Reviewed: New Look 6025 (short-sleeved top). Stripy Goodness!

Last week I was all "all I need to do is take a photo and write a review! easy peasy!" so that I could  but it took until today to do it. Here's what the package looks like again:

And here is my version:


And below is my (expanded, because I don't inflict ALL my ramblings on patternreview) review of making it. Original review on PR is here.

Pattern Description: Misses' Tunic or Tops with sleeve variations and tie belt. I made the shorter length (as in view C) but with the shorter sleeves (as in view A), and as I loathe tops that belt or tie at the waist, I left it loose. In actual fact, I started out making B, with the cuffed sleeves, but then (a) view B was INCREDIBLY long and I wasn't excited by it, and (b) as discussed below, I screwed up my FBA and somehow made the sleeves go wonky. The only fix was to crop the length of the sleeve and make it like view A (which fortunately worked).

Pattern Sizing: 8-18. I made an 18 with some adjustments. In retrospect, I should have made a 16 and made a larger bust adjustment as it would have reduced the width at the hip.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Given that I didn't precisely make any of the views, it was nevertheless still in the spirit of the drawings/photo.

Were the instructions easy to follow? This is an exceptionally easy garment to make, with only three seams and three hems. The only time I checked the instructions at all was to confirm the order in which to sew the seams as this is the first top I've ever made.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I was attempting to recreate a much loved RTW top and this pattern matched very well. I like simple woven tops of this type because they are as easy to wear as a t-shirt but can be made in fabrics that lift it into something a little more formal.

However, I do NOT love the neckline on this top as it is too wide and too deep, even after I adjusted it.  I also do not love the width at the hem, but that is a sizing issue and one that I can fix.

Fabric Used: Mystery microfibre purchased from eBay. I fell in love with the swirly cream/black stripes fabric so I paid more than I usually would for it at £6/m. This top used about 150cm plus this bias binding, so it cost me about £10 all told.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I actually muslined this top in a revolting puke green alas-my-dye-experiment-has-failed cotton that I got in the Big Bag Of Fabric. Straight out of the package, the size 18 had three problems: the fit wasn't TERRIBLE at the bust -- I have worn many more terrible RTW garments -- but it could have been improved. The neckline was EPICALLY boobtacular, dropping at least an inch lower than I was comfortable with, and the sleeves were way too deep so anybody could look up my shirt. My fixes were:

1. An FBA, which, as I am a novice, was not entirely successful. I used the Zieman "pivot and slide" method and, okay, it sort of worked, in so far as it did add some extra space, but it wasn't quite in the right place because I screwed up the shoulder fix. And because I screwed up the shoulder fix, the FBA went wrong and the sleeve went wrong. So I have ended up with a top that almost has a bust adjustment, and then had to have shorter sleeves than I liked.

2. Based on a review by littlebetty I pulled the blouse up by about 1" at the shoulder seams. This definitely improved the neckline and the fact that the sleeve gaped and provided a great view of my bra. However, for me personally the neckline is still too wide and too low even after this adjustment. (Plus, I didn't do it right, so overall it was problematic.

3. I used purchased rather than self-fabric bias binding. This was solely because the fabric I used shredded like crazy and was a horror when I tried to handle narrow bias strips.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I would, and I probably will sew it again. This is the sort of top that I always have 2 or 3 RTW versions of hanging in my work wardrobe, so I was very keen to find a similar pattern to make for myself. However, it still needs work before I'll consider it a TNT pattern.

Conclusion: Ultra simple top, but needs to work to make it work for me.

 Next up: this skirt, in green linen. I am on a weird skirt kick. I have so many plans, mainly for producing stuff that I can wear to work in due course, should my PhD ever be finished.