Liberty Tie-back Trapeze Top

Before winter leaves Sydney I'm trying to get a little more cool weather sewing done. This jumper is the first, bit of that, I'll see how many more I get done before the weather warms up.

The fabric is Liberty loopback 'Jody' in green, bought at The Fabric Store. It's a loopback rather than a fleece, so it's warm but not hot so I can wear it more of the year. There's a growing amount of Liberty fabric at The Fabric Store and it's well priced (still expensive, but cheaper than other places) so I'm glad that the Surry Hills store is just a bit too far from the office for me to get there and back during my lunch hour, and their opening hours mean I can't get there after work either. Otherwise I'd visit too often and spend too much.

The pattern is from the Japanese sewing book, Couturier Sewing Class. When I was flipping through the book in Kinokuniya this jumper was the pattern that stood out to me and was the reason I bought the book. The top has a raglan sleeve, a tie back and shoulder darts to give it a bit more structure. The pattern is one of two versions in the book, there is also a dress length version.

The fabric is a knit, but is a stable knit so it doesn't have a lot of stretch. That makes it work really well with the slightly structured nature of this jumper, expecially because it allows the trapeze shape to keep its shape. It also means the bow for the tie back stays upright and in place. So overall, this type of fabric is just right for the pattern, and the feminine floral print is a nice contrast with the structured shape.

As is common with Japanese pattern books the sizing needs some adjustments. This pattern book is designed for a slightly older sewist than the stylish dress books, with the sizing starting slightly larger, covering small to extra large. However the heights are shorter for this book, under 160cm for the small and medium, and up to 165 for the large and extra large. The small's bust, waist and hip measurements were right for me, but I'm taller than the tallest height. Given the pattern also has a dress option, I traced out the extra large dress length and simply cut the top further down than the pattern suggested.

The top was very easy to cut out and to sew, and extremely quick to put together. It's probably a good pattern to make if you've been feeling uninspired and want something good that's fast to restart your creative juices. It's also extremely wearable. I've already worn it twice, both with jeans and with a skirt, so it's versatile which makes it a good wardrobe staple. I definitely recommend this pattern and this sewing book as one to look out for.