Border print silk top in jewel tones, New Look 6677

Some things you make and you just know they will be in heavy rotation in your wardrobe. That is the case with this silk tunic top - it has become my favorite item sewn this year. I predict my family and friends will start asking me if I have anything else to wear. But I don't care! I absolutely love it.




To make it even sweeter - a very nice friend actually gave me this fabric. Which is a gorgeous heavy silk, with a slightly sueded texture, and a border print too. The same person that gave me the green wool fabric which I just used in the green coat as well as in the tri-color coat. As she mentioned when she asked if I wanted this trove of fabrics "I just want them to go to someone who will enjoy them" which turned out to be the understatement of the year. As evidenced by my smile - fabric love on all counts.

This silk piece was about 2 yards and as I mentioned it had a border, only on one selvedge. So I did ponder a while what to do with it and I was really thinking about making a simple dress but then after my successful run of tops this summer I realized I would be able to wear it so much more as a top.



As for the pattern - a perfect combination with my year-to-date favorite pattern which is New Look 6677, unfortunately discontinued. For some reason the shape of the top and the way the neck placket and collar are designed fit me perfectly. Although I have only made the tunic version - the other top with the waistband is not my style at all. However a pattern with multiple views - got to give them credit on that score. Most New Look patterns have multiple views or even multiple garments plus all sizes in one envelope - a nice value.



I have sewed this pattern several times since I found it in a stack of patterns my friend Alice gave me early this past summer. Here is an eyelet version for her, and then a silk version for me. And I must be fickle because in the silk version post I said that was my favorite garment for the year - now surpassed by it's long sleeve version :)

A look at the collar and placket. The colors in this top are so perfect for me, saturated jewel tones.



The pattern instructs you to topstitch on the placket in rows, which I was not sold on but tried it out anyway on the coral/white silk version. I thought it might give the placket some more substance (on top of the interfacing which it has) and I really liked the effect so I did it again here as well.



Back view. If I had one slight regret on this top is that the border print has one dominant dark purple rectangle, and as you can see I happened to place that right in the center of the back and the front. I don't think it is particularly noticeable in real life but it kind of jumps out in the photos.



I carefully planned the length before cutting out as I decided I didn't want any hem, just to use the edge of the fabric. Which worked out, whew!




The color in this picture is a little strange, I lightened it up a bit but perhaps all the different shades of green are doing weird things to the overall hue. That is my way too big hydrangea behind me - which is still very green and has a few new blooms. In front of me on the right is the big gardenia which is covered with flowers - so strange for November! Plus a random pink azalea bloom to my left. The garden is very confused this year.



I'm also wearing this top in these pics which we took at Metro Textiles in New York, you can see that post here. 

Next up in my sewing queue is to start in on some of the fabrics I brought back from New York, and actually I think the first item will be the camel color cashmere that Alice bought at Metro Textile. Destined to be a long vest. Plus I have an unnecessary Burda dress almost completed that is a very cute pattern so I will post that soon. It actually will get worn in December because it is a slightly holiday color and then a few knit top ideas are bouncing around.

Time to start thinking about gift sewing - if I do any of that this year!

Although you can see plenty of fallen leaves in these pictures - it is still the never-ending summer here, I pulled weeds today wearing shorts! So weird.

Happy November sewing,
Beth

One last bloom from the garden and then it might be the end for flowers for a while. A dahlia which didn't give many flowers. I just pulled up all the dahlia tubers and stuck them in a paper bag and stored them away in the garage. I think that is commonly done in other locations where the ground freezes but it is very helpful here as when it does rain the ground gets really soggy and then they rot. I have stored them this way over the winter previously and it works really well.