Summer Sunshine Top

After more than two months away from my blog I'm finally getting around to a new post!  Actually I probably have about three posts I could write right now so I'm in catch-up mode.  Unfortunately I just couldn't find the time (or energy) in the first half of this summer to do much sewing or blogging.  Hopefully now that I'm getting over my first-trimester symptoms I can get back into my normal routine (and yes, that's right, we're expecting!)

Here is a summer top that I finished about 3 weeks back.  I was at Fabricland buying some fuschia binding for a silk top for my aunt (I forgot to take photos!) when I saw this bright summery fabric on sale.  What really drew me to it was the pretty detailing along one edge of the fabric.  I wanted to use some of that detailing for the bodice so I dividing the front bodice panel in half and oriented the edges vertically. I sewed both edges onto a thin panel of the same fabric to join the two. It was a fairly simple way to make use of the pretty detailing.

Unfortunately that was the last simple thing about making this shirt!  It underwent several transformations before I was satisfied with the final design.  My main problem was lack of planning (groan).  The zipper I bought was too short and I thought I could get around it by making a deep v-neck back so that the zipper would be positioned at the narrowest part of the shirt.  Well that created all sorts of issues!  The fabric just wouldn't sit right against my back, and any time I stood up with a nice straight posture, the fabric would fall away from my back leaving a huge undesired gap. 

I also wanted to make cap sleeves for this shirt but knew I was short on fabric.  I stubbornly pushed forward with the plan anyway but after basting on the sleeves and trying the shirt on I knew it just wasn't going to work out.  Sigh.  I had to completely change directions with the design and spent an afternoon with the seam ripper.

I removed the zipper from the back and re-positioned it along one side of the shirt. This placement was now possible since the shirt was no longer going to have sleeves.  To fix the problem with the deep v-neck back I used a sheer white fabric that complemented the yellow floral pattern well and built up the neckline.

Finally I added lining to the shirt to make it feel nice and slippery against the skin.  In the end the shirt turned out pretty well but probably took twice the time it should have.  Planning is everything (why don't I ever learn?).  Anyway it met my goal of a cute summer top and it's one that I can continue to wear over the next few months with plenty of room for my growing belly!