Supplement 332 - Model #5 - 2024
Hi there fellow Lutterloh sewists. Spring is almost here and the newest Lutterloh supplement is full of promise for a new wardrobe! This recent top seemed like a good start to ease into some warmer weather. It's another full figure pattern adapted to fit my less than full figure.
Pattern Hints:
This pattern surprised me a little with a very loose fit and longer length. I anticipated a looser top from examining the pattern lines but the fashion drawing, with the hand in her pocket, disguised the true length of this top. It hits just at the bottom of the crotch. That's not really long enough to be a tunic but certainly longer than the average T-shirt. Below is the miniature of the pattern pieces.
You can see that there isn't much shaping at the waist. The red lines are roughly where I reduced the waist for a slightly closer fitting top. The center back seam also gives a little more opportunity for more shaping at the waist. Because this is a full figure pattern I used a number on the Lutterloh scale that was a full 5 dots less than my actual measurement. Even though this represents a pattern that is 10cm less than my normal measurement it still produced a fairly loose fitting top.
Style Changes:
As mentioned above I ended up taking in this top at the waist at all the seams. In addition to being a looser fitting top I also found the length to be too long for my liking. I ended up cutting off 2 inches from the bottom to get a more standard T-shirt length top. This pattern, if extended quite a bit, might also make a pretty nice dress pattern. The ruching, below the V neck, is quite flattering for a larger bust and would probably help disguise a thicker waist if made up in the original looser fit.
Fabric Used/Suggested:
My lavender fabric is close to a medium weight interlock knit. This may have contributed to my dislike of the original fit. A lighter weight, clingier knit may have been more appropriate. Now, looking at the photo, I may even take the seams in further to get a closer fit for this particular fabric. If I make this again I'll look for a rayon or bamboo blend or perhaps an ITY knit. This probably isn't a pattern that would work well in a stretch woven unless it was much closer fitting with a zipper opening.
Closing Hints:
After the alterations I do like the way this top turned out. My only reservation would be that the strap in the center of the ruching was a little fiddly to apply. I was afraid that if I top-stitched it that the gathers would be distorted. I ended up hand tacking the center strap on from the inside all the way up to the neckline. I tried the top on before the strap was applied but it just didn't look finished without it. For the future I'll try to figure out another way to apply the strap.
Until next time then, happy sewing everyone,
Ann in Calif.
