Esther top

I signed up to do a few pattern tests for Wardrobe by Me in September. I should have known that I would be short on time, but I was optimistic that they wouldn’t be a problem.

Big mistake.

I ended up getting this done at the end of the deadline and pictures taken in a rush the next day as the sun was fading from the sky. I also had to do some cloning of the background of my photos in Photoshop, since we have a yard project going on right now that was supposed to be completed in September. It was a very rainy summer here, so all projects were pushed back and our yard is so tore up from the equipment going through it. They are working on a couple of paver patios for us, and they are forming up nice. It would have been nicer if we could have actually used them before the first snowfall (last weekend was the first snowfall).

Anyways…pattern test! This is the Esther top by Wardrobe by Me.

Let me preface this by saying that wovens always take longer than knits. You have to think on how to finish seams and how much ease you will need in the sleeve, plus you have to deal with closures. Lots of ironing, too.

That being said…I can put this on without undoing the buttons. I did make it a size up from what I normally wear, mostly because I met those measurements. I think if you have shorter arms you will want to reduce the sleeve length. The sleeves hit me just right, and normally clothes are a bit short in the arms on me. Just check the pattern of the sleeve + cuff against your other clothes to make sure that the length is right.

I did the pleats and the longer length. There is a version with gathers and a shorter straight across length. I always find that gathers can get a little uneven, so I just did the pleats. It was fairly easy to put together, just took time. I tend to iron a lot along the way as I work with wovens. Makes it all come together better.

I think this is a lovely top to use a sheer fabric with, too. I saw a nice version by Shalini. You would just need to line the body pieces. I think I am going to try to do a sleeveless version of it, since I have a 1 yard piece of poly crepe de chine that would work well with it.

Oh, I also cut off my hair again. Donation #4! I got 12″ cut off and then she did some layers and stuff and ended up cutting off another 3″-4″. Eeeeeeek!! I will get used to…it will grow back.