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Sewing is therapy for me. I hoard fabric, patterns, notions, and spend more time shopping for fabric than I care to admit...

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Stash buster Saturday McCall's top

M7018, Misses' Tops and TunicOh today was just perfect for re instituting my former stash buster for a Sat or Sun--which ever day it gets done!   It is uncomfortably cold with a wind chill of below zero and a blizzard going on, perfect for not wanting to set foot outdoors!

So the rules for a stash buster are that EVERYTHING must be from your stash--you can't go anywhere for anything at all, button, thread, zippers, nothing and you've had to have all materials on hand for at least several weeks--notice the huge leeway!  Any fabric that is more than a week old is considered 'stash' and any pattern purchased over a month ago is also 'stash'.



So, when I was deciding what to do, I have been just so excited to create McCall's 7018 and see if I liked it or not and I had the beautiful chili colored knit left over from this Vogue tunic I made and I had the buttons from my stash as well.  Winner, winner, chicken dinner!  Hence the birth of McCall's 7018.






What I love so much about this top is the shape and the fact it is so very on trend right now.  Everywhere I go I see tops of this shape and style and decided I want one--no make that I need one!


Line Art
Here is a description from the back of the envelope: Misses' Tops and Tunic: Loose-fitting tops and tunic have front button closure, back yoke, sleeve, pocket and collar variations, and narrow hem.  A, D: Sleeve with buttoned tab and side slits.  A: Pockets with flaps.  B: Contrast collar and cuffs.  C: Left front pocket.  E: shaped hemline, wrong side shows.  F: Sleeve with buttoned tab.
I made view D, which is the one the model is wearing.  And, thank goodness I was set on that view as I had to squeeze that out of the fabric I had remaining with some very creative laying out thank you very much!  Since I loved the fabric so much I am glad it worked out and there weren't any scraps worth salvaging--I used all of it on this top and my Vogue tunic which you can see here.  I basically consider this top to be FREE!  Amirite?  I already had the pattern (which I purchased for a buck 99), left over fabric and buttons.  Free!


So this pattern is rated as easy and it is easy to put together.  In my on-going quest to figure out the FBA so it works for me, I added a slash to the pattern piece where I would need a dart, spread it 1/2" to try and accommodate my needs.  :)  I still see wrinkles on the front of the top but then again, the model has those too!  My only thought is that I'd need an actual dart?  For you fit experts, am I on the right track?




 My only other alteration was to make my usual 1/2" swayback adjustment.  I completed the remainder of the pattern as it was designed.



The directions are easy to follow and it was sort of logically written.  I like to put the collar or neckline on before sewing up the side seams and did that step out of order of the pattern.  And, I did manage to set in the sleeves by pinning them in and not putting in ease stitching.  I probably could have gotten by with putting them in flat but I thought I'd give it a whirl with setting them in and am happy with the result!


So this is an instant gratification project--oops and I almost forgot an important point!  The center front is folded over twice with no interfacing.  I was a little concerned that sans interfacing would stretch out the button holes so I took a precautionary measure and put stabilizer I use for embroidery between the garment and feed dogs.  I tore it away when finished and it worked like magic!  I will say the embroidery stabilizer I used is meant to be torn away.  Not sure if it would work with any other type.

So this is a comfortable top with so many styling options that I can't wait to make this pattern again!
Thanks for reading and I hope you too will take on a stash buster at least once a month!

Sue


23 comments:

  1. Lovely top...I have that pattern top on my stack to make up...maybe tomorrow is the day!

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  2. What a nice top - and the colour is great.

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  3. Oh, I've had that pattern in my sew-soon queue, and thanks to you it's moving to the top! LOVE yours, so fabulous and flattening! I'll have to do a FBA, maybe I'll try adding a dart, though I think yours looks great without one.

    Monthly stashbuster --- what a great idea! I've spent the last few days (sadly, yes days and I'm still not finished!) reorganizing my huge stash, so I should probably initiate a weekly stashbuster challenge with myself! I'm finding tons of fabric I had completely forgotten about :/.

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    1. flattening = flattering, sorry!

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    2. Haha! I know what you mean about stash issues! I finally gave myself permission to give some away! It felt good but I still have too much!

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  4. Beautiful! I have now added this pattern to my shopping list!

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  5. I think they style looks great without a dart. It looks so comfy and casual. And the color is pretty!

    Very nice stash buster!!

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  6. Great blouse! I love the color and the blouse looks great on you. Yes, I encourage you to go ahead and tackle that FBA. I never regret doing one for myself.

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    1. Thank you for the words of encouragement Tomasa! I will keep on working on the FBA :) .

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    1. Thank you Jean! I am loving casual styles right now!

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  8. Looks great. Don't be afraid to add a dart. Being an f cup, I always add darts! I am inspired to stash bust. Let's see one garment a month for say 50 years? Lol! Thanks for inspiring me. Next Sunday for certain.

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    1. Thanks for the advice sewalette! I just need to get over the darts and insert them! My stash must be as bad as yours! 😄

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  9. Sue this shirt is so cute. I must add this to my pattern stash!

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    1. Oh, I hope you will make it Candice! It is a fun and easy pattern!

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  10. lovely blouse I love that burnt orange tone!

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  11. I love the look of this top and am going to sew one up this weekend, I hope! I was wondering if you think there is enough ease to make this out of a woven?

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    1. I think a lightweight woven would be very cute! If you are fuller busted, you'll want to make an FBA.

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