The Casual Lady for Spring!

Did you know that Made by Rae‘s Spring Top Sewalong is wrapping up this week?  Several years ago, I sewed a top for myself every day of Spring Top Week.  How did I possibly have the time?  My schedule has definitely filled up since then.

I really, really wanted to sew something for myself before the sew-along wrapped up, though.  I had some of Patty Young’s Heaven and Helsinki stretch jersey hanging out in my stash, just waiting to be turned into something wearable.  I needed a quick pattern, so I turned to the Casual Lady from Go To Patterns. (I love that all proceeds from the sale of the pattern go to support She’s Worth It. If you haven’t checked out their fundraising project, please take a minute to read and consider joining them in the fight against human trafficking.) I started cutting my fabric at 6:30 while my amazing husband prepared dinner. (I’m only spoiled a little.) I stopped for about 30 minutes to eat dinner with the family, and I was done with this top by 8:00! Amazing!
The pattern is simple and straight-forward, and it’s such a nice-fitting top!  The only little problem I had was that my lining wouldn’t stay inside nicely around the neckline, and I used a solid so it needed to. I topstitched the neckline to make it stay put, but then the whole neckline folded itself out. Urgh. I realized that I’d probably stitched too close to the edge, so I sewed a second line 1/4″ in (my original was at 1/8″), and that took care of that! Yay! I’m not usually one to wear sleeveless tops, but this one feels like it has sleeves because of the way it curves around and shapes to your shoulder.  I think it looks like it has a cap sleeve, even though it really doesn’t.  Pretty cool, huh?

My 15-year-old, Samantha, did such a nice job of taking pictures for me, didn’t she? She just kept snapping while I tried different poses. I think this picture just might be my favorite. “Jamie! You cannot hide behind me while we’re taking pictures!” Ha! When I want him in a picture, I nearly have to bribe him!