I’ve been blogging for seven years now and can hardly believe it. Many people I greatly respected when I started blogging no longer blog. And, that’s fine. Life happens. But, thankfully, most have kept their blogs up with old tutorials still available to us. Today, I have to give a nod to Gigi of the Sewing Divas and Gigi Sews / Behind the Seams fame. Not only have I totally copied her 2008 tutorial on adding an exposed facing to this New Look top. I actually used the same fabric in a different colorway from her third iteration.
This fabric has been in my stash for six years (insert maniacal laugh). And, don’t fret, I also have it in the same rose/ pink colorway that Gigi does. I don’t have terribly much to say about this much reviewed pattern that hasn’t been said before.
Oddly enough, I made this top six or seven years ago from cotton and gave it to my mom. In a lot of ways I feel like I’m just easing back into sewing after a long break. This seemed like a good palette cleanser.
Now, I essentially did all of Gigi’s alterations: lowered neckline 1/2 inch, brought in shoulders one inch on each side (I have narrow shoulders) added the exposed facing, removed ruching from waist.
What I didn’t do (and should have) was take care to match the waistband motif with the bodice. Sadly, the stripes didn’t match up and I didn’t have enough fabric to recut.
And, I used my coverstitch whenever possible. Here on the sleeve hems and to secure the waistband. I think I HATE having my photos taken for blogging by Jordan and it shows all over my face in these pictures. It feels so awkward! And, I feel like a massive nag by telling him to retake photos, take more than on in each pose, check the exposure, zoom in on this detail of that. Argh. I think I’m just going to stick with my tripod in the future. The tripod does exactly what I want and doesn’t get salty when I give ‘helpful suggestions’.
I am 100 percent in love with this top and it’s totally luxurious in silk jersey. I was going to use this fabric for the Vogue 1244 dress I just completed and I am so glad I didn’t. I’m all about upgrading my look for a more expensive vibe.
This past weekend was the wedding weekend I was rabidly sewing for last week (before Minneapolis). Sadly, I didn’t finish my pink seersucker dress. I just didn’t have time! So, I wore a ready to wear one I’ve had for a few years in pink and white houndstooth. No face featured as this was one of the worst sets of photos I’ve ever taken, LOL.
I’d love to remake this dress (with an FBA). Kindly ignore that fold above my bust.
Also, we traveled with Linus this weekend to upstate NY for the wedding. He sat on my lap the entire way there and back.
We also forgot his food bowls. Hence, he drank from the Days Inn ice bucket. Which, is nearly as big as him. He’s a great dog to travel with. I had no idea!
Miss Celie's Pants 
I like that pattern, and I’ll bet it feels great in that silk jersey!
I have the same problem when my husband takes my pictures. I’ve found I’d better give a big grin or else I look ticked off!
We traveled with our chihuahua/pug mix to Atlanta from Maryland a month after we got her. She has a seat in our car so she can be harnessed in and safe that she loved to sleep in and then every few hours we would let her sit in our lap in the front seat. They’re surprisingly good driving companions! Oh and just go to TJ Maxx or Homegoods and grab some collapsible food bowls on the cheap. I just throw them in the car for trips!
I have that pattern and have made it frequently. It’s a keeper…..
Hmm, what’s it like to have a good driving companion dog?! I have one that tries to climb up on the dashboard and onto the steering wheel, and one that cries from the backseat! Our 10-hour drives to Chicago are a nightmare!
Love the top on you! I don’t think the stripe matching looks bad. I thought you did it intentionally to show the waist seam!
That is such a lovely top. SO much nicer than the pattern cover. I would never have picked it but now you make me look at it differently.
This is one of my favorite patterns and your top looks fabulous. I am so with you on the tripod, no one in my family has patience to help me. Easier to do it myself. Happy sewing.
This is a great top. I can just feel that silk jersey – lovely! You have had a LOT going on, so you will get back to sewing as you can. And it’s different when you are living with someone. It’s more difficult to immerse yourself as you can when you are living alone. You will have to make adjustments and figure it out, but you will. Oh, and I like your new blog look. Don’t you want to leave anything alone?! LOL
I miss Gigi, too! She was such an expert on using her machine attachments and I rely on her tutorials still. I’m glad you agree and have produced exemplary results with this top. Great job….
