Esther’s McCalls 7542
Esther used the double gauze from Octobers Mini Box to make a top using McCall’s 7542
I was excited to receive this month’s box because I knew it would give me an excuse to do some sewing. And that’s exactly what the box did!
This month, I had the mini box and I had to think long and hard about what to make. As my body is still changing (weight loss and gain), I’m conscious of not making a lot of garments that require a lot of effort adjusting as I know I’ll need to get rid of them soon.
I immediately knew that I wanted to make a top. The vision in my head was a boxy top with grown on sleeves. The more I thought about it, the more I realised that my vision matched the Tilly and the Buttons Stevie top. It’s a pattern I have tried previously but it didn’t work for me and I really didn’t want to give it another go at this time. So back to the drawing board I went, I really wanted to try a new pattern but I also wanted to set myself up for success. As such, I decided to go to a pattern that I had used in the past and had an idea how things would turn out.
I settled for McCalls 7542 top, I know the big 4s get a bad rep but I have had a lot of success with a number of their patterns. I especially like McCalls. This pattern has different bust sizes so no full bust adjustment needed. I didn’t make any adjustments to the pattern but I think it’s becoming more apparent to me that I need to learn to do a narrow shoulder adjustment.
This was a really quick make for me. I didn’t bother with the instructions. I also used bias binding around the neckline instead of the facings. I’m not sure which process takes a longer time – facings or bias binding. But as a rule, I finish my neckline with either a lining or bias binding. I have never been a fan of facings. I had used double gauze fabric from a previous box so I knew how to handle the fabric. I pressed the fabric lightly and sewed it carefully so as not to stretch the fabric unnecessarily.
I think this fabric is perfect for the changing weather we are having in the UK. It’s light enough for a warm day and can easily be layered on a cool day.