I will admit. When it comes to sewing a top, I am a bit of a speed demon. I’m happiest when I’m sewing fast, and I will not stop until I’m done. Yes, I can leave a coat, jacket or dress on the sewing table to be completed another day, but a top? No way! Tops take ONE DAY, don’t you know?
Enter Simplicity 1280: a cross-over top with a keyhole neckline. The top has a bit of a ‘ANTHRO’ vibe and it can be made in a day!
I made two versions of this pattern, using a not-so-special rayon, and a fabric that I’d saved for just the right project (both from Fabric Depot). Wouldn’t you know it? The not-so-special fabric turned out to be the one with the best drape for the project. (Can you guess which one it is?)
I made view C with long sleeves and skipped the elastic on the sleeves as I wanted a bit more of a boho look.
The top went together pretty well, and it was done in ONE DAY!!
The pattern instructions are great. Here are some construction tips that I can offer after making two versions!
- The neck is roomy. If you have narrow shoulders like me, you might want to do a muslin, or, at a minimum, baste the neck band on to make sure it doesn’t droop. I found the extra small to be a bit roomy and had to make it even smaller so that I wouldn’t have an ‘off-the-shoulder’look without intending to. Yes, it is trendy, but….
- The construction of the front crossover pieces is interesting. The pattern instructions tell you to topstitch the two panels together before you have the back bodice attached to the front bodice. If you use a lightweight fabric like I did, you don’t really know if the drape is nice until the top is sewn together, so when you topstitch the two fronts, you can get some gathers and puckers that have to be corrected when the top is finally put together. Personally, I hate to unpick. So, I’d take a pass on that topstitching step until after you’ve tried the top on and checked fit and drape. On my first version of this pattern, I had to unpick the topstitching and redo it after the back was sewn to the front because the drape was so different once the bodice was completed and there were so many strange puckers to fix! Blah!!! Second version, I just basted the two front pieces together with a short stitch. Then, after I’d confirmed I had a good fit, I topstitched like I meant it.
The good news….Once you have these crossover pieces topstitched together, they will not gap or move as you wear the top! Yay!
- The top really needs ‘drape’, so stiff fabrics will give a much different result. I used lightweight woven rayon, and could imagine it would have turned out even better if I had used silk. Next time….
Both fabrics were chosen in hopes that I could mix things up a bit by wearing the prints with my striped Morris Blazer. It’s a wardrobe challenge as only solid tee shirts seem to work with it. Alas, I’m not sure either of these prints works either..opinions welcome!
I keep hoping that I’m on the road to having a true capsule wardrobe, but, well, Hmmmmm. Maybe not today?
I hope your Spring sewing is going well. Me-Made-May, are you in or out? I might pledge one Me-Made a day, as Linda at Nice dress Thanks I made it, very wisely suggested. We’ll see.
Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!!
Nice work! And love the blazer too.
Thanks! I’m struggling to find things to go with those lovely stripes…
Other prints 😉 I always think of stripes as a neutral!
Love that…a new rule to live by!
I like the how the blue print drapes.
And I like how the print with the pink in it matches your stripy jacket. I would wear these together, I like a good mix up of patterns. Looks fab!
As for the speed, I’m with you, once it’s started get it finished, especially, as you say, with a top!
I’m glad you like the print with the stripes as I am desperate to have more tops that work with that comfy blazer!
Linda, I swear every top you make is on my list! So, thanks for the nice review of fit and construction. I debated whether a muslin was needed and now I think I’ll make one.
Both your versions are pretty. Personally, I am not bold at mixing prints and would stay with a solid under your Morris blazer. I might go as far as a small pin dot but as I say, I kind of shy away from too much pattern mixing.
It sounds like we’re kindred spirits when it comes to pattern choices! I hope you’ll share your version! I’m certainly most comfortable wearing solids with stripes, but I see so many cute combinations in RTW that I keep trying…
I made McCalls 7247, the cross over front t-shirt which you made twice, I think. I really dislike it! It might be my fabric which has a little bit of slub in the knit, but for whatever reason it takes a lot of fiddling to keep the under layer straight and smooth. I like the look of it but not the way it wears, if you know what I mean. Bummer, too, because it was an expensive piece of fabric.
It’s so disappointing when you use great fabric and the pattern just doesn’t work for you! I think that is so uncomfortable when an under layer does that, and it’s so hard to predict what fabrics will crawl around and which ones won’t .
I like both tops. I think they both can work with the jacket, but the one with stripes and pink (photo on the left) works the best. I have had the pattern for awhile hoping to find the right fabric that I want to use to sew it. Info about the neckline was most helpful.
Thanks! I’ll look forward to seeing your version. You might be right about The striped rayon with the jacket,
The top on the left has the better drape and is my favorite. I think it works with the blazer!
And the rayon of that top was a dream to sew! I’m always amazed at one rayon can be so different from another. I think I’ll have to take the top jacket combo for a trial run!
Yes! Tops take one day and are the best thing to break up bigger projects! I love that the crossover design is not readily obvious on these tops. I’ve been looking for some different variations on crossovers because they’re so easy to nurse in. I may have to check this pattern out.
A crossover would be great for nursing. This one you’d probably have to skip the topstitching step, which would make it an even faster top to make!!
Both are great but I think the one with the stripes is my favourite,it’s a perfect match also for the striped blazer. I have this pattern too but have not made it yet, not sure though I can make it in a day like you.
I think the striped one is becoming my favorite too. I wore it only yesterday and the fabric wears like silk! Hope you enjoy sewing this pattern.
I have this pattern and have yet to make this top, but I love the look and will certainly put them on my to sew list! Love the Morris Blazer this is one of my favorite patterns.
I love the Morris too, and might buy fabric for yet another Morris this weekend ! I wear my others all the time, a real keeper.