Lutterloh Patterns Come Alive!

 Supplement 306 - Model #72 - Autumn 2017

Cowl Neck Knit Dress/Top 

 

   Hi there fellow Lutterloh enthusiasts. I was trying out another knit dress pattern but decided to give it a go as a long top first. Boy am I glad I did!

  

Pattern Hints:

   There were no problems enlarging this pattern to my size. Since this is a full figure pattern I did use a number 4 dots lower on the scale than my actual measurement. Below is a photo of the front bodice pattern piece. You can see that a long, sew on facing is suggested for the cowl. 

I don't like a seam at the top of my cowl necklines so I cut my pattern as suggested in a previous post here. The red line indicates where I added to my pattern so I could still cut the pattern on the fold but now I have a fold down, cut on facing. If you go this route you'll need to decide how deep you'd like your facing and how far into the shoulder seam you'd like it to attach. Mine ended up about 1.5 inches wide at the shoulder and about 4 inches deep at the center front.

   I found the fashion drawing to be a little deceiving for this pattern. It could just be the pose of the model but the waistline appears to be sort of high to me. It turns out the waist seam sits right about on the natural waist.

Design Changes:

   This top was just an experiment for me to see how the cowl worked out. I was pleased with the cowl and the bodice of the pattern so I just cut 2 rectangles, the width of my fabric and  long enough to cover my behind, to gather and attach as flounces at the bottom. I didn't have enough of this fabric to make the skirt. It's probably just as well since this knit is a little clingy.

Fabric Used/Suggested:

   My top is made from a rayon/poly knit that drapes beautifully. This worked great for a top but maybe not for the entire dress. Because of the weight of my knit the waist seam was actually stretched lower. This is fine for the style of my top but I would use a slightly firmer knit for the dress as pictured in the fashion drawing. The advantage to using a very drapey knit is the effect it has on the cowl.

 

 Close up of cowl

Closing Hints:

   Despite having to redraw the facing I really like this pattern. The fold over facing is really just a personal preference. If you don't mind the seam in your cowl neckline then I'm sure the Lutterloh facing would work just fine. I may make one more top in a firmer knit just to evaluate the cowl and waist seam before I move onto the dress. The paper pattern puts the waist seam right on my waist but my fabric sure did stretch. I think a circle peplum might be a nice finish for an alternate top design. Unfortunately I have to go back to mask making for a while so we'll just have to see.

Here's hoping you're all safe and sound. Happy sewing everyone.

Ann in Calif.