Often I find myself making the same pattern twice, just a few weeks or months apart. Working on the first make gives me ideas for new interpretations. Sometimes I’m so excited about the new ideas that I don’t wait long to tackle them. This is one of those projects.
A few weeks ago I used some double sided athletic knit to make a pullover top and pants. I used Butterick 6134 for the pullover top, but due to unfortunate circumstances, I had to cut away the funnel neck and substitute a mock neck. After completing the top, I thought it was a bit dark and dull so I reverse cover stitched along the princess seam lines with black and white variegated thread
And that’s where I got the idea to use this pattern to make a pullover with a wide, zippered collar, and coverstitch embellishment accenting the seamlines.
I used a wool/bamboo/spandex jersey from Fabric Mart. This cut was lighter and softer than I expected. It is NOT a winter warm cozy knit, instead, it’s a wonderful spring or fall or chilly summer evening knit. It’s also great for active wear. It’s soft and breathes, and wool retains warmth even when it’s wet. I think this is going to be my go-to workout top.
I cut the pieces and stitched the side fronts to the center front on the machine with a narrow zigzag stitch and a full 5/8 seam allowance. Then I flipped the piece and with the inside up and the outside down, using cover needles 1 & 3, I cover stitched along the princess seam with blue variegated thread in the looper. Then I stitched the front and back sleeve sections together, with a narrow zigzag and full seam allowance. Then I flipped it and cover stitched along the seam line with the outside down. I sewed the side seams and sleeve underarm seams directly on the serger. Then I applied the raglan sleeves to the top. It was a lot harder to flip the whole thing and cover stitch along the front and back seams. So I started at the underarm and stitch up on the front, then the back, then repeated on the other side. Unfortunately, I managed to leave a small gap on the cover stitching, but fortunately it’s located directly in the arm pit.
Now for the collar. I didn’t have enough material to cut the collar out in one piece on a fold, so there’s a center back seam. I sewed the cb seam first. Then, I had to figure out how to install the zipper. If I had thought this through from the start, I would have turned half the collar inside out, sewn in the zip, repeated on the other side, then sewn the center back seam last. But, I did not think this through and had already sewn that center back seam. So with the collar right sides out, I tucked the raw edges in, pushed the zipper tape in, pinned it and topstitched it all in place. Not the best installation, but it worked.
I wasn’t sure how to attach the collar to the neck. I finally ended up just sewing it to the neck, right sides together. I flipped the seam allowance down to the bodice, and stitched it down with an upside down cover stitch, like the decorative cover stitch along the seams. The final step was heming the sleeves and hem with the cover stitch, upside down, and trimming the excess from neck, sleeves and hem.
<b>Pattern Description: </b>
Pullover tops with princess seams, raglan sleeves and funnel neck
<b>Pattern Sizing:</b>
Misses
<b>Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?</b>
Except for my design changes, yes
<b>Were the instructions easy to follow?</b>
I’ve made this pattern before, and I was focused on the decorative stitching, so I didn’t refer to the instructions. Plus, the collar was my own thing
<b>What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?</b>
I really like the combination of raglan sleeves and princess seam. I used a different collar for this make, but I do like the funnel neck on this pattern
<b>Fabric Used:</b>
Wool/Bamboo/Spandex jersey from Fabric Mart
<b>Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:</b>
Replaced the funnel neck with a big, floppy collar featuring a zip
<b>Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?</b>
Yes and Yes
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