French Navy Patterns Vetiver Top

I liked the look of the Vetiver top as soon as I saw the sneak peek photos of it before it was released by French Navy patterns. I added it to my summer sewing plans, but got distracted by making floaty dresses for a while. I'm glad I finally got round to it though - better late than never!

The Vetiver top is a simple princess seamed blouse with a round neckline and narrow buttonstand. The pattern comes with two hem options - a slightly cropped blouse with a ruffle hem, or a longer length with a standard hem. The original top has short sleeves, but there's now also an expansion pack available, which includes long, cuffed sleeves and a cute Peter Pan collar.

The pattern sizing is a bit limited - it's available for bust sizes from 32" to 43.25".

This is the first French Navy pattern that I've made, and I'm happy to report that sewing the Vetiver top was a very enjoyable process. In some ways it's a relatively simple pattern, but the finish that you get if you follow the instructions elevates it a bit I think. All the seams apart from the sleeve seam and hem ruffle (if you're using that option) are French seamed, and that combined with the neckline binding and instructions for mitred corners on the ruffle produce nice neat insides.

I didn't have any problems while I was making my Vetiver top. I felt like the instructions had just the right level of detail, and they were easy to follow. I remember there was one step (I can't remember what now!) that sounded a bit confusing when I looked through the instructions before I started sewing, but it all made perfect sense when I got to that section.

In terms of sizing, my current bust measurement is right between sizes E and F in this pattern. My waist and hip measurements are bang on the size F though, and when I looked at the finished bust measurements it seemed like the F would give me more the fit I was looking for than the E, so I made a straight size F. The only alteration I made was to lengthen the top by an inch (standard for me - I'm 5'9"). 

I'm happy with the fit - it's loose enough to be comfortable, but still with nice shaping.

The fabric I used was sold as a cotton lawn when I bought it, but the weight/drape seems more like poplin to me. I bought it last autumn as a remnant, but sadly the piece I was sent was actually significantly shorter than had been advertised when I bought it - the shop has since closed, but given my experience I wouldn't have particularly recommended it anyway. 

The shorter fabric length meant that I couldn't use it for my original plans, but I had plenty for the Vetiver top. It probably hasn't got as much drape as is recommended for view A, but I wanted to use the fabric so I decided to give it a go. The frill stuck out quite comically when I first finished sewing it, but a good press and a bit of steam sorted that out. The fabric also feels like the kind of cotton that will probably soften up a bit with washing and wear so the drape may improve a bit.

All in all, I'm glad that I finally got around to sewing a Vetiver top. It's a lovely shape to wear, and I enjoyed the sewing process. I'm quite tempted to get the expansion pack and make myself a long-sleeved version for autumn/winter. Watch this space!

Butterick 5792

As the UK was sweltering in record temperatures in July, I decided that I'd like a light lounge dress/nightie to float about my flat in during hot weather. Thankfully for me, I've managed to make it just in time for another heatwave this week!

When the idea for this project came to me, I had a look through my pattern stash and found Butterick 5792. I bought it during a pattern sale a while ago because I liked the pyjamas (view A/F) but the "gowns" that are also included in the pattern seemed like they would do a good job of fulfilling my vision.

The pattern has gowns in knee and maxi lengths, with long-sleeved or sleeveless options and a number of neckline pleating/trim options. None of the options were quite what I wanted straight out of the packet so I ended up combining the features that I liked. I used the sleeveless option with the plain neckline (view E/D) and the length of view B, but with the addition of the ruffle at the bottom of the skirt from views C/E (although I shortened the ruffle a bit to account for the fact that I'd be gathering it into a smaller skirt circumference than you would be if using views C/E). Hopefully that all makes sense!

The pattern was really easy to sew and came together very quickly. The instructions are fairly standard for a commercial pattern - they're clear, but they do assume to some extent that you have some knowledge of sewing and they don't hold your hand too much. There's nothing very complicated about the views that I combined though, so I didn't have any problems.

The pattern comes in two size ranges (XS to M, and L to XXL) and, annoyingly, my bust measurement is well within the M size, but my waist and hips are more towards the L size. I'd bought the smaller size range because I was originally intending to make the pyjamas and in that case I could easily just use the top from this pattern combined with pyjama trousers from another pattern that I already had if necessary. 

I looked at the finished pattern measurements on the pattern paper, and decided that the M should give me just about enough ease around the hips still, but to be on the safe side I blended out from the bust to add a little extra width (about a centimetre on each seam) around the hips. Thankfully that worked out nicely and I'm happy with the fit.

The fabric that I used is a pretty cotton lawn from Like Sew Amazing. It's a lovely print, and the perfect weight for what I wanted. It also seems to have a magical ability not to crease, or to lose its creases very easily, which is always pleasing. Nobody wants to be spending unnecessary time ironing in a heatwave after all, do they?!

I think I managed to do a good job of putting my idea into practice, and I'm very happy that I got the project finished before the temperatures climbed again. The dress is lovely and light to wear - just what I wanted!