Tova top #3

Yes, it had to be done... just one more Tova.

 After this one and this one I just couldn't get the idea of another version out of my head.

I had earmarked the remaining fabric from my girls dress for it and there was just enough, thank goodness. I really like the Ikat design and the fabric feels lovely. I wanted to wear it as a winter tunic over long sleeved tops, so I modified the pattern to make it hip length (good to wear with jeans and knee-high boots), with side splits for ease of movement, and sleeveless.

And to finish it, instead of making the standard mandarin style collar I bound the neckline with bias binding I'd made from the ikat fabric, leaving the ends long to create ties (which are left loose). When I was pondering how to finish the armholes I looked at pics of the Wiksten tank top (a pattern I'm trying hard not to buy) to try to work out how the edges are finished. It looks like they use bias binding for those too so that's what I tried and it worked! So I'm happy that I have another hemming technique to add to my mental list.

I've worn this tunic a few times now and am enjoying it, largely I think because the fabric is so lovely to wear. It sits well and feels substantial.Which is a nice lesson to me to really be careful about the fabrics I use - there's no point in spending time sewing something that then falls apart in the wash or doesn't feel great to wear. But that's another post, one day...

Oh, and by the way my girl and I actually wore our outfits on the same day together recently... I was about to go and change when I realised, but then I saw her face and how excited she was to be 'matching mum' that I decided to just wear it and get on with the day. Sod the embarrassment, and who cares anyway :-)