Sunday, January 18, 2009

Nature Abhors a Vacuum

Or something to that effect. Maybe it's just that having gotten away with free vet care last weekend for Vlad, this weekend Lily ended up at the University of Penn's vet school emergency room and came home tonight with antibiotics, pain meds and a ransom equivalent to what I would have spent on Vlad last Sunday.

You never actually get anything for free.

While Lil was off getting her abscess taken care off (little missy has been fighting with her siblings and for once did not come out on top), I went into the workroom to do some stress sewing and finish off a project I started on Friday night - BWOF 11/06 #116, the faux wrap top.

I've been admiring everyone's reviews of this on PR since they started turning up, and every time I saw one, I thought, "I have to make one of these." And when I finally went in to trace the pattern, turns out I'd liked it enough back when the issue first came out that I had already traced it!

I'm normally a 38 in BWOF knit patterns, but I should have thought to cut slightly wider seam allowances this time around, because the gray and black wool double cloth I had didn't have the stretch I would have hoped for. It stumped me for a while how I was going to get this to fit - this was not a top I wanted to give away to a thinner friend after I'd finished it - and then it came to me.

I used my machine's ornamental blanket stitch for the collar seam (which was supposed to be flat-felled), and then I used it to edge the collar, which I turned up instead of under - I just liked the look of the gray edge on the black collar.

When I realized that the top was going to be a little snug, instead of sewing the side seams and then hating how tight it was, I laid them one on top of the other (about a 1/4" overlap) and sewed them together with the blanket stitch. It actually looks like a design element rather than a screw up.

The collar seems both higher and closer than the magazine photo, but this is a plus as far as I'm concerned - it's cold in Philly, it's colder still in my office, and there's just flat out no heat for the first half of Mondays. So this is getting worn tomorrow.

12 comments:

Lori said...

Great top and great idea on the save for the sizing. Hope your cat feels better soon.

-E said...

holy cow I love it!!!!! (Can you add that to the endless list of issues I want to borrow next time? :)

ps- nice to hear the puds are well

Tany said...

Your top looks wonderful (I made this top back in 2006 using emerald green stretch velvet). You were very clever dealing with the sizing issue!

Kitty Couture said...

This is simply brilliant, Karen!

Hope Lily heals fast.

Rachel said...

What a pretty kitty!!! I just love cats. That is a lovely top too.

Rose said...

Hope Lil is doing well now. What a cutie! That is one nice top and, yes, the blanket stitch looks like a design element. I'm gonna remember your creative solution for sizing. I do like that top - another one to add to my list (sigh).

Vicki said...

Nicer version of this top and a good save too.

Diana said...

What a great solution to a fitting dilema.The top is a really nice style.

laura said...

Poor old Vlad! Even though you're trying to help him, he probably feels like he's in prison. I hope his poor little feet feel better.

NancyDaQ said...

Hi, I've nominated you for the Kreativ Blogger Award that's going around. Enjoy!

Connie B said...

That is a great top! adding it to my list of things to make....Give my best to Vlad, Lil and the others...

Kat said...

I really love that top! Makes me wish I had a Burda subscription.