I’ve done a review of the Vogue 8817 tunic pattern before, only last time I made view C. This time I made view B and it’s become one of my favorite tops.

I really love the princess seams and the color blocked style lines.

One of the great things about this pattern is that you can use up leftover bits and pieces of fabrics. I used a black sweater knit on the sides for their slimming effect and opted to use the same purple bamboo fabric down the two center front pieces, leaving in the seam just for interest.

I like the details of the raw edge strip on the ends of the sleeves, it’s just something different and a little unexpected.

The trickiest part of making this top is getting the binding around the neckline to lie smoothly. My best tip for that is to use perhaps a little less binding than the pattern calls for. Cut it the pattern length, but then ever so gently tug on it as you stitch around the neckline curve. This will help prevent that dreaded rippling and allow it to lie flat. Also, taking a few minutes to hand sew down the folded edge is truly worth it.

This top fit well out of the package, the only thing I would change is that the neckline was a little bit low for my taste. That’s why you see the photo with the scarf.  It helps fill in what felt like a rather vast expanse of exposed bosom, and also adds some warmth on a coolish fall day.

I highly recommend this pattern and all of its versions. They have interesting lines, are on trend but still classic in feel, easy to sew and comfortable to wear.

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