Doctor T Designs

Continuing on in reviewing my summer projects, this post is about the second top I made as part of my white shirt summer sewing plans.

As a complete contrast to the first top, Patrones 406 #33 is a draped knit top with very little structure. I think this also looks good under the blazer, but could also be worn on its own without needing as much layering.

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The instructions weren’t very clear, so I had to make up a bit of the construction as I went along. I do really love the shape of the collar though! I think it’s a great way to add shaping and a bit more structure to the drape of the top.

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The back is quite plain relative to the front, but I actually think that makes it easier to wear under a jacket, as well as more comfortable to sit in if your back is against a seat.

Translated Instructions

Since the instructions are in Spanish, I thought I’d post the slightly re-worded version of what Google Translate spat out at me when I entered the original text in there.

1. Make the whole garment with a special stitch for stretch fabrics
2. Fold neckline views in front along the line of strokes towards the back, fasten with basting pass double gathers on the front from A to B and from C to D, gather the bobbin threads tightly, leaving the length of the back according to the same signals, attacking while keeping the gathers.
3. Finish base front left with small hem.
4. Apply front right over the waist making the center line coincide, fasten together with basting on the sides.
5. Sew front to back along side and shoulder seams; finish back neckline, complete sleeves and garment base with small hem.

Pattern Review

Pattern Description: Draped top with front overlap.

Pattern Sizing: Patrones sizes 50-52-54. I started with a size 50 at the neckline and graded out out to a 54 at the hip. I needed to take in the whole garment a bit through, so I probably ended up grading down to something closer to a 46 at the neck and a 52 at the hip.

Were the instructions easy to follow?  Not exactly. I used Google Translate (and my own limited Spanish) to try and understand the instructions but I sort of abandoned them and just did my own thing. It wasn’t too difficult of a pattern, though I wasn’t sure the best way to handle the hems of the overlapping front pieces on my cover stitch, so I hemmed them together. I think this might have been a mistake based on the draping of the front piece. It probably would have been better to hem the fronts and back first, individually, then attach them all together along the side seams with my serger.

Did it look like the photo/drawing when you were done with it?  I actually think it looks very much like the photo and line drawing! I did have to take it in along the neck seam, but the overall shape and look is very close to the original picture.

What did you particularly like/dislike about the pattern?  I liked the way that the drape comes down from the collar section, and I liked the overlapping front sections. I thought it made this a bit more unique than many of the other draped top patterns. I also really like that it has the cut-on sleeves; I really appreciate having a bit more arm coverage. However, I think that the draping on the top does make it a bit bottom-heavy; I think the gathering could look a bit better if it weren’t layered over an identically gathered under-piece, which adds a fair amount of bulk.

Fabric used: Rayon knit jersey. I think I bought it from Fabric Mart Fabrics when they were having a sale.

Pattern alterations or design changes you made:  I had to take in the neck about 4 inches so that it wouldn’t be too wide. I also took in the hips, so I probably should have started with a size 52 at the hip. I didn’t make any other alterations to the pattern as drafted.

Would you sew this again?  Would you recommend it to others?  I don’t think I’ll sew this again. There are other draped tops that give a similar or better effect with less fabric usage. However, I could see myself using the neckline and sleeve shape at the top of this pattern to try and create something new and unique for future projects. I would recommend the pattern if you are in the Patrones plus size range and like the style, but I would caution that the neckline is very wide and you might need to size down a bit.

Conclusion:  Overall I really like this top! I think that it adds some nice variety to my wardrobe and that it looks good under a jacket and on its own. I don’t usually wear a lot of white, but I also think it’s a practical neutral to have in the wardrobe. I think I might get a lot of use out of this top, at least relatively speaking.

How does this fit in with the Sew Your Kibbe Challenge?  Does it work as well for you as you expected it to? I think this works really well in terms of the Kibbe recommendations. The soft draping fabric and open neckline are definitely Kibbe recommendations for Soft Natural, and those are the aspects of this top that I like the most.

Overall I think that this might be the top that I wear the most of the three I made during the summer. The knit fabric is comfortable, and the style is definitely very versatile in the context of an overall wardrobe. I don’t love how bulky it gets over the waist because of the double layers of gathered fabrics, so I don’t think that this is going to be a favorite top, but I do think this will be the easiest to style and wear with the other garments in my closet at the moment.