In past spring seasons I\’ve craved color and prints, but this year, I\’m gravitating towards white, white, white. Maybe it\’s because it\’s the color of the suffragettes or maybe it\’s just because I\’ve never made a lot of white clothes before and my closet is lacking this fresh, crisp shade, but I recently placed a huge fabric order and all of it was white. These are first two makes from this haul: a seersucker tie-front top (Jennifer Lauren\’s Hunter Tank) and a pretty eyelet skirt.
I\’ve had my eye on this tank ever since it was released but never purchased it because it didn\’t come with sleeves, and I really thought that if only it had sleeves, it would be a great layering piece popped on over a sleeveless dress to give the dress a different look. As is, it\’s still really cute as a stand-alone top! I never make pleated skirts but this pretty eyelet was begging to be pleated rather than gathered, and I love the way it turned out, don\’t you? I meant to line it with a white cotton lawn, but after consulting with Rachel and Maddie I decided to leave it unlined and then wear a slip underneath. This way I can wear it with different colored slips if I want, or wear it sans slip as a bathing suit cover up (I love this idea). I did feel a little racy with my slip showing and had to keep reminding myself it\’s exactly the same as if it were lined!
I\’d still like to make a sleeved version of the Hunter, and I think I\’ll try to steal the sleeves from a different pattern (by grafting the armholes of a sleeved pattern onto the body of another, you can easily add sleeves to a sleeveless pattern) but I\’m not quite sure how well it will work since it\’s bias-cut. Even without sleeves, though, it\’s a sweet, simple pattern with a very pretty result. Mine is underlined in cotton lawn to minimize the sheerness of the seersucker, but without that, it\’s just two pattern pieces and some bias binding–very simple indeed!
During construction, I took a bunch of width out of the center front seam, and I noticed a little bit of extra vertical length in the center seam too. I was quite careful not to stretch out the bias edges during sewing so I suspect that this is a matter of the pattern being drafted for someone with a larger bust! I actually think that next time I make this pattern, I\’ll go up one size and do a sizeable small bust adjustment. Honestly, since the whole thing is cut on the bias, I could probably get away with no bust darts at all. Bias-cut garments are so unpredictable to me! I asked on instagram stories, but do you think I could just make this garment on the straight of grain? I don\’t know much about sewing on the bias, if you couldn\’t tell…
Are you adding any white to your wardrobe this year? Do you have any tips