Thursday, May 15, 2014

Day Tripper, Day Tripper, Yeah

I've had that song going through my head ever since I made this top.  The pattern is the Day Tripper by Shwin Designs, which I purchased as part of Pattern Anthology's Just Add Jeans Collection.

A few months ago I found 1.5 yards of a bold floral rayon at a thrift store for only $.99, and it seemed ideal for a lightweight summer top.  It's a little difficult to find blouse patterns that only require a yard and a half of fabric, so when I saw that the Day Tripper could be made with a woven I decided to give it a try.  And I have to say that I'm pretty pleased with the results.


The pattern has a high/low hem with dolman sleeves and a scoop neck.  There are three different lengths to choose from; I'm glad I made the longest length because even that only hit at my hips.  I always have a fear of having my shirts be too short, so this was a good length.  

The pattern was designed to be made with knits, but says that it can be made with wovens also.  However, there are not many details provided on how to accommodate the different types of fabric, so if you're a beginning sewer, you may have a little trouble finishing the top.  

But overall, this is an incredibly easy shirt.  A a couple of notes regarding the construction: 
  • I made a size medium, and it was HUGE.  I know that it's supposed to be a boxy shirt, but it was boxy to the point of being unflattering.  I took about four inches off of the sides between the underarms and the hips, but left the hips a size medium.  
  • I finished the neckline, sleeves, and bottom hem with bias tape.  I attached one side of single fold bias tape to the wrong side of the hemlines, then flipped it to the outside and stitched again.   It provided a nice contrast, and helped make the busy fabric seem a little more grounded.
I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, especially since high/low hemlines aren't always flattering on me.  But overall I really like it, and will probably make a few more of them for the summer.  As I said a moment ago, it's really easy, and there are some days that easy projects are all I can do.  So there you have it!




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