Look Ma, No Muslin!

First, heartfelt thanks and smiles to everyone who responded so graciously to my post about the burglary.   Although I had hesitated to even write the post, I'm happy that I did - it was a cathartic release for me, and every single one of your comments reached my heart - deep thanks for your understanding, caring, and thoughtful comments.   I love my readers!!!!

And now, for the post that I meant to write last Tuesday.....

The Good News (and really, it's ALL good news):

1.  I made it into the sewing room and sewed for me, me me!
2.  At the pattern-tracing level of this tshirt, I discovered that taking the Sisters Tilton Craftsy Class had an even bigger impact than I initially thought.   I realized that I had the confidence to make all the necessary fitting changes at the pattern level, even with a T-Shirt that was slightly more complex than a basic front, back and sleeves.
3.  And it worked!

This is probably a long overdue realization, but I was able to cut several steps out of the fitting process, and cut straight into my fashion fabric with enough confidence to be pretty sure of the fit - I'm thrilled with this!

After seeing several makes of Katherine Tilton's V8817 in blogland and in person, I knew this was a winner!  I made View C, which has a 3-piece front, 3-piece sleeves, and a 2-piece back.

Now really, WHY didn't I try this pose???

It just screams out to be duplicated, don't you think???

The shoulders are quite broad (especially by my narrow-shoulder standards), and any changes to the shoulder width would involve re-drafts of every single pattern piece.  I  made my fitting changes on the front by first marking the seam lines on each front piece, and layering them by matching the stitching lines, as if they were sewn.   This pic shows the upper front and middle front pieces:

I drafted a basic front, a back  and a sleeve piece (using the Craftsy Class pattern) as a TNT template.   Here's the TNT front piece laid on top of the pattern pieces from this pattern:

Next I drew new pattern pieces, using a combination of my basic TNT, and the V8817 pieces:

I cut them out pretty much as drawn (I did leave a bit extra at the side seams, since this pattern does have a pretty loose fit, but I didn't really need it.   I used the same method for the back and the sleeves.....and it worked!!!!

I did find it interesting that the pattern as drafted came very close to matching my shoulder slope, since I usually re-draw the shoulders for a more dramatic slope - someone with square shoulders might need to do more of an adjustment with this pattern.   With my new TNT concept, it's hard to say what size I actually used, but it was probably a narrowed 8 at the shoulders,  expanding through a size 10 at the rib cage,  to a  size 12 around the hips.

The only other changes I made were a slight shuffling of the suggested contrast fabric placement, but then, the Tilton patterns really are designed with that sort of shuffling to be expected.

Here's my result:

I admit that I'm not crazy about my fabric choices (although I have received a lot of compliments on it, so maybe it will grow on me), but I do think that the weight, length, and general color combos will give me opportunities to get a lot of wear out of this top.   And as far as the pattern itself, it's definitely a winner!

Here's to more easy TNT adaptations...really, I'm THIS thrilled about what feels like a giant step forward in my let's-make-fitting-easier attitude!  :)

The Sisters Tilton and Their Fabulous T's! (Craftsy Class Review)

Many of you are probably already aware that Marcy and Katherine Tilton are offering a Craftsy Class called "The Ultimate T-Shirt".   This class was on my Wish List - I'd not taken a Craftsy class yet, but this was one that was definitely calling to me, so when I received an offer to review the class on my blog in exchange for receiving the class for free (woo hoo!) I jumped right on it! Regarding honest reviews, if you know me at all well, you will know that if you ask me for an honest opinion/constructive criticism, an honest opinion is what you'll get!  So I approached this class with an assumption that I would probably get some valuable info from it, but also kept a critical eye wide open, actively looking for areas I thought could be improved on.

