Spring Top #3: Mothers' Day Edition

Happy Mothers Day to all you mothers out there! Especially MY wonderful mom, my dear M-I-L Bonnie, and my awesome sister Susan. You're all wonderful! Hope you're feeling appreciated today.

This is just a quickie post to put up my latest and greatest...Spring Top #3. I'm calling it my Mothers Day top. Why? Because I finished it today. And slapped a flower pin on it. I wanted to wear it today, but there was a sleeve issue at around 10:30 last night that I didn't feel like dealing with at the time.

You'll notice that my top is now sleeveless. ;)

I really could get into the whole thing of how that happened, but it's nice out and I want to go out and play with the kids...and the little piggy-dog we're taking care of this week. She's a french bulldog, and she is so, so sweet. But she doesn't resemble any dog I've ever known. She reminds me more of a pot-bellied pig! Plus, she seems to only be able to snort. I have yet to hear her bark.

Ok, so getting back to the subject at hand...here's the top! It just may be my favorite one yet!

Just in the nick of time, I'll be submitting this, my third and final, to Made by Rae's Spring Top Sewalong.  I have been looking at the entries here and there; there are a LOT of really nice tops in this thing.  I hope I can hang in there with the "big girls!"

Spring Top #2...and a slightly different ruffle tutorial

So this is my second top for the Made by Rae Spring Top Sewalong.  



I used New Look 6962, view B.  Here's how it all went down:

I had some Amy Butler "Tumble Roses" yardage that I'd been saving for something.  I had it in mind to do the neckline and band at the bottom in what was left of some pink polka dot Tutti Frutti from Jo-Ann's.  HOWEVER, much to my irritation, I did something backwards, and ended up with the neckline contrast on the inside.

aaargh!  well, it's a nice-looking facing, anyway.

and this is what the outside looked like.  Certainly not BAD, just not what I had in mind. 

 So, I thought, hey, how about a ruffle?  But I don't know...well, let's try something...this is where the tutorial begins, although it's my first one, and I don't claim to be any kind of tutorial expert...

First, I made two simple ruffles by putting the sewing machine tension high, the stitch length long (baste length), and sewing straight up the middle of the fabric strips.  Then I pulled on one of the threads to bunch them up a little more.  Laid them out and pinned where I wanted them to go on my top.  (One at a time.)  So far, so good. 

 Look at the bottom of the ruffles though.  They're raw.

You have to fold them under.

So, once the ruffle (one at a time) was folded under at the top & bottom and pinned in place, I stitched up one side (not the middle), letting the folds get folded up as I sewed along. Then I did this up the other side too.  THEN, took out the basting in the middle.

Sometimes the seam ripper can be used for good, not just evil!

Leaving me with this:

Pretty cool!  Now do the other side...and this is what you get!

Love it!

So then I finished the top.  I'll spare you the details of my mighty battle with the bias tape (from which I emerged the victor)...the only snag was this: the band around the bottom had to go.  Loved it in theory, but when I tried it on, it looked like an apron.

Not that I don't adore aprons.  But I don't want to wear one to a tee-ball game.  That's all.

Here are some pics of me, trying to get a good shot of myself in the mirror...

The conclusion: I totally love this top.  I think it's flattering, comfortable, and it looks awesome over jeans.  And what's not to love about anything involving Amy Butler fabric?

And we're linking!

Sunshine on my shoulders...a strapless top for me!

Whoopee! I have been wanting to do this for two years now... I finally entered a top into the Spring Top Sewalong at Made by Rae.  You can enter up to three tops; I think I will do at least one more, because this one is really simple...so cute though!  (If I do say so myself! ;)

I cropped my head out of the pic because I don't like my hair today and I have minimal makeup on.  You know how that is.

It's the "Strapless Belted Tunic" from One Yard Wonders.  I cannot get over how much I love this fabric for this top! The pattern is so flowy and wavy; it reminds me of the beach.  I think I will make at least one more, but honestly, I will have to make it just a smidgen bigger, because unless I wear those exact jeans in the picture, the shirt doesn't really fit over my hips.  Maybe if it were knit fabric, that would be different.  But the cotton, even with the side slits (which look really cute too, forgot to get a pic of those!)... it's just a little snug.   

More pics!

I love that belt - cut the other way from the main top ("railroaded", I think?) and I think it looks really cool. 

See, though?  Snug.

 I saw this in the book, and normally I would pass on by.  But I wanted to branch out a little.  I've never been much of a "strapless" kind of gal.  Mainly because I NEVER KNOW WHAT TO WEAR UNDERNEATH!!!  There, I said it.  I do own a strapless bra, and it's fine for just standing there and taking a few pics (with the shirt on over top, ha ha), but I really don't care for it when I have to wear it for any length of time.  Not comfortable!  What am I missing?  I would so love to wear strapless tops, halter tops, etc.  But I never do, because of the whole bra issue.  Any help that ANY of you out there can give me would be...helpful! 

Anyway, I can still wear this top now because it goes great with a denim jacket or a shrug.  But when summer comes to my town (in western PA, that's like August or so), it will be just great to throw it on and go.