Peplum tops are still in style! I swear it’s true. Just when I thought they were ‘out’, Anthropologie added a category under ‘tops’ called ‘peplums and swing tops’. That’s where I found this inspiring photo.
What caught my eye was the fact that the bodice fabric did not match the peplum. In fact, it’s not even in the same color family. So easy, and cute! That photo inspired me to dig through my remnant stash.
This one has a sweatshirt fleece bodice and a cotton jersey sleeve with a rayon jersey peplum. As luck would have it, the black dye used in those two mismatched jerseys was a close match. I used some random black ribbing in my stash for the neck. I managed to squeeze the bodice out of a little over a half yard.
This off-white version is a ponte knit bodice with a ribbed knit skirt, cuffs and neck. I made it specifically to go under this cardigan sweater (posted here) which matches the boots I bought in Spain this summer. 
The pattern is one I’ve made before, Vogue 9056. It’s a pretty quick make ( a couple of hours if you’re comfortable with sewing tops). I modified it as follows – –
- Added 4″ in length to the bodice (it’s still pretty cropped),
- Added a 3″wide neck band at the neck.
- Added 4 ” ribbed cuffs on the off white version.
- Raised the neck opening by 2 inches (it was just too wide on me.)
It’s hard to see in all the photos, but an interesting thing happened when I stretched the ribbing to attach the skirt to the off-white ponte knit bodice. It had an interesting effect on the ribbing that makes the stripes look sort of….artsy? It was an accident but I like how it looks, although I do think I prefer the black version.
Remnants are something that most sewers have a philosophy about. I have rules about mine. If I have a piece that is 1/2 yard or more when I finish a project, and I really love it, I’ll keep it for one year. If it’s still around at that point, it goes to the donation bin. I have alot of remnants right now though, so not sure if my rule is working (LOL!!). I’m curious how others manage their remnants – toss or keep?
Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!