The Class Basics, and Format - "The Ultimate T-Shirt: Fitting and Construction", taught by the Sisters Tilton (Katherine and Marcy).   This was my first Craftsy Class, and overall I'm quite impressed!   I must say that I think the Craftsy website could use some tweaking to make it easier to navigate and quit freezing up,  but that's a separate issue *(I posted some notes at the end of this review) - this class, in my opinion, is definitely a winner!  The format is easy to follow, with several segments covering different aspects of the class, including:

• Fabric Choice - very nice, succinct review of easy to difficult choices in knits.
• Fit (fairly basic; you are expected to already know a bit about your own body's fit needs), but their tips on fitting-as-you-go can really help take the mystery out of some fitting issues, and are fabulous in terms of working with different fabrics, which can behave very differently.  They give great tips both on marking and trying on at the pattern level, to tweaking at various steps along the way.  There are helpful hints and/or reminders for the more experienced, and some invaluable info for those who are new to knits.
• Neckline - They each give very detailed instructions on their favorite basic necklines - Katherine teaches a wraparound bound neckline, and Marcy teaches what she calls a "classic" neckline.  I was dying to know details about some of their more elaborate and arty necklines - perhaps another class, ladies??? 
• Sewing Tips, including seam finishes and tips for working with rolling fabric edges, several different hemming options,  and tips for sewing in sleeves.

The Pattern - (Included as part of the class fee) Vogue 8793,

Katherine's Zipper Collar t-shirt.  I already had the pattern, and have made a couple of T's from it, (blogged here).   I thought I loved this pattern because of the unusual collar; now I also love the pattern because I see how versatile the basic T is, and I have a new understanding of how to alter, tweak, fit, embellish, and design a myriad of T's from one basic pattern!   Stoked!

The Instructors - if you've followed my blog for any time, you already know that I'm a huge fan of the patterns and artistic visions that both Marcy and Katherine have developed.   I've never taken a class from either of them, and I'm delighted to say that I would jump at the chance to take another class from either or both of them!  Their teaching manner was very easy to follow, and  they were clear, concise, informative, and easy to listen to and follow.  Their years of experience are so evident, and their friendliness and willingness to share is a delight - reading the questions put on the site by students, and their clear and thorough answers, is another treat that expands the class experience wonderfully!

Who Should Take the Class - I'm certainly no knit expert, but I've turned out a fair number of knit t-shirts and other garments that I'm very happy with, and I've picked up a lot of tips along the way....but I definitely loaded up on several very valuable hints thanks to this class!   I also got a kick in the butt to start being more consistent with a few habits that I often let go by the wayside (like always stay stitching the neckline starting at the shoulders and stitching to the center front and center back).   If you have basic sewing skills, but limited experience with knits, this class should set your mind at ease and put you well on the road to sewing knits with more confidence.  The only reason that would hesitate to recommend this class for someone who has NEVER sewn with knits before is that a few tips that really helped me when I started are not included - one for instance is the importance of finding an accurate grainline before cutting (I might be a bit anal about this, but my first experience with cutting knits was with someone who stressed this, and I've always really appreciated that!).  And perhaps at the other end of the spectrum - someone who considers themselves a Complete Expert at sewing with knits - might not pick much up.  ANYone else - go for it!

Criticisms - I messed up in one spot,  and this probably has more to do with how I tend to do things than it does with the class itself, but I'll toss it out there anyway.  I do tend to jump ahead of things when I think I've "got it", and/or I assume that a step was skipped over (as is often the case with both patterns and teachers!) so I do it my way and keep going.....and then, later on, sometimes discover that it wasn't a skipped step at all!  (and out comes the seam ripper.....)

This happened at the shoulder sewing step - only ONE shoulder is sewn, and then you move on to the neckband.  I, of course, did NOT listen to the whole class before diving in; I was sewing as I listened, and on this step I sewed up the second shoulder seam before getting to the neckband.   For someone like me, it would have been nice to say something like "We'll be sewing up the other shoulder seam AFTER sewing on the neckband."  (Note:  I prefer to have my neckband seam at the BACK of the shirt, instead of at the shoulder seam, which is why I skipped ahead here.  The Tiltons both place the band seam at the shoulder seam, but I, personally, don't like the extra bulk it adds there, so I did not unpick my sewn and topstitched shoulder seam on my first t-shirt, and did the neckband my way instead).  I did use their method on my second t-shirt, and while the neckband turned out very well, I still didn't like all that bulk at the shoulder seam, so I'll probably continue to place my band seam at the back, no matter what sort of band I use.

Conclusion - Two Thumbs Way Up, for sure!

My T-Shirts:

Using Marcy's "classic" neckband,

with double stitching details

I used 3 fabrics, all rayon jersey knits of varying weights.

For this T, I used my variation of sleeves from the Au Bonheur Asymmetric T (blogged here)...

 ...and I added some piping to Katherine's version of the neckband.  

It was so easy to make alterations on the basic T-shirt, thanks to their guidance!

