StyleArc has an excellent reputation for producing high-quality patterns with RTW details, and without the ease issues that can be found in the Big 4 (McCall, Butterick, Vogue and Simplicity). On recommendation from many internet sewing friends, I decided I wanted to try them for myself, even though the price tag (as they are shipped from Australia) is fairly high.
The Emily top was the free pattern in July, and I liked it for the neckline pleat, so I ordered some other patterns for the suit I’m planning and got the freebie. I have beautiful coral-red bamboo jersey from my April fabric spree; initially, I was planning a dress, but after sewing up the first Moneta and the scandalous wrap dress, I figured I probably actually had enough knit dresses and what I could really use were some tops, particularly a coral-red t-shirt to replace the coral-red short-sleeved sweater I used to wear all the time with this skirt. Those flowers are applique and embroidery, not print. Isn’t it fantastic? And yet is has been languishing in my closet because I no longer had a shirt to wear with it.
One of the things that StyleArc does differently is send you the pattern in only one size. So you need to be fairly sure that the size you’ve selected is the right one for you; there is no drawing between the lines for size 8 and size 10 and fitting that way. Another thing they do differently is assume that you already know how to sew pretty well; the instructions are minimal. For the Emily top, you get a couple of bullet points and one illustration.
Notes:
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Neckline and pleat. Super cute, eh? I found the assembly of the neckline pleat a bit confusing. After the first try, I didn’t like the placement–the pleat was too far off the neckline and into the neck, and didn’t lie the way I wanted it to.
- I also found that I didn’t like the neckline binding. I should just know better than to use binding on knit necklines. This is a fairly substantial knit, and with the addition of the fusible hem interfacing, it became so stiff that it stood up from my neck like a mandarin collar.
- So I ripped out the right shoulder seam and cut off the binding, did a regular seam on the neckline and resewed the right shoulder back together with the pleat farther over. I think it looks a lot better this way. I hand-stitched the extra bit of pleat width into the back neckline.
- The sleeves I find a bit on the tight side. Next time, I’ll add half an inch or so, just to make it a bit looser.
- I’d like some extra space in the shoulders. This is a common issue for me with both patterns and RTW, so I don’t blame StyleArc.
Back view. Fence leaning. In real life, the shoes, skirt and top all match, which is what happens when you really love a colour and just buy it without thinking about what you’ll wear it with. - And it was very, very loose when I first made it. Oddly loose, given that the package shows this as snug and tucked into a snug pair of pants. Anne’s version at Clothing Engineer is also loose, so it’s not just me; plan accordingly!
So after serging the top and trying it on as given on the pattern, I reserged the side seams and nipped in the waist by an inch or so on each side. There’s still plenty of ease, but now I can wear it tucked in to something without looking totally ridiculous. - I tried using the blind hem on the bottom hem as directed, but it was too wavy; then I tried the lightning stitch with the walking foot, and that was worse. I ripped those out and used my lovely fusible knit hem tape. The ripped-out hems left a few small marks, but tucked in this is not a problem.
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Inside of hand-stitched sleeve hem. First serged, then folded inside and stretch-stitched in place. You can see the zig-zag if you squint. I hand-stitched the sleeve hems. Yes, it’s true. I wanted a nice flat finish on the sleeves, which I knew I wouldn’t get unaided on the machine, and the fusible hem tape I knew would be uncomfortable on such a snug hem. They’re small; it didn’t take long to sew. I stitched a zig-zag on the reverse and a small back-stitch on the front, which keeps it neat and close to invisible but maintains the stretch nicely.
And a close-up of what it looks like on the outside. You can see it pretty clearly here, but not in the other photos. It’s a great, simple stitch for finishing short knit hems by hand.
Otherwise, it’s done, it’s comfortable, the sleeves are long enough that I can wear it most of the year (like most office-workers, my cubicle is over-heated in winter and over-cooled in summer). And it matches my skirt perfectly. I wore this to work at my earliest opportunity and may or may not have spent part of the day rubbing the sleeve hem appreciatively and thinking about how soft and comfortable it is. Plus, neckline pleat!
End of makes that could be considered summery; time for fall!
Zoopolis 
Great colour, and the neckline is very flattering. Oh that skirt…love, love, love it.
Thanks, Aunt Sue. 🙂
I love it too. It’s the kind of thing I’d like to be able to make myself one day.
Your Emily Top looks great. I am glad you were brave and moved the pleat. I get quite stymied by these interestingly draped designs and I will remember to be brave and just change it!
Your Emily Top looks great! Good idea to be brave and just move the pleat. I will have to remember that. Those interesting designs appeal to me, but it always seems to be hit-or-miss as to whether they will work. Gotta just change it to suit me!
Thank you. 🙂 Though to be perfectly honest, I’m not 100% sure if I did it right the first time, or when I moved it. In any case I like it now, which is the important thing.