So recently I realised that I haven’t got any tops in my wardrobe – I have loads of t-shirts and lots of shirts and a couple of short-sleeved button-up blouses but no tops. I had this pattern already printed out, so I stuck it together and sewed it over a couple of afternoons!
This is the Sorbetto top by Colette patterns, which is a free pattern you can get here! I got a copy years ago but never sewed it up. I always thought it looked a little shapeless, which is true, but I quite like how this turned out.
I bought this fabric as a remnant years ago at a craft and quilt fair (I think – maybe?). There was only a little bit and I only just squeaked this top out of it. I thought it was a polyester because it’s drapey and a tiny bit shiny, but after a burn test I found that it’s natural fibres, likely cotton! But so drape!
The neckline and armholes are finished with bias binding. The pattern calls for binding made of the fabric, and the binding is shown on the outside. I didn’t have much fabric to play with and couldn’t make self-binding, so I used other binding and made it so it doesn’t show on the outside.
I found that it was tight across my upper bust and it was uncomfortable. There’s an inverted box pleat that’s sewn in all the way down the front, so I unpicked some of the pleat at the bustline and instead made two lines of stitching on either side of the opening. I re-pressed the pleat which got a little mucked up and now it looks just the same as before. I’ve tried to show it here but it’s hard on such busy fabric! The modification worked well and now I have some movement in the bust to allow for, you know, breathing.
The only issue is that the armholes are a little tight and sometimes show my bra strap at the top. Not a big deal, just need to be careful which one I wear! I’m planning to make another one of these soon out of another precious little bit of fabric! Stay tuned!
Christina Hopgood 