For my third version, I used Katherine's neckband,

and I used the sleeve bands from the original pattern.

All three t-shirts are being worn and loved - I have summery sleeves, a warm weather featherweight fabric in the black & white T, and a cooler weather T in the brown & green fabrics.

Some details about the b&w T:   When I draped the striped fabric on my arms, trying to figure out how long I wanted to make them, a rather serendipitous folding of the fabric happened.   I really liked the way the white stripes popped out - this was the fabric actually folding itself so that the white folded outward, and the black settled back:

So I decided to play that up, and cut the sleeves long, then gathered the ends of the sleeves:

Once I gathered the seams, I stitched them in place, 

creating a curve when the sleeve was placed flat:

 The sleeve gathers at the wrist, and the white stripes pop out:

This black T is probably my favorite of the 3, and is getting the most wear - love those sleeves!

Overall, I highly recommend this class, and I'm delighted to have it in my repertoire!   Once you've purchased a Craftsy Class, you can refer to it over and over, so it's kind of like having your personal instructors right there in your sewing room with you!   Thanks so much to you, Katherine and Marcy!

*I e-mailed Craftsy and received immediate responses to my issues about navigating through the site.  I don't know yet if all of my issues were addressed satisfactorily (I still sometimes have to switch browsers in order to fully access the class), but I will say that the folks at Craftsy were VERY responsive and helpful, so big pluses there!   One note about the class reviews - they ONLY publish the most recent positive reviews for any given class, which annoys me because you don't get to read about what folks did not like - that's constructive criticism, and in my mind, is VERY valuable information.   However, you CAN contact the Craftsy folks and ask for a full set of reviews for a class you're interested in, which they will provide.

Maxi Dress! aka The Offbeat Creative Process in Action (K Tilton Dress, Take 2)

If you've followed my sewing process for any length of time, you already know that I don't do well with starting and sticking to an actual Plan.   Nope, I'm more of a "here's where I think I want to go but Oh look where that path leads and oh my what is THIS and oops that didn't work let's try over here and oh my what about THAT? and"...well, you get the picture.   I rarely end up where I think I wanted to go when I started.

As is the case with Katherine Tilton, Butterick 5881, Take 2.

Take 1 was here - not too much of a deviation from the original pattern; just a few alterations and embellishments along the way - enough to know that the pattern had loads of creative possibilities!

Originally, I bought 3 linen fabrics that I thought would be perfect for this pattern.   This was a deviation from my norm right off the bat.   Buy a pattern, and then fabric specifically for that pattern?   Seriously, this is SO not my MO!   I buy a pattern because I love something about it, and have some vague image of what I can do with it.  I buy fabric because it feels fabulous on my skin, or the print just wows me, or (in a fit of practical groundedness) I think it will go well with something I have in mind, or will fill a hole in my stash.  I bring it home and wash it and stash it and let it simmer and at some point it jumps up and says "Me!  I'm ready!  Use Me now!"

Did I use the 3 linens I bought for this pattern?  No.   And I probably won't.  I'll just have to wait for them to jump out at me some  time in the future.  Hopefully.  Maybe.

Instead I found fabric in stash for Version #1.   I  LOVE shopping my stash!   I love HAVing a stash to shop in!   I love finding little scraps that are the perfect print to match something and JUST big enough to fill a hole in a color-blocked item - you simply can't find that sort of magic in the overwhelming stacks of a fabric store.  :)

For this version I also used stash fabrics.  I had found several rayon prints in the closeout bin at Piedmont Fabrics a couple of years ago - SO cheap I bought them all!  Combined with a cotton scrap, and a bit of leftover linen from the previous dress, I had some matches I liked :)  I wanted to try a maxi-dress, and there was plenty of fabric, so I lengthened the underdress by 15".  I kept the lower circumference the same, so I lengthened it somewhere below the hip, and adjusted the side seams  accordingly.   I also lengthened  the overdress skirt by about 3", in the same way.

I was really hoping that the drapey rayon would give a sleeker look but it's having a hint of the muu-muu here...

Side View:   Not awful, but not so flattering, really....

Note:  The side seams had not been sewn up yet (because I wanted to insert pockets), 

and I realized that a bit of a side slit might be fun :)

So I thought I would try giving it some shaping around the midriff with some darts.  This involved matching up the 2 layers (underdress and overdress) exactly...not such an easy task!   But I played with it a bit, basting in some darts, an at one point I tried it on inside out....

