Summer Top 2

I have cranked out several light weight cotton summer tops (but I'm still sweating, dios mio, que calor hace). I'm still cranking, and still obsessed with Japanese Sewing Books. This is fromTunic Tunic, which I found on Etsy at Pomadour24's shop. The link will take you there. The books are all written in Japanese, but if you have some sewing experience, you shouldn't have any problem. The pictures are quite good and the garments simple enough so that they almost sew themselves. If you do have problems, though, check out Label Free for some guidance and inspiration. This is the second top I've made and I've got another on the cutting table. Don't hold your breath, though...I always have more on the cutting table than I can comfortably sew in a reasonable amount of time. It's like reading 4 books at once. Is there a problem?

The fabric is a lightweight cotton with just a tiny hint of metallic thread strategically placed throughout. I found it at Gail K in Atlanta when I popped in a few weeks ago. What a fun store, just prepare to spend hours! And hours. At one point, the clerk really did say to me, "Are you still here?"

Summer Tops

My go-to summer work uniform is shorts and a cute top (I'm a home health physical therapist, and I could find myself in almost any type of home, from single-wide trailer with holes in the flooring, chickens out back and no air conditioning to multi-million dollar mansions perched on top of a mountain with bears in the backyard. (Oh wait, we have chickens out back and an occasional bear in the backyard.) I have a few pair of cargo shorts I wear (because they have extra pockets), but I needed MORE CUTE TOPS! Who doesn't?

Now that I'm sew-obsessed, I can't even bring myself to buy a cute top at Target because my new mantra is, "I could make that!" So here is my summer of 2011 cute top catalog.

Here's the collection and below are some details of each top.

This one and the next one are New Look 6891. I modified this one so that the front has pin-tucks instead of gathers. It was meant to be a wearable muslin made of something inexpensive from Hancock's, but I do love it and have worn it several times this summer. Ditto the version below, which was my first version, and which I also wear almost every weekend I work. I'm looking for the perfect fabric to make a non-work version (because once something is designated "work," no matter how cute, it's over. I'll never reach for it when I'm just out and about.

But look how cute that tie sleeve is! I've been looking for the perfect pattern for a Liberty of London cotton. Once I find that perfect pattern, I'll splurge. Any suggestions? This fabric is a swiss dot from Hancock's. The more I wear it the more I like it, but I find I can't ever say I LOVE anything from Hancock's. That's because we have an amazing fashion fabric store here in Asheville called Waechter's Silk Shop. Definitely worth a special trip to Asheville.

This lovely blouse is the Origami Blouse from Twinkle Sews by Wenlan Chia. Oh how I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! And this top. So much so, I'm making a linen dress from this pattern now. Stay tuned, it should be ready in a few days. This was also a wearable muslin. I had the fabric in my stash for a long time, so I can't say for sure what it is, but it is probably a linen blend, blue and white striped, great for summer in the South.

Another wearable muslin (all my wearable muslins turn into work tops). This is from a Japanese Dress Book (my latest obsession thanks to Karyn over at Make Something. I'm trying to plan a PT course in Toronto just so I can go shop some of her Nani IRO japanese fabrics.) Oh, anyway, the book is called Happy Homemade Volume 3. I just love the neckline and the sleeve...so simple. The fabric is another something inexpensive from Hancock's. And yes, this top would be great in and Liberty of London tana lawn.