Extended Pavlova

I really, really liked DDAtelier's wrap top- but there were things I would tweak - I wanted it in patterns, and I wanted it with shorter sleeves, etc. And then I ordered this fabric when ordering fabric for DH's Negroni (still pending.)

That's the sleeve-binding laid over the neck-binding so you can see the variations in pattern

I wasn't sure of the texture, stretch, anything but I wanted it. And I spent a lot of time draping and flapping my arms around while draped because it feels amazing. Anyway, I wanted a "simple" top out of it, I wanted a wrap top. Wrap tops are problematic for me. Every how-to-dress lists them as the perfect top/dress. The problem is if you have a high/full bust it may be a bit cleavagy. And I don't like all the layering right now- I do it for work since it's freezing at my summer internship (except when the HVAC is broken) but I'm trying to find ways to avoid it, if possible.

A fire got lit when I got an email for an alumni/current student event. I wanted a new top for it! My only green or yellow top was looking a little sad and I wanted to be in roughly school colors (turns out most female alumni did as well.) So that gave the fabric a purpose, and with the purchase of the Pavlova top, I was set- with a little alteration.

The Facts:

• Fabric:A now sold-out Water Sprites ITY Jersey from Gorgeous Fabric
• Pattern:Cake's Pavlova
• Year: Early 2010s 
• Notions:Walking foot, Embroidery Foot, Fusible Knit Interfacing, White Thread
• Techniques/Tutorials: Sewing Cake 30 Minutes a Day Sewalong
• Cost: ~$35
• Time:~8 hours (lots of ripping out seams)
• Make Again?: Yes! I already have a blue knit that has been sitting around for months

Other Thoughts:
- I cut a short sleeve of the 40, thinking I would like an elbow length sleeve. I think I want it shorter next time since it's so voluminous. 
- I extended it by 3" front and back (roughly using the steps in the sewalong but treated more as a cut and spread because I'm lazy) which is a good length in general for my slacks. I'm not sold on a direct 1:1 ratio front and back as while the bumflap (or muffin cover, whichever) is handy when picking up stuff at work, I get a weird bubble when bringing the under-front-flap around which brings me to my next thought...
- Wrapping takes some finagling. This isn't a o-no-the-fire-alarm-is-going-off-and-I-am-in-PJs top. I rushed rewrapping before a meeting and spent the meeting fidgeting (partially because the chairs were uncomfortable and the meeting incredibly boring)
- When first wrapped there's no cleavage! I noticed with how it's drafted each flap bisects each side of the bust but I think that's unflattering on me so I cross at center. After some sitting I do need to tug on one side to avoid some flapping but it's minor and I survived church without an incident (clothing wise anyway, I feel like my academic background comes to bite me when I use phrases like "participant afterlife" and "legitimation crisis" but that's something else altogether)
- I think next time I will go a size down. While I am between 35-40, with the bisecting style there's the boob-flap concern and some extra underarm fabric that might be eliminated with going down to a 30 - or I can try drafting out those 2" or so.
- This fabric is wonderful. I wish I could get more because I really want to make a bed jacket, and a drapey cardigan, and a robe... I kept petting it during the aforementioned boring meeting. It's probably the combination of ITY and rayon.
- My walking foot eats fabric when doing anything but straight stitch, and even then sometimes. I think my feed dogs don't go back far enough so the fabric gums up at the back of the plate. I'm wondering if tape would fix this?
- I love the 6 stitch zig-zag for finishing knits. My overlock stitches are gross and this finishes the seams off nicely.

This post needed more Olive.