Simplicity 8750 Two Ways

Hello everyone!

I hope you are well!

I have to admit I have been under a lot of stress with renovating my kitchen.  There are many decisions to make, and it has been a bit more overwhelming than I thought it would be.  However, there seems to be a direct correlation between the amount of stress I am under, and my ability to sew.  The more I feel stressed, the more I sew--for now at least!  

So today I am delighted to show you Simplicity 8750 done in two different views.  I will start with View A, the slouchy turtleneck version:

I knew that I wanted a basic turtleneck done in a neutral color.  Since I already had this gray ponte knit in my stash, this was my selected fabric of choice.  I made a size 12, graded to 14, and added 1" of length for my long torso.  All the pieces are serged, and I love the final result.  It is a great staple that I will be able to mix and match other items with.  

The gathers on the yoke piece create a nice effect, and I think they would be so pretty with different applications like lace or colorblocking like Mimi G's version.  The only thing I didn't like was wearing the turtleneck unfolded.  It took up most of my neck, and wasn't very flattering on me.  If I were to make this again I would decrease the pattern piece size slightly so I could wear it unfolded.  

For the second version, I decided to revisit the V-neck, or View B:

Since I chose a basic fabric for my first version, I thought I would spice it up some with the V-neck.  So this is a jersey print I picked up at Fine Fabrics a few weeks ago while scrambling around there on a busy Saturday.  It is also size 12 graded to 14, with the same adjustments.  Again, I really like the soft gathers on the yoke.  I love this top too, and have already worn it!

For construction, I would like to talk about two things as it relates to this V-neck tee.  The first is the assistance Mimi G gives with creating the V-neck and getting it to lay properly at center front.  I think she does a great job of breaking down the three tips she has so that you can sew the neckband well.  I would add that I found that basting the "V" center seam of the neckband, and aligning it to the basted "V" at the center front of the shirt was SO helpful.  That is what I have done with my Renfrew V-necks in the past, and that helped here as well.

Secondly, have you heard of the clipping method for inserting knit sleeves into tops?  I certainly hadn't, especially since I make it a habit to sew my sleeves in flat.  Well, just for fun, and to learn a new way of doing things, I decided to give this method a try.  Since it came recommended by Mimi G, I figured it was worth attempting.  It is so great!!!  

I have had instances where the sleeve cap is a little higher and less rounded, and that makes it harder to set in flat for me.  With the clipping method, you apply small clips along the garment sleeve edge to create the additional spacing you need to ease the sleeve in.  You can see it explained here (skip to 7:25).  It doesn't take very long since you are only applying the snips in a small area.  I still prefer sewing my sleeves in flat, but will definitely use this method again in knits with a higher sleeve cap.  

As you can see, this pattern is pretty versatile!  You can easily create nice basics, or turn it up another level with a fun print.  

I will be back next week to show you Mccalls 7313!  

Stay sew-filled!