Vogue 1128 tops and Burda 6/2010 capri pants

Hope everyone had a lovely break!  

I'm having a sewing binge. It is my last 7 days of freedom - back to work next week plus it is sweltering at the moment so being closeted in the sewing room with the aircon cranked up is a pretty perfect activity as far as I'm concerned. And I'm not sticking a toe outside.   

I've got a few projects to catch up on.  I finally took some photos of the Burda tie neck blouses as worn. 

The trousers are a second version of the Burda 6/2010 capri pants in a stretch cotton/viscose sateen.  I really like this pattern - it is super quick and easy to make.

I'm digging out all the tried and tested patterns and trying to use up some of my stash fabrics - first off the machine - two Vogue 1128 Anne Klein tops.  This pattern is gratifyingly quick and simple to make - an evening project. 

I made the top last year in a stretch silk charmeuse, and have worn it a lot.

It's technically a stretch pattern - the pattern says 'for moderate stretch knits only' but it works just as well in a woven as long as you add an inch or so to the side seams at the bottom, tapering up to the existing seamlines.  The pattern is tapered into the hips so if you are using a woven and you don't add the extra width you may find it a bit tight there.

I've got quite a few fabrics in my stash that I've had for years but never used as they are small (around a metre), patterned (I'm a bit scared of patterns - trying to match them isn't one of my favourite things) and fiddly to cut or sew.  This is a good top for those kinds of fabrics.  

The first new version is a Roberto Cavalli viscose, which was a bit sheer so is lined in cream silk habutae.   How could I have left this fabric languishing in the cupboard for so long?   

I spent 1 1/2 matching up the patterns beautifully, only to realise when I put them together that I had the fabric the wrong way around so it only matched if one piece was inside out!  Uggghh!!!  It isn't too bad though.

The second version is a cream and black silk chiffon, again lined with cream silk habutae. 

If you are making an unlined version of this top - I (and I note a few others) had problems with the facing - it rode up and didn't fit at all.  

A very helpful commenter on PR explained the reason for this - in drafting the facing, Vogue may have assumed the neck line pleats would not open up until they were below the bottom edge of the facing.  And depending on the shape of the person wearing the top (high bust or larger than B cup), the pleats might open up closer to the neckline and the facing is then not large enough at the bottom edge to match the amount of fabric released from the pleats.  That sounds spot on.

If you need to change the facing - I did a quick slash and spread with the pattern and cut a new facing.   Each spread was 2cm wide at bottom.

My recommendation if making this top - make sure you have enough material left over just in case you need to cut a new facing. Alternatively, bind the neck edge instead of using the facing.

Next post is a second style from October Burda - :