Simplicity Sparkle Top

It was "Sparkle Day" at work today -- we are being a little more festive for the season. So I decided last night, even though I already had something to wear, that I'd whip up a new top anyhow.

I bought some stretchy pleated sparkle knit last year at my local fabric store; it's a very light, tissue weight and is medium stretchy. I bought it with a particular Burda pattern in mind, and even laid it out:

But I recently tried a McCalls pattern with a similar silhouette and it was a total fail. This capey drapy design does not work for my figure. So I changed my mind.

I went with the very simple Simplicity 8656 instead. While this is supposed to be a woven top, I knew I could easily adjust for this drapy knit. I shortened the body by cutting the neck & shoulder at a size small, then cut the sleeve length and under arm at Large, grading out to an XL by the hem. I did add 4 inches to the length as well. I had just enough fabric!

It's a super simple sew; the front and back are the same pattern piece. So I knew only a feature fabric would keep this from looking really dull. This is certainly flashy! There are certain problems with an identical front and back, even with an oversize boxy shape. I will need to cut the front piece with an inch pinched out of the neckline if I make this again - the back is fine, though I'd probably add a curved longer hem on the back next time as well. Still, for a quick and easy pattern, I really liked this one.

The fabric is very thin, as I noted, so I did have to experiment a little. I ended up using the smallest size of universal needle I had, and stitched slowly at a 2.4 stitch length. Shorter puckered and longer skipped. And I just turned under and stitched the neckline and sleeve hems, and left the bottom unhemmed, as the fabric does not fray or separate at all.

When I finished and put it on I thought it was okay, a little blah though. So I used remnant bits to sew together a narrow scarf to accessorize. I had two different bits, one lengthwise and one crosswise, so stitched them together even thought the crinkle goes two different ways. The seam is neatly hidden by the knot so it isn't even noticeable. The best thing about this is that I could use the black fringey selvage as the ends of the scarf! Once I added the scarf the top looked so much more intentional. I might still put some ruching in the sleeve seam to pull them up a little and give this top a little more design oomph. Another benefit of making the scarf is that I have very little scrap left over.

I am pleased with it and am wearing it quite happily for Sparkle Day. I even found my sparkly tights to wear with it. It is both lightweight and see-through so I am also wearing a tank top under it both for warmth and modesty ;) It's a fun project that might see another outing at New Years.