Hot Patterns Fast & Fabulous Blouse Back T

Hot Patterns Fast & Fabulous Blouse Back T what a title for a pattern but it is one good looking shirt.  How do you like that back?  Beautiful colors and design which is complimented by the solid front.  That is a bit of a reversal from the pattern envelope but I knew Meredith would like this fabric.

 I wanted to make this pattern after seeing Patty's great top.  After looking at some reviews, it appeared fabric is an important part.  One thing I brought away from what I read is fabric weight.  Here is the recommended fabrics 

light to medium-weight drape-y knits with a little stretch, like single fiber

or blends of silk,rayon, bamboo, cotton, or tencel jersey.

It seems important for your back fabric not to be too heavy especially if the front fabric is a lighter knit say like silk knit.  The heavy fabric of the blouse back will want to pull your top toward the back, lifting the neckline.  

I spent some time looking for the right fabric and found some good options at Girl Charlee.  The back is Girl Charlee's chiffon, 100% polyester but sews and handles beautifully.  The front is  Girl Charlee's off-white spandex knit , 90% cotton and 10% lycra meaning fabulous recovery.  

 

I did cut the back in a single layer, keeping all the lines of the fabric straight.   The chiffon did want to fray very easily, so handle with care.  All the seams were serged for this top.

On the sleeve edge, I did line up my rotary cutter and cut per the pattern measurements.  I do this on all my straight pattern pieces, measure the pattern and write those measurements on the pattern piece.  

Hot Patterns' necklband is very wide, over 3" and the first time I put the neckband on, it just looked way too wide and didn't lay flat.  I did unsew the neckband and cut and new one at  to 2" wide.  I was very pleased with this width.

After taking the photos, Meredith told me she really liked this top.  So much she wore it on Monday at college, texting me that many compliments were received on her top.  That all sounded good to me but I did tell her it was really the girl wearing the top.

I have to say, I usually don't have the best luck with patterns from Hot Patterns, my last one, I just discarded after a terrible muslin.  Other than the neckband, this one gave me no issues and I have fabric to make myself one.   And no it is not red!   I do think I my top I am going to shorten the back curve a bit.