...and realized that, with a bit of unpicking on the side seams to finish them differently, I could actually have a reversible dress!

I finished the side seams and hems with a narrow hem, topstitched down.   I also went ahead with the midriff darts, but I only put them in on the "underdress", which is now the reverse side.   

Serged side seam:

Turned under and top stitched:

I installed side seam pockets in the same way I did on the original dress, by attaching the opening to the front of the overdress skirt, and patching the other sides of the pocket onto the reverse dress.  This means that the stitching of the pocket shows when the dress is worn reversed, but being black....well, there are advantages to black thread on black fabric...

Then it was a matter of deciding whether to put on the faux placket (again, the stitching would show on the reverse side).   I did it anyway.

And whether or not to put buttons on.   I wanted to use some cute vintage cut buttons, but was concerned that they might bother my skin when it was reversed.  They didn't, so I put them on.

And then it was a matter of installing the neck binding so that it would look good on both sides!   Binding, stitching in the ditch, and having the fold of the fabric precise so that the top stitched side looks perfect is so NOT in my realm of perfection!   Yet.    And of course, I wanted to use black thread on a tan fabric.  (see me rolling my eyes?)   I ended up topstitching the outside, and hoping that the stitching would be buried in the black fabric on the reverse.   It almost worked.   I could have unpicked the offending stitches - I still could, I suppose.   

But I didn't.

And I probably won't.  :D

In my usual meandering way, finally reached the finishing point!   And I have a dress that is really quite versatile :)

The Casual Look:

Dressed up a bit:

Pockets!

Reversed and belted, for a completely different look.

This was a 4-hour project that took me 4 days, but I'm happy with the results :-)

I'm thinking that maybe, just maybe, maxi-dresses rock!   I remember wearing them a lot when I lived in Hawaii - maybe we'll have some lovely weather this summer and fall, and I'll be able to get a lot of use out of this dress.   Perhaps even another one?

Are you a maxi-dress lover?  Do you dress yours up and/or down?  Wear them all year, or only in the warmth?

Nineteen Easy Pieces

Yes - 19 pieces, in a pattern rated Easy.   Okay, truth is, you don't actually use all 19 pieces in any one view, but staring at the pattern pieces and trying to make sense of how they all went together in Katharine Tilton's new dress (Butterick 5881) was most definitely a brain puzzler!  Especially when you're trying to figure out how to color block it, and wondering which piece fits where....

I started with the easiest possible step, and just made a muslin of the underdress to check for fit.  Thanks to Martha, Seams Well, and Coco, who bravely went before me, I knew that I wanted to lengthen it (by about 2" in my case - on my 5'4" frame?  Yes, this is a short dress!) and go with a smaller size than one might think based on measurements - I cut an 8.

Other changes made:

• I eliminated the front opening and it still slips easily over my head.   
• I also raised the lower armhole by about 1/2" (even after doing my usual sloping shoulder adjustment, which gives a net result of raising the armhole by almost 1")  I did not, however, make a narrow shoulder adjustment - the cut is already fairly narrow.   
• I also raised the front neckline by about 1.5".   
• After sewing it all together, I discovered that I also needed to take in the side seams, at the armscye, by about 1/2" (for a total of 1" on each side) - I tapered this to nothing about 4" down the side seam.  The reviews of the others who made this dress indicate similar issues with the fit around the armscye & bust area.  Everything else is a very loose fit, so I cut the rest of it as is, and was happy with the fit.

The next step was figuring out which fabric was going to go where, and what pieces to cut out.   I settled down for a session of pattern instruction reading to try to get it to all make sense in my brain.   But before getting too bogged down, I hit on  a rather brilliant and simple solution (if I do say so myself)!  I simply took a picture of all of the pattern pieces on the instruction sheet, enlarged it a bit, cut them all out, labeled them and figured out what went where with my little paper doll pieces.  :)   That may sound like a lot of work, but it really only took about 10 minutes, and it made everything fall into place so easily!  And probably saved at least an hour (or two) of angst and potential mistakes down the line!

