Selfish Sewing :: The Parision Top in Triplicate because it’s about time I just go overboard already

Yes, I did. I made three of the same top.  Three versions of The Parisian Top from Pattern Anthology. I’m taking the whole Selfish Sewing Week thing quite seriously this time around.  But, ah, this is probably no big surprise because It’s really not news that I love sewing clothes for myself.

I just fell in love with the pattern, I’ve been eyeing it for a long time so when Rachael asked me if I would be a featured maker and try the pattern for SSW, I jumped at the chance and I made it count.  I honestly considered making seven versions…one for each day of the week  but I remembered how some of my non-sewing friends look at me when I’ve had too many glasses of wine and start talking about BIG PLANS for what I’m going to sew (All the Quilts! Every Single Dress! Shirts for Every Day of the Week! You get the idea).  Sometimes I go too far.  Three seemed a safer, saner bet, which is kind of funny considering it’s obviously overboard.

Phew, before I go way off topic.  Here are the details, this pattern comes together really beautifully.  It fits like a dream and is exactly the kind of everyday top I am looking for. It’s playful without looking overdone, as comfortable as a regular tee shirt but more interesting…as my friend Kristen calls it, an elevated basic.  It’s absolutely perfect for regular weekend adventures, picking the kids up from school, all that normal life stuff that can sometimes drag me down and convince me it’s ok to wear yoga pants all day long.  It’s all about the elevated basics to beat the everyday blahs.  This top is top of my list.   I had a little trouble fitting the collar to the neckline but it’s just a slow process that involves a bit of stretching.  If I could change one thing I might take out a bit of the poof in the sleeves, which I will do when I make more (I’m just being honest).   The purple knit is and up cycle from the thrift store, used to be a bed sheet of all things.  It seems a perfectly normal heather jersey knit and I got tons of it for about $5.  The collar is a scrumptious Liberty of London.  It’s the perfect use of such special fabric, just a pop of it and I hardly had to use any at all.

For this grey top, I used Cotton + Steel from Rock Paper Scissors and laguna knit in Pepper for the body.

I added a simple, nifty little cuff to this one by eliminating the armband and using the collar fabric for an open cuff and then twin needle stitching the whole hem of the arm.

For some reason, maybe the stretchiness of this laguna knit (?), a little bit of it wants to pop up out of place on the collar.  I clipped it and it is better but I still have to kind of check it and arrange it when I put the top on.

The third top is all knit fabric and it’s the softest, happiest knit.  The stripes are from Riley Blake, I believe, from Hawthorne Threads.

I’m really hoping to sneak in more Selfish Sewing this week, I want to fill my closet with some elevated basics this fall.  I don’t want to make any grand plans just yet, but it has been on my mind just how nice it would be to have the perfect handmade thing to wear for every single occasion.  🙂

Be sure to pop around the internets and see all the inspired SSW making (also, be sure to enter the giveaway on Rachael’s site, it’s amazing!):
Call Ajaire
The Crafty Kitty
Max California
the quirky peach
Sewbon
Swoodson Says
sewVery
a happy stitch
sew a straight line
Sew Caroline
Our Chez Nous
Casa Crafty
verypurpleperson
Flamingo Toes
Sewing Rabbit
justmejay
groovy baby and mama
you & mie
oona balloona
sew Amy sew
Idle Fancy
miss matatabi
Dandelion Drift
Modern Handcraft
Buzzmills
u&mii
B.Yazoo
A Quilter’s Table
lbg studio
Diary of a Chainstitcher
Compagnie M.
Sew Chibi
la inglesita
Modern Handmade
Sing All You Want
Cookin’ and Craftin’
Behind the Hedgerow
Milkybeer Handmade
The Charming Needle