Diamonds and Flowers are a Girl's Best Friends

Kimono/butterfly sleeves are flying in!
Trina Turk



Kwik Sew's 3616 v-neck knit tops. These models are pretty and look like everyday people. Their facial expressions are weird just like the real models on the previous KS pattern I used. Who is the photographer of these Kwik Sew models?

It just came across my mind that this is officially my first knit top with kimono-type sleeves! Even though I am not the biggest fan of these sleeves, my curiousity prompted me to give this pattern a try.

I was hesitant to post a review of this top due my embarrassment of committing a fashion faux pas after sewing my first version. But I thought I would get over my embarrassment by being bold to post this review.

After having fun experimenting with this floral and argyle border print fabric that I used a month ago to make Heather's Simplicity 2630 dress, I decided to use the rest of this fabric with this seemingly easy pattern.







First version:


So I guess I am not off track in picking one huge print for somewhere in the front! Tory Burch's Sun Circle Top for $275


Back of first version


For my second version, I was inspired by this Missoni v-neck 'Annalisa' dress from Saksy for $1,215:



So I placed the border print in the upper bodice:


Pattern Description
Close fitting tops with V-neckline finished with facings, gathers on front at shoulders and under bust.


Size
XS-S-M-L-XL. I sewed a medium instead of a large. The other reviewers noted that the pattern ran a little large. I found it close-fitting as KS described considering I used a less stretchy knit and I do not have a small waist.


Fabric
Poly jersey knit from Gorgeous Things. It was fun to experiment with the floral and border prints. After comparing my two versions as a result of the placement of fabric design, my first top emphasized my tummy and the second emphasized my bust.


Likes

* Easy to make
* Slight gathers below the shoulders
* Depth of v-neck was easily adjustable. I sewed above the center dot when joining the upper left and upper right fronts.
* The seam under the bust was about 1" lower than it should be on me. However, such styles where the empire seam is lower flatters women who are short-waisted or who have proportionally short torsos with respect to their frame
* Suitable for all body types


Dislikes

* Hmmmm.... I wished that I had not cut the fabric so that the big flower on my first version was there popping out in front my eyes when I looked in the mirror, targeting my belly button. Oops! It sure detracted from the sleeves and emphasized the area below the bust. Now I feel like a fashion "don't". I thought I was going to be cool with all this flower power business. I should have re-read the PR thread on suitable prints for petites. Other than my bizarre fabric placement, there was nothing much to dislike.

* The neckline was too low for me.

* I am not the biggest fan of large kimono or butterfly sleeves. However, thank goodness my sleeves did not flare out as the ones on the pattern envelope due to the drape of the fabric.


Directions

I can only rave about Kwik Sew directions and the accompanying illustrations. The steps are easy to follow and more experienced sewers can get by just looking at the illustrations. The directions sheet included a section on finishing stitches for the seams.


Modifications

First version
* Raised the upper bodice's center seam by nearly 2".

* Added a center seam to the back due to fabric design. Since I wanted the border print to be a part of each sleeve, I did not cut the back on the fold. Instead, I cut the left back and a right back separately, adding a seam allowance fro the center back.

* Skipped the neck facing. I folded a 3/8" hem with 1/4" of the raw edge tucked under and stitched. I had some difficulty sewing the seam before and after the shoulder seams. My folded seam allowance became unstable and machine outputted uneven zigs and zags. I should have gone with my first gut instinct to use the neck back facings.

* Skipped finishing the bottom hem of the sleeves. Since I liked the way the sleeves draped and the fact that my fabric was one of those "unravelly" knits, I just let it be.

Both versions
* Cut an XL instead of a "M" at the lower edge of the pattern.
* Sewed 3/8" seams instead of the recommended 1/4"

Second version
* Raised the seam below the bust by about 1/2".
* Raised the seam under armscye 1/2"
* Used the front and back facings per KS instructions. The neckline of the first version was more stable.


Conclusion
If you want to sew a quick and easy knit top, I highly recommend this pattern, but beware the potentially very low neckline. This is a great pattern for beginners, especially in the area of sleeve construction.