Ahhh, the memories of the paper doll days -
did anyone besides me play with paper dolls when you were kids?
Or maybe you still do? ;-D

Not only was it easy to see which pieces were used in which view, and where they fit, but I was able to note my adjustments on each piece, avoiding any cutting errors (thanks for that heads up, Martha!)  Tracing the pattern pieces and knowing which fabrics to cut was a piece of cake after that - yay!  And only 11 pieces to cut for view B.  Although I did draft a couple of pockets as well.

I also eliminated the elastic gathering at the back.   Actually, I did install the elastic, even though I questioned whether I was going to like it - sure enough, I did NOT like the extra pouf it gave to my backside, so I removed it.  All 4 pieces of elastic.  Installed using the zig-zaggy lightning stitch.   *sigh*  Luckily, it was another of the gorgeous days we've been having, and I was able to do my unpicking while sitting on the front porch in perfect outside light, watching the peaches grow :).   I was also lucky in that the unpicked stitches didn't show on the fabric at all!

I shopped my stash for this one, and found two pieces of linen, and some batik cotton - I never would have shopped specifically for a combo like this - the magic that can happen when you're searching for a match in stash is such a happy thing at times!  :)

Laying out the chosen pieces:

(I did see something I wanted to change when I did this -

I  dumped the small brown square in the back, 

replacing it with a piece of the batik)

In this view, the entire underdress (the silvery/grey linen) is one long piece, extending from neckline to the lower hem.   The other two views have a shorter underdress, with extra layers of skirt attached.  The grey pieces in the bodice are actually part of the overdress - the bodice and the upper skirt are two layers of fabric.

Sewing everything together went very smoothly - the pieces are perfectly drafted, and fit together beautifully.   The instructions are very clear - good job done on this one by Katherine and Butterick!

Surely y'all know by now that I loves me my pockets, and this dress, in its casualness, just screamed out for pockets to me.   The pattern has these quirky little gaps in the seams between the bodice and the skirt, so I added one small pocket inside one of the gaps:

I did this by stitching up a simple patch pocket, attaching the top of the pocket to the overskirt, then lining it up and patching the 3 lower edges to the underdress.

I also added a pocket at the side seam, using a similar process.   I left an opening in the side seam of the overskirt, and attached the pocket opening to the front piece of the overskirt, and patched the rest of the pocket on to the underdress.   A bit unconventional, but I do have functioning pockets!

You can see the opening of the pocket in this shot.

You also get a sense of the line of the back without the elastic gathering.

It still has a bit of "flounce", but not as extreme as it was with the elastic gathers.

Another change I made was to eliminate the center front opening and buttonholes - the dress slips on easily without buttons, and I'm all for simplifying, especially when it comes to eliminating the full-on plackets and buttonholes!   Unfortunately, I didn't think this through when I was cutting the overdress pieces of the bodice - they meet in the center without overlapping, and then you add the center band for the buttons and buttonholes.   This meant that I ended up with no seam allowances at the center front!

My solution was to butt the edges together, lay fusible interfacing over them, and then zig zag over the butted seam.

Finished, with buttonhole-less buttons :)

Oh, one other change - the pattern calls for a neck facing;

I made a binding instead.

Styled two ways (and worn both ways the same day I finished it!

(I should probably also mention that, given the linen fabric, I do look 

a bit rumpled after being out and about for a few hours.)

The funky, edgy look:

And the more casual look:

Oh yes - the border print bits on the bottom are Marcy Tilton silk screens.  I'm thinking of adding just a couple more, so the dress isn't completely finished yet.

Bottom Line?  I like this pattern WAY more than I thought I would!  I can see it in a much lighter-weight fabric, maybe even a sheer overlay, and I can also see it with sleeves as more of a winter-weight dress.  It's definitely a winner in the comfy-casual category, especially given the wide array of creative options inherent in the design.   Thumbs way up!

And yes....I think it's true....in spite of the better part of a lifetime declaring myself a non-dress person....I do believe I'm turning into a lover of dresses!   The times, they are a-changing....

That Frosting....Revealed.

Way back when (several weeks ago, just before my blogging life took a nap) I made this post about my welt-pocket-in-uber-long-faux-fur.   I finished it shortly thereafter, and finally got the camera out today.  Here we are:

The pattern is Katherine Tilton's V8777, also reviewed here.  I didn't mean to buy the faux fox, truly I didn't, but I kept walking by it at Stonemountain (over the course of 2 or 3 separate visits there), and my hand kept reaching out to pet it, and well...one day it just followed me home.  I had a hefty discount coupon after all, and the cutter was being VERY generous, so the total cost of this vest was about $15, so how could I resist?  (Time spent doesn't factor in the cost when you're sewing for yourself, after all....right?)

