I bought this pattern & fabric a few weeks ago for the cooler but not cold weather we get between summer and winter here in New England. 

I’m wearing this as I type, and the fact that the back of my neck is freezing is an indicator that that in between season is just about over.  🙁

I’m thinking I could extend the winter wearability of this by knitting up a nice cozy cowl like this one. http://erica-knits.blogspot.com/2008/01/chunky-knit-cowl-pattern.html

This pattern sewed up quickly and easily.  The trickiest part was cutting the border print so it lines up nicely.

There are a few more details about the sewing in my review of the pattern.

Vogue 8817 Pattern Review:

Pattern Description: Color blocked tunic top with shaped hem.

Pattern Sizing: This ran true to size according to my measurements. I made an 18.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, except I like my fabrics better. 🙂

Hey!  Do you think I should have posed like this instead?

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, it’s a fairly simple pattern to put together.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I liked how quickly everything went together. I really like the flair and shape of the hem.

Fabric Used: The top portion is a sweater knit, the center is a stretch lace over the sweater knit and the bottom is a sold black cotton jersey. All fabrics are from Joann’s

If you plan to use a border print you may want to purchase a little extra fabric so you can align and match things properly.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I did my usual lengthening of the sleeves by an inch or so. I can see lengthening it and making a dress.

I removed the top stitching on the top panel as it didn’t look right over my border print.

Also, I was fairly aggravated after a couple of tries at top stitching down the neck binding.  I finally got out a needle and some black silk thread and did it by hand.  It took 10 minutes and looks better than any machine stitching would have.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I would definitely recommend this pattern to anyone, even beginners. The only things keeping it from being a basic t-shirt are the color blocking and the shaped hem.

I may make it again. It’s fun choosing different fabric combinations. 🙂

Conclusion: A quick (about 2 1/2 hours sewing time) and easy tunic. A great wardrobe staple.

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