Thanks for talking about the awkwardness of having hubby take photos, mine has offered and I couldn’t put my finger on why I did not want him to, but you explained it perfectly! Love the top you made!
I wouldn’t have noticed the waist stripe being off until you pointed it out.
Lovely blouse – it drapes nicely.
You’ve had some really major life events happen recently so of course sewing has taken a back seat…but it’s nice to see you come back to it! Ummm, my daughter didn’t start taking pictures like she does now…I had to teach her and have a little patience as she learned how important it was to me. Just a little unasked for Jordan advice. Otherwise, I love the top! I even love the fact that the band doesn’t match the top because there was this wavy thing going on that is kinda cool. Glad you got your sewing mojo back!
Congrats on the 7 year blog! I love reading your posts. The top – gorgeous; the dog – adorable! : )
Pretty top. I’m sure that Lily would love to sit on my lap in the car but 60 lbs is a bit much. Linus is so much easier to cart around.
Is it weird to say that although I love looking at the sewing, I really really love looking at a genuine Baltimore backdrop? Oh I miss my brick row house apartment and those alleys. Thanks for a little glimpse at a city I miss!
You had me at “silk jersey”! Great top, if you hadn’t said something I doubt I’d have noticed the seams didn’t quite match. My MIL had a chihuahua and he was AWESOME to take in the car, anywhere, every time we visited I’d find an excuse to bring him along anywhere I had to go. They really are just lovely little dogs, aren’t they?
Oh and for the record-I miss Gigi as well, and I still go re-read her old posts all the time. I’m in serious trouble if she ever takes them down! LOL! A gold mine of great information, tips and technique instruction.
Great top! I feel exactly the same about my husband taking my pics. I’d rather just do it myself. I feel like such a dork when he does it. 🙂
Congratulations on blogging so consistently for so long! I used to blog . . . then I stopped . . . and now I’ve started again, though I’m finding it difficult to keep my blog updated and interesting. I’m much better at “micro-blogging” via Instagram these days. Anyway, I also have that fabric in the rose/purple/black colorway from circa 2009. I just unearthed it from a moving box the other day and was thinking about what I should make from it . . . the problem with having a stash is feeling paralyzed by it!
Your blouse looks mahhvahlous, dahling! Thanks for inspiring the rest of us.
That is such a great pattern. What a lovely top!
Aw, this was a very nice post. Finding the time and actual effort to produce a very good article… but what can I say… I hesitate a lot and never manage to get
nearly anything done.
Love it. The past tutorials i missed but i live your version. Love it when I hold on to something and find the perfect project for it.
I love that top and just today I went to see if it was available at Spotlight. I resisted but I think I need to have it, it looks so good on you and everyone. No silk jersey unfortunately but lots of other stuff!
Nice top. And I thoroughly understand what you are saying about having the ‘other half’ take photos for you – I love the comment about the tripod not ‘getting salty when you make helpful suggestions’. I need a tripod 🙂
Beautiful top!!!
I have been following your blog since 2008 or so. I appreciate you continuing to blog, even if you take time off now and then for “real life”. Your blog inspired me to get back to sewing after a long hiatus.
Your top looks great! I also have some nicely aged fabric tucked away for future use. That wasn’t the plan when I bought it, but for various reasons the original purpose of the fabric never came into fruition.
Great top, it really looks polished with the exposed facing at the neckline. I’ve been blogging for about 7 years too, I can’t believe that I’ve not only managed to keep the momentum going but that I still have things to say!
Very pretty! I made this top a few years back and it’s STILL one of my favorites.
Pretty top ! I can’t give my hubby picture advice either, so I make do. Hardly ever really happy with them though.
Both my Pom and Chihuahua travel really well. In the back seats. They both seem to know that if their pillows are on their seats, it’s a long trip. The chihuahua settles in for a 5 hour nap and the pom takes advantage of the extra height to watch out of the window. Makes traveling very easy ! Linus is sooo cute 🙂
What a beautiful creation! I just made this last week, and I can’t wait to try view B as well.
BTW, yours looks much better!