A Legend Come True
Do you follow Lena from The Sewing Space? If not, you might want to. She’s a talented seamstress and drafter who’s now working on her pattern line. I was lucky enough to read her call for pattern testers a few minutes after she sent it out to her subscribers and I immediately reacted. Shortly afterward, I was sent the Yalta top pattern, which was sewn as fast as life allowed. Lena has made the top in a slinky jersey, but I chose to make mine in a single jersey, the same I used for the Vena Cava dress unexpected muslin. Since it’s the kind of fabric where the borders won’t ravel and roll in on their own when cut, I didn’t hem it. The armholes were finished by turning the seam allowances out (instead of in) and stitching them down. The fabric is stiffer on the pics because I starched and ironed it to sew without the edges rolling but I expect them to do so at the armholes and hem once I’ve washed the top. I used a strip of interfacing to finish the back neckline, which lays nicely flat.
The instructions were minimal but sufficient. They say to cut the top on the bias but since “knit bias does not have any of the stretch and drape characteristics that woven bias would impart to garments“, I think it could be cut on the straight grain of a knit fabric. All in all, a very nice pattern that got me a super comfortable top, suitable to be made with an overlock only. I will make this pattern again, out of a nicer slinkier jersey, that’s for sure. The best part of it? This is a project that can be made up from cutting to wearing within 2 hours, which I always thought was a legend!
Thank you for testing my pattern Ghainsom!
It was a pleasure. Hopefully I’ll be fast enough next time you need testers too! Can’t wait to see the rest of your pattern line too!
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Great top and hurrah for new designers!
It’s nice to know that there are patterns you can start, finish and even clear up in a couple of hours!
Thanks for pointing out Lena’s blog. While I don’t like posting process posts, I appreciate other people’s taking the time to write about process on their blogs and will be adding her to my reading list.