I did the usual sort of cutting prep when sewing fur -

Marked the cutting lines on the back:

Cut through the backing, avoiding cutting the fur:

I parted the fur along the seam lines and combed it over to the side, then trimmed the fur that was on the seam allowances (no pictures of that, but you get the idea).

Somewhere in blogland I had seen a picture of a fur vest with the back made of fur-less fabric - an idea I blatantly copied (sorry to whoever gave me the inspiration - you're out there somewhere but I have no idea who you are; apologies.....).   Thank heavens, because this puppy ended up bulky enough without encasing myself in a full sausage of fur!   I used a lovely woven with a bit of stretch (the same fabric in a different color as The Dress With The Pose - this fabric may well still be available at Fabrix, for local SF folks - it's really quite yummy!)

I also lined the front pieces with the same fabric.

And yes indeed, I AM using those pockets!

I ended up cutting some bulk off the center front, and I also shortened the vest by several inches (that fur is LONG!); other than that the sizing is the same as the first vest.  I sewed the lining in by machine along the bottom edge and the armholes, and hand sewed the fur to the lining along the side seams and the neckline.   Other than the welt pockets, it all went together fairly quickly.

This is definitely a frosting piece; I don't know how often I'll actually wear the thing, but I'm sure I'll have some fun with it when I do!  :D

I have been sewing - more will be revealed shortly.  In the meantime, may we all enjoy a little tasty frosting now and then, whether it's healthy & practical or.....otherwise ;-D

and.....I had to add this photo, because....just because.   Because I just HAD to!   A few of the uber cute goat kidlets I petted and played with at Harley Farms last weekend :)

Oh!  One more thing!  Rhonda Buss, from Rhonda's Creative Life, is a finalist in the Sew It All Casting Call, competing for a spot on a tv show!  If you haven't yet seen Rhonda's contest entry video, please check it out - I think she has a deserving win with this, and you can vote for her if you agree!

Two Terrific Tilton Tees

Katherine Tilton's Vogue 8793, the one with the fabulous double collar with zipper trim.  Love!

 I love every version I've seen of this top!  You can see a plethora of beauties posted at Pattern Review, where several of my favorite sewists have posted their wonderful versions.   I already had fabrics interviewed and hired, and was just waiting patiently (uh huh) for the next Vogue sale to bring it home.

As soon as I started on it - this long-sleeved top with a fairly hefty collar - the weather decided to hit the 80's and 90's around here, which meant I worked up a sweat just trying it on.  But hey, it's an SF Bay Area summer, where cool nights are the norm, and warm  weather may or may not last (if it ever happens at all), so I forged ahead, knowing the weather would change any day.

Worth it!  LOVE this pattern!  UBER love that collar!  And sure enough, although the days have been hot, at least some of the evenings are cool enough to wear my new tops.

I'm happy with both of them!

Top #1:

I had a scrap left over of the print fabric, and inspired by 
shams' homage to Au Bonheur, I used every bit of the avilable scraps in this split-front version.
I simply added the seam allowance when I cut the pieces,
serge-finished the edges and sewed up the seam.

I opted to leave the back one solid color.
Because I can. (my new favorite phrase, given my new-found freedom)
I waited until it was all put together before deciding on the sleeve length and cutting the cuffs,
 and ended up opting for 3/4 sleeves.
Because I can.

The pattern calls for lapping each of the collar pieces the same way
(i.e., left side over right side...or vice versa...),
but I liked them lapped Left over Right, then Right over Left.
It just provides more visual interest, imho.
Note:  The narrow, outer collar is cut on the crosswise grain,
the wider inner collar is cut on the lengthwise grain.

And Version #2:

(Sharp-eyed footwear fashionistas might note those shoes.....)

I LOVE the print on this fabric - it's very Klimt-like; one of my favorite artists :)
The sleeve bands on the blue/orange top are all folded back - I forgot to take a pic with them fully extended.  I cut the sleeves a bit shorter (they're long!), but for some reason decided I wanted longer bands.  Maybe when the weather cools off again I'll leave them long, 
or maybe it was a "what was I thinking?" moment.  ::shrug::

The collar was basted together here - I decided I wanted it to have a bit more structure, and I didn't like where the zipper ended, so....

