So, a few weeks ago as the days were cooling off I got to thinking that I don’t have many clothes for the transition time between the hot and cold weather here in New England.

In the summer I wear tank tops, shorts or skorts.  In the winter I wear those same tank tops layered under jackets, open tops or sweaters with jeans.

So I went looking at Joann’s for a pattern for a long sleeved, but not too heavy top that would be good for spring or fall. It also had to have some interesting details and not be boring.

This Vogue top fit the bill.  Actually, Vogue was the only pattern company with tops that weren’t boring, imo.

I made it up with fabrics from my stash.  The body is the last of the navy blue knit that I used for this Donna Karan Vogue dress.

The sleeves, neck trim and ruffles use a grey sweater knit that I have no idea why I bought, promised a while back I’d never, ever wear, but went into a panic about when I thought perhaps I’d gotten rid of it.

This one’s rather somber and plain for me, I tend to prefer more color, but it’s a great excuse to layer up the long sparkly necklaces. 🙂

Oh, and I just realized WHY I don’t have many transition clothes, the in between period around here is too stinkin’ short.  This top was finished a couple weeks ago and it’s already time to bring on the layers.  Ah, well.

Review of Vogue 8691 view D:

Pattern Description: Long sleeve semi-fitted top with neckband, princess seams, shaped hemline flounce, topstitching and raw-edge hem finish.

Pattern Sizing: I’ve learned to chose a pattern size based on finished garment measurements rather than the measurements given on the pattern. (See my article All About Ease – Getting A Perfect Fit for more info.) I was pleasantly surprised to find that the measurements on the flap of Vogue 8691 were correct, at least for my size. Three inches of ease around the bust was just right for this style.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, exactly.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I didn’t have any problems with the directions. I know a few other reviewers mentioned some confusion with sewing on the bottom flounce. Reading through the pattern before starting and visualizing all the steps is very helpful here.

Be sure the follow the directions to mark the bottom of the shirt and the top of the flounce. They suggest machine basting, but I just used a chalk wheel to mark the seamline on the wrong side of the shirt and the right side of the flounce. They you can easily match those lines together.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the flattering lines of the princess seams and the interest created by the contrast fabrics and the ruffle at the bottom.

I also like the interest of the raw edge finish on the flounce. Be sure to choose your fabric with that in mind.

Fabric Used: I used a cotton/lycra knit for the body and a lightweight sweater knit for the sleeves, neckband and flounce.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: Several other reviewers mentioned that the neckband as designed would not lie flat. One reviewer suggested cutting the neckband on the bias. This doesn’t make much difference in the amount of stretch in a knit, but I decided to do that to take advantage of the subtle plaid design in my grey sweater knit.

I cut the front and back bands as one piece, folded it in half lengthwise right sides out and stitched the raw edges to the wrong side of the neckline with a 1/2 inch seam allowance, stretching slightly as I went. I then pressed the seamline to the neckline edge and top-stitched down the fold. This gave a nice smooth neckline finish.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I definitely plan to make this again. These were fabrics from my stash and a test to see how I liked it. I’d also like to try view A or B, the shorter length with a zipper front.

Conclusion: A fun, flattering and comfortable top to wear over jeans or leggings. The raw edge application is interesting and saves time. This top only took me about four hours from start to finish.

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