.Scoop Tops.

Here's the thing. I'm not a fan of going to the shops. I used to like it but somewhere along the way I got over it. I think it's more that I feel like I'm wasting my time wandering around the shops and usually can't find much that I like anyway.

Anyway, when the weather started to warm up I wanted some new tops. Last summer I was pregnant and most of my summer tops had been stretched or worn to death. I had bookmarked this freebie Scoop Top patter from Skirt As Top awhile ago and thought it would be a great quick project to freshen up the wardrobe.

I made two tops in 2 hours! How's that for an achievable project to get done in one evening?!

This first one is possibly my favourite top at the moment. I used white knit for the front, then mixed it up a bit with some cotton lawn on the back.

The cotton lawn has no stretch, but there is enough stretch in the front of the shirt to make it work. The lawn is light-weight and silky, really lovely to wear. 

I'm really happy that I decided to use a contrast fabric on the back, it's out there, but not too out there and the plain white on the front helps to break up the business of the floral print.

The second Scoop Top was made from a knit I bought from Girl Charlee ages ago. These tops are so quick and easy to sew - there are no sleeve pieces, the sleeves are cut with the front/back in one piece. I'd recommend them for a beginner sewing with stretchy knit fabrics, it can be a little tricky to hem the curved front and back hems though. My hems aren't perfect, I pressed the hem up then sewed down using a regular straight stitch on my sewing machine. It worked okay but they still roll up sometimes. The pattern does give instructions to use stay tape or interfacing on the hems to stop any waviness, but I was up for a quick and easy project that night and didn't want to fuss about with it. Sewing the hem how I did it is fine, but I do need to give the hem a good iron before I wear it.

 

Oh, and besides being so fast, I really really like the lowered hem at the back of this top. It makes all the bending, twisting, squatting, kneeling, sitting that comes with life with kids so much easier when you aren't pulling down the back of your shirt all the time!

 SUPPLIES:

Scoop Top pattern from Skirt As Top

Stella stretch knit in white

Robert Kaufman, London Calling 2, cotton lawn in Spring

Grey/Black bird knit from Girl Charlee