same trousers.

A Gorgeous Fabrics label was used in this top to remind me of where the fabric came from and the photographer even took a picture of the top with the label sticking out to prove it!

The fabric

This fabric is the Don't Give Up Hope Italian rayon jersey knit purchased in February 2020 from Gorgeous Fabrics. A very popular fabric that flew off the shelf and I was lucky to get a piece. I was attracted to the colours and print not realising then how much we would need such a sentiment this year.

The pattern

The Alabama Sweater pattern can be made in tunic, top or crop top versions. It features a V-neckline and is loosely fitted through the bust with a generous flare to the hem. The Sweater pattern also includes five sleeve variations (sleeveless, cap, short, three-quarter and long-fluted sleeves). The tunic measures approximately 29", the top 26" and the crop top 23" in length. It was part of the Alabama Chanin 2016 Build a Wardrobe programme.

The PDF download includes the nested pattern and comes in sizes XS to XXL along with instructions for fabric selection, cutting, and garment construction.

The pattern card

I am loving my pattern cards as they are a great aide memoire. For example I really thought this top was sewn during April whilst we were keeping safe at home (also known as lock down) but apparently it was sewn in early March only a month after the fabric was ordered. This must be the year of sew one of the fabrics purchased immediately. That could almost be considered stash reduction if I only bought my fabrics one at a time!

The pattern alterations

This is a previously used pattern and I made no changes to it, sewing the size medium top version with elbow length sleeves and a forward shoulder adjustment.

Until I read my old post I had forgotten that the original pattern came in so many variations and am now tempted by a short sleeve or sleeveless one. Maybe even a tunic version to be worn with leggings.

The sewing

One of the quick and easy to sew tops, which was the sum total of my sewing at the beginning of the year. It didn't really fit into my Sunset SWAP but suited my mood and need for brain optional sewing.

The seams were sewn with the overlocker (a four thread stitch) and the hems on the trusty Singer Featherweight. Fold-over elastic (black with white polka dots) was used to bind the neck edge, sewn on with a straight stitch on the Featherweight.  I even followed the order of construction included in the pattern instructions just not hand sewn in the Alabama Chanin way.

Outfit of the day

There are no pictures of this top being worn in the real world, only garden pictures. An indication of the times we lived in when this top was newly sewn.

There is more venturing out now as New Zealand has managed to stay pretty much COVID free. Even went to a craft fair today which apart from the hand sanitiser and recording the visit on the contact tracing app is how life used to be. 

Sew Different Sheer Fly Birdie Fly Top

It has taken me weeks to write this post. Most of it was written whilst at work in Wellington but I didn't have access to the pictures. Now the world has gone mad and it seems really strange to be posting pictures of us out and about enjoying our Sunday, showing off my recent make and mingling in a public place with strangers.

I have been home nine days now and so far haven't left the house. My beloved is being our designated grocery shopper whilst I am chained to my laptop and phone. It seems frivolous to be blogging but I need the light relief and really hope to become reacquainted with my sewing machine over the weekend.

The finished garment

This top is just long enough to be worn on its own even though I made it to wear as a topper over a plain dress (the Twirling Rebecca Taylor dress). Here it is worn on a sunny Sunday for a trip to the Oxford farmers market with a pair of Kate Sylvester Admiral flared trousers and Camper Twins red orange sandals.

It may be a simple top but I really love it and it has been worn often over the last couple of months since making it.

Just to give you an idea of the shape!

On a less sunny Sunday but also at the Oxford farmers market here is the top being worn over the aforementioned Twirling Rebecca Taylor dress. It might not have been sunny but I still didn't manage to keep my eyes open for the photograph - must be the half asleep before coffee look.

The fabric

This fabric was a pre-Christmas purchase from Gorgeous Fabrics. Ann describes this fabric as "a perfect addition to your spring wardrobe! It's an open weave in a beautiful drapey fabrication, with little birds flying all over it, and it is simply GORGEOUS! This will work wonderfully for a chic topper."

And surprise surprise I used it for a chic topper! The simple design of the pattern used really allows this fabric to shine and it does truly deserve the spotlight.

The pattern

The Sheer Top and Vest is from Sew Different a UK based pattern company. At this stage I have only made the Sheer top, but do have both the top and vest cut out in a linen fabric. The designer was inspired to create this pattern in 2015 by the sheer clothing seen in RTW so once again I am right up there on the cutting edge of fashion.

This is a free PDF pattern and much as I hate sticking PDF patterns together I worked through my dislike for this free pattern. This is not a user friendly PDF pattern to construct.  There are tiny crop marks in the corner of some pages which I drew a line between in order to have a straight line to cut along. As I couldn't be bothered to do this for all seventeen pages I cut multiple pages at a time, which sacrificed a bit of accuracy. For a free pattern I shouldn't complain about this minor irritation but if I had paid for the pattern I would have been extremely disappointed.

The pattern is a single size UK 12 with no seam allowance. There is enough white space between the pattern pieces to add seam allowance.

The pattern alterations

For the Sheer top the alterations were minimal. The size 12 was fine size wise so I made a forward shoulder adjustment and used my French curve to provide more side seam shaping curving back to the original side seam at the hem. The fabric I used was a non-stretch woven so I tapered the sleeve more gently from the top of the sleeve to the wrist to give a wider sleeve hem. The top of the sleeve is fine in a non-stretch fabric without alteration.  As the sleeves were too long on the finished top I removed 1½" and also made this change to the pattern piece.

Once I had sewn the top and worn it for a day the front neck edge was lowered by 1". I have also now made separate front and back top pattern pieces to include the forward shoulder adjustment and the neck edge changes. In the new pattern pieces the neck edge is brought in 1" at the shoulder as well as being lowered 1" at centre front.

The sewing

The sewing instructions are printed on the pattern pieces but because of the shaping alterations I made to the side seam some of them were chopped off. This is such a simple top that instructions aren't really needed. This top came together quickly on the overlocker, with the sewing machine only used for the hems. Even the neck edge was just turned over ⅜" and stitched down.

Outfit of the day

On the way back from Oxford we took some photos in Darfield. There was no-one else around as I played. What I really wanted was a swing but there isn't one at the Tussock Square playground.