Tunic Top | NewLook Pattern 6292

Do you ever buy a pattern.... so excited to make that pattern at the time, then find it sort of lingers in the pattern stash collection for years..... quietly talking to you every time you thumb through the patterns, yet always the one overlooked and unmade.  That's the way it was with NewLook 6292.  And now it's finally made.

As long time readers of this blog know by now, it seems most of the items I make have some sort of story to tell, and this tunic top is no different.  It was not planned..... not in the queue nor anyway near my radar until I made these gray suede stretch leggings, below, last week.  I've been fairly successful methinks in mashing up a Burda and Ottobre legging pattern to create a customized version and as I wore these to snap a photo for Instagram last week, it felt I needed a little more coverage.... particularly in the front.  The Ottobre Swing Cardi covered the back well..... but the front sort of bugged me. 

Cardi, Top, Leggings unblogged

A thoughtful search for a longer, more tunic-style length top pattern in my collection produced NewLook 6292, that looks like it is still available here.  Pattern Review has a few reviews of the pattern and is also available there.  Anyway, I thought view D..... the greenish one at the top, with it's split hem, higher in the front, longer in the back.... with the front still being over the crotch area might work.   This beautiful rayon challis type fabric came from my only-open-once-a-month textile outlet fabric store All About Fabrics..... and if you look closely there is a soft gray within the circles.  It looked nice held up to the gray suede leggings.  Though I'm not a big fan of hi-lo hems, I thought this one might work well for me. 

This fabric was all slippery-slidey so from the very beginning of pattern placement I took my time and double/triple checked before all cuts.  I am pleased and think the alignment of the fabric's print shows a quality of workmanship and higher skillset I've worked hard to achieve.  Believe it or not, this was my first split placket (is this what it's called?!) I've ever made.  Instructions were good and I reeealllly took my time with not only centering the cut, but also the stitching of the placket.  Hard to see because of the brown thread blending in..... but it is even on both sides.  The only step I had trouble with was the neckline binding/facing.  Instructions had you understitch and layer seam..... but did not have you clip the seam and think that would've helped with everything laying flat without such a headache.  Ironing had to be done very carefully because I found out quite quickly my fabric melted.  ;)

The split hi-lo hem was super easy to do.  I chose to serge the raw fabric edges of front and back pieces before stitching together.... then simply turned back twice and topstitched at the split hem.  Not sure I like the hi-lo look of this on me.  It feels like I've got some sort of weird tail back there or something.  If it bothers me enough it's still long enough to cover the derriere if I even it up with the front.  I think.  This is a size 12 straight from the pattern envelope with no modifications even though my hip measures more of a size 14.  This may be why it looks 'straight' on me when I thought the pattern envelope showed it to be a little more flowy in the hip area.  It also fits me snug through the back shoulders which I found odd as that's where I usually have to narrow patterns.  So if you are broad shouldered you might need to keep that in mind.  Sleeves are long-sleeve length with an 1 1/4" hem I simply top-stitched..... same as bottom hems.

Today I've got it paired, not with the gray suede leggings, but with a newly made brown ribbed knit leggings from the same mashed up pattern.  These leggings are so simple, and I've got it down pat now that it takes maybe an hour from start to finish.  The brown ribbed knit has been in the stash as long as the top fabric and I had always planned on doing something with them together.  Still think this will look good with the gray leggings.

These photos were snapped as I headed out to the Tuesday morning Ladies Bible Study I enjoy at my church.  And to my super delight..... out of the blue one of the sweet ladies said how much she loved my top and asked if I made it.  *insert big smile here*  They know my little secret of how I sew my clothes and this nice compliment really made my day.

We've had super weird weather lately.  A week ago we had sleet and hail covering the ground, with a lightning storm that struck our home twice the very next night..... we woke to smoke and the smell of fire in the house...... then rain, rain and more rain the rest of the week.  This was one of the first days we've been dry and even now are expecting more rain tomorrow.  The lightning strike took out our internet service and we are only just now back online.  Am so grateful all our other electronics were spared and our home was okay. 

Happy Sewing All!  :)