I pulled the ends of the outer length of each collar piece down below the seam line,
so that the zipper teeth met the seam.
This gave a nicer visual to the zipper, and also gave the collar a bit more structure.

Pattern Notes:

• Pattern sizing runs a bit large (usual for the Tilton patterns, imho).  My measurements called for a Medium; I cut a Small.  (with lots of adjustments, some of which I noted in detail on my previous post)
• The sleeves are quite long.  I advise that you wait to cut out the sleeve bands until you've decided on the length of the sleeves; otherwise you might cut them too narrow.  
• The sleeves are also a bit slim, considering the usual over-sized Tilton patterns.  It's not that my arms are large, it's that most patterns have skinny arms.   That's my story and.....you know....
• I really like the curve of the side seams - worked well on my body, especially since I'm consciously trying for more form-fitting clothes.
• I used a standard metal zipper for my muslin, but I ordered the lightweight molded YKK zippers recommended by Katherine from Zipperstop.  Lightweight zippers really are a MUST for this pattern, imho!  Be careful of color selection - if you don't have a color chart, or a local place to see the actual colors, it may be really hard to match your color to your monitor (mine was WAY off!)
• The pattern calls for a 28" zippers and some people have said that was too short.  For a Small, 28" is sufficient, even if you extend the zipper all the way to the seam.  Anything larger than a Small, I would order a 30" zipper, and if you want a lower neckline, the zip should be longer still.  (Note:  you need one zipper.  Half of it is used on the inner collar; half on the outer collar)

I cut a muslin, both for sizing and to have a good understanding of the collar construction.  I'm very visual and hands-on touchy-feely; when it comes to 3D construction of any sort, if I just see the words, even with good pictures, I don't always "get it" until I've done it myself...muslins have probably been my best and biggest ally since I re-entered the Wonderful World of Sewing.  I'm also on a quest for the Perfect Basic TNT Knit Top Pattern, so I ended up making a bunch of fine-tuning adjustments on this one, mostly on the shoulders, armscye, and sleeves, as noted in my previous post.

Construction Notes:

I kind of followed the pattern instructions (which are very good, imho).  KT calls for double stitched seams; I serged most of mine.   Except on the second top, which had thinner fabric, so I double stitched the armholes to eliminate the extra bulk of the serging.   My standard MO on knit seams is to baste first (checking for fit & any puckering), then do a "lightning stitch", then serge, mainly just to finish the edges.   Some might consider this excessive, but it's what I do.  *shrug*.   If  I just serge, I've ended up with ripped seams, so I'd rather just overdo it to start with and be safe down the road.

On the collar, I attached the zipper with fusible interfacing strips.   I used a couple of different types; Steam-a-Seam Lite worked best.   I just pressed it on to one side of the zipper, attached the zip to one collar side, then pressed another strip on to the other side of the zipper, with a final press attaching the other collar piece, and then stitched them all together using a zipper foot.

Stitch Witchery, pinned in place and ready to steam.
This product is a bit fussy to work with, but for some reason I have a lot of it,
so My Frugal Self (I should give her a name, she's always around...) will find a way to use it.

On top #1 I lapped the collar pieces differently than the pattern called for - it just looks more interesting to me.  I meant to do this on top #2 as well, but somehow it got readjusted in the shuffle.

I think KT said to stitch the hem - I hand sew the hems on all of my nicer knit tops.   I consider these in the "nicer" category :).

I really, really like the collar on this pattern!  It would be totally workable if you wanted to do it as a single collar, or you could add piping instead of the zipper....lots of creative possibilities  with this top!  I'm thinking of a more summery version next....or soon.... my sewing room has patterns and fabrics strewn all over it right now, it's a creative mess (matches my mind at the moment) so I'm not sure what's next!

And since it's Springtime (almost Summer!) I have to leave you with another garden pic:

A fringed Gerber Daisy - another one of the
lovely plants gifted to my garden in memory of Mom :)

How about you?  Once you've started sewing again after a lull, do you feel overloaded with a messy sewing room filled with ideas and possibilities and not enough time?   Or do you just calmly start in again on a project and do what needs to be done?   How do you contain your enthusiasm when it gets out of control??!!??  (note multiple qm's and ep's..... [grin])