You know when you see a fabric and you can INSTANTLY see what you want to make with it? Well that’s exactly what happened with this top! The lovely Cheryl at Stitchy Bee sent out a mail shot recently showing this GORGEOUS Dandelion Fields cotton viscose lawn and I instantly saw a summery Itch to Stitch Nittany Top paired with dark navy jeans… so within a couple of minutes I’d ordered 2m of it!
The pattern is described as: If you are looking for a lightweight, breathable and flattering garment for the summer, look no further than the Nittany Top! There is something extra sweet about a pleated neckline and you can choose to add the keyhole for even more interest. An optional sash allows you to cinch the top at the waist but it will look super cute of you skip the sash and wear a belt with it. Alternatively, tuck (or half-tuck) the top in your favourite jeans for a casual look!
This is the first time I’ve made this pattern but I know Itch to Stitch patterns well and always love the way they come together, not to mention the options for different cup sizes. That said, I didn’t want to risk my gorgeous fabric, so I made a toile, thinking it’d be wearable, but I ended up making two!
The first one was a size 4D, as the body measurements matched mine and the finished measurements seemed to have plenty of ease. However, it ended up too bulky at the waist while being snug across the back, shoulders, and sleeves, so much so that I couldn’t raise my arms above shoulder height.
So I then made a size 6C graded to a size 2 at the waist. (I didn’t have enough fabric to make the lining so this one has a facing rather than a keyhole.) It was much better at the shoulders and waist but still felt a little snug on my arms.
Anyway, at least my mannequin Daphne now has a nice cover-up to wear in my sewing room!
I needed more space in the sleeves and wanted them to be a bit more relaxed for hot summer days, so I decided to change the pattern to petal/tulip sleeves; something I haven’t done before. There are loads of tutorials online and it’s actually a really simple modification.
I cut out two new sleeve patterns, then lengthened them by 1″ before adding the curves for the front and back pieces. They then overlap and fit back together to match the shape of the original sleeve head.
I wanted to highlight the curved shape by adding a trim at the hems. I thought about using a contrasting bias tape but I think it would’ve been too distracting, so I made my own bias strips from some left over main fabric and I’m really pleased with the subtle finish. I loosely followed this tutorial.
As is always the case with Itch to Stitch patterns, the instructions were excellent. The folds at the neckline were done step-by-step, as was the keyhole which is created by lining the bodice which has darts at the bust rather than folds at the neck to get the same volume at the bust.
This fabric has turned out to be perfect for this make. It’s lightweight and drapey but still holds the folds really nicely. The pattern looks like it’s embroidered but it’s actually printed. Cheryl at Stitchy Bee has made her own gorgeous tunic in this fabric too – watch her Youtube video about it here.
I’m looking forward to wearing this top a lot once the weather warms up but, for now, here I am in the garden, pretending it’s summer when it’s actually overcast and 12 degrees!
Norfolk Daphne 