Uptown girl desperately seeks suitable location…
Man this top was hard to photograph. And it wasn’t the photographer (she’s ace!), or the model (although she can be temperamental!), it was finding a suitable background. We tried several locations… and everything at the start was just a little too blendy.
And then it dawned upon us… this was stash fabric, a lovely woven viscose from Tessuti, but a little more muted or toned down than I often wear these days. Changing tastes or styles is one of the downsides of having a stash.
I brought the fabric nearly three years ago when Tessuti’s Tokyo Jacket was released. The jacket hasn’t been sewn, but now I have myself a very swishy and easy to wear Uptown Top. A top that we realised needed to be photographed with a bright background. Something urban, and perhaps a little grungy… graffiti!
The pattern is the Uptown Top from A Verb For Keeping Warm. I purchased a hardcopy version from Indie Stitches, but it’s also available in pdf.
There is a lot I love about this pattern:
1. You can make it in a knit or a woven… as long as your fabric has a good amount of drape. Look how nicely those sleeves fall!
2. The pattern includes instructions for two neckline finishes – bias binding or facings. I’m a binding girl through and through! Speaking of necklines, this one is half an inch lower than drafted.
3. It can be a top (as I’ve sewn it) or, if you added the bottom band pattern piece, a tunic.
4. The sleeves are big… but they don’t gape. That’s right readers… no gaping armholes!
This is the second pattern I’ve sewn from A Verb For Keeping Warm and I do find their instructions hard to follow. It’s not that they don’t make sense or are poorly written, but it’s all words and no diagrams/photos and I’m such a visual learner. That being said, this is not a difficult pattern, and I think a beginner with a garment to two under their belt, could successfully make themselves an Uptown Top.
I increased the hem allowance from 1 1/2″ to 2″… and I would have liked to shortened the top a little more mid-construction, but I ran into the point where the sleeves meet the body of the top (see photo below) and that my readers, was the point of no return. If you wanted to shorten this pattern further, you would need to remove length from the body and sleeves at the beginning of this project… the flat pattern stage.
And now, I’m going to leave you with an earworm, athough I am sure you have already been singing it since you started reading this post – a Billy Joel song from my childhood…
“Uptown girl
She’s been living in her uptown world
I bet she never had a backstreet guy
I bet her mama never told her why…”
Pattern: A Verb for Keeping Warm’s Uptown Top (paper (US readers), paper (Australian readers) or pdf
Size: 41″ (there are three sizes relating to your high hip measurements – 41″, 44″ & 47″)
Fabric: Woven viscose from Tessuti (it’s stash fabric and long sold out!)
Alterations: Lowered the neckline by 1/2″. Increased hem allowance from 1 1/2″ to 2″.
Accessories: Sonia Rykiel beads from Christine and shoes purchased from Siricco
Photo Location: Hawthorn (eastern suburbs of Melbourne)
Ooooh- love the sleeves on this top! Unique!
Thanks Meg.. It is a quick and satisfying sew… and I do like the drama in a big sleeve!
Such a great little top. Love the drape on those sleeves. Looks like it would whip up in a jiffy too!
It’s definitely a quick sew… and let’s be honest, that’s my favourite kind!
Ha, well done finding grunge in Hawthorn! 😃
That’s a lovely fabric and really not muted at all!
You do have to look hard to grunge in Hawthorn… this gem of a location was near the fire station. Sharon and I are always scouting for places to photograph my makes… Team Blogless Anna
Umm, wow! What a cool pattern, and so perfectly you! I feel like every pattern you make I say to myself, ‘ooh, must get that one too.’ Such a a bad influence! Anyhoo, looks fab on you as always 🙂
I was such a goody two shoes as a teenager, I’m pleased that in my forties I’ve finally become a bad influence!
This is gorgeous, love this pattern design, I had not heard of them before. Your makes are so inspiring. Well done.
Thank-you for your encouragement kind words Louise. I love sharing my passion with the online sewing community.
Totally ace! Perfect location too. I look forward to trying it on! 😉
I think you’re going to like this on you too…
This is an unusual design and it looks great in that drapey fabric.
It’s great to try out new pattern brands and shapes. I think drapey fabric is the key to this one!
Never heard of this designer either, about to find out more. And thanks for the memories – Billy Joel, 1980’s & batwing tops. I love Billy Joel 😆
I’ve always loved Billy Joel and always will. He was the first ever concert I went to (with my parents) at Kooyong. Oh the memories!
Nice! I do like a bit of a batwing, though I am a bit fussy about the finish and shape. I love that the armholes don’t create gape. No one needs to be flashing an unsuspecting passerby. Love the photoshoot location too 🙂
I laughed when I read your ‘flashing an unsuspecting passerby’. To right they don’t need to see. I do like to try new shapes, it doesn’t always work, but I think this one does.
You made me buy it! Looks wonderful.
Sorry, not sorry! It’s a good pattern for us Lara. I look forward to seeing your versions. And one thing… overlock the outer edges (where the arm opening is) of the sleeve pieces before you attach the sleeves to the body.
That’s an interesting design and looks great on you … I personally think I would kinda be lost inside all the fabric Perfect location!
There is a lot of fabric Sasha… and not suitable as an under-layer, so it will be interesting to see how much wear it gets and if I make another one.
This is such a pretty top. I love the drapey under arms.
Thanks Andrea.
That is an awesome top! I bought a similar RTW top for dirt cheap after having Vinnie. I loved it so much but it became way to big once I lost the baby weight. Might need to make myself a replacement top. Thanks for the inspo!
Oh yes, a replacement top is definitely in order.
Having just recently gotten back into sewing clothes, I am loving trawling through your blog for inspiration. This top is fabulous. Looks so much better on you than the pattern photos do. Thanks for all the inspiration. I’m guessing you could wear a long sleeve merino or similar under it in cooler months successfully too. Does it ride up when you lift your arms up?
Thanks for the lovely blog feedback. The pattern is well drafted & from memory the top doesn’t ride up too much. I definitely think you could layer underneath.