Itch to Stitch Islares top

I'm a fan of t-shirts with interesting details, so the sewing pattern for the Islares top instantly appealed to me when it was released by Itch to Stitch. It's taken me a little while to get round to making the pattern, but better late than never!

The Islares is a knit top with regular and full bust options. The main feature is a square front and back neckline, which I think makes it a bit more elegant than a basic t-shirt. The top also has raglan sleeves with shoulder darts that can be made in short, three-quarter or long lengths (I used the three-quarter length). The top is finished with a curved hem.

The bust sizing covers measurements from 31⅛" (regular bust) to 63" (full bust), and the hip sizes range from 33⅛" to 62".

The instructions for the Islares top are great! I thought that sewing the neckline might be a bit fiddly, but I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it is a bit more tricky than a regular round neckband, but the instructions take you through everything very clearly with a good level of detail. Other than the neckline, the top is very straightforward to sew and I didn't have any trouble making mine. 

My top tip would be to make sure you follow the instructions about using stay tape on the neckline - I think without stay tape it would be really easy to stretch out the neckline while sewing.

I used the regular bust pattern piece and blended from a size 10 at the bust to a 12 at the hips. That's the size recommended for my measurements and I think it turned out nicely. It's not tightly fitted, but has a nice shape and definitely isn't baggy. I didn't make any adjustments to the pattern.

The fabric that I used is a fun, colourful striped cotton jersey that I bought from Lucy Locket Fabrics. It was nice and easy to sew with, and it feels lovely to wear. And I'm pretty pleased with the stripe matching that I managed down the side seams!

 All in all, I think my Islares top turned out rather nicely, and I'd happily recommend the pattern. I may well make more versions in future, but I've got Itch to Stitch's newer pattern, Venado, to try first!