Just couldn’t wait for the sewalong.

On Thursday I got the Briar pattern in the mail! Yay, I was so excited! I couldn’t wait to get started.But past mistakes taught me that I had to carefully plan my garment.

I had this moss green knit for quite some time. I loved it, I bought it… Simple as that! But not as simple as finding a matching pattern. Until I saw the Briar pattern.

This was my first attempt at outside pictures. It’s hard this time of year because I leave home in the dark and by the time my boyfriend gets home to take the pictures it’s dark again. When I asked him to do the pictures today he just took his mobile and wanted to take pictures with that. I nearly hit him 🙂

I haven’t got any “making of” pictures because this was made as sort of a muslin. I had enough fabric to make two and since I didn’t have another fabric in this loose knit I chose to make a muslin out of the final fabric. If it worked out, great! If it didn’t, I had enough fabric for a second try.

I finished this yesterday and I wasn’t really happy with the result. My shoulders looked quite bulky (because of the seam allowance of the leather shoulder patches) and my one great asset (my waist) was nowhere to be found. So this morning I cut out the seam allowance of the leather patches and that made it a lot less bulky. And although I still think the cropped cut is not for me, the Banksia shirt underneath makes it better (I love how those two seem made for each other) . All in all, it looks a lot better than it did last night.

What I don’t like about this top:

• The knit is too loose for this pattern.
• It’s quite transparent and not warm (might be better for a Spring outfit).
• My thread didn’t match the fabric exactly but fortunately it’s not noticeable in daylight.
• I should have used a twin-needle for the neckline band.
• I don’t like how the cropped version looks on me.
• I had no matching serger thread so it’s white on the inside.
• I think the leather shoulder patches make my shoulders look a lot broader than they are (and I already have quite broad shoulders)

What I do like this top:

• I LOVE LOVE LOVE THE COLOUR.
• I love love love how easy this pattern was to make.
• I used the selvage side of my fabric as a band for the hemming. I had never tried it before but it worked really well.
• I love how it has an army feel to it.

What I changed:

• Instead of using Megan’s advice to use the patch pockets as guide for the shoulder patches, I used a suede knee-patch I still had lying around from another project. I cut it in two and sewed it on.
• I added the band around the sleeves, at the bottom and around the neckline.

Overall assessment:

I love the pattern and I will make more Briar tops, I still have to experiment a little bit. But I will wait for the Briar sewalong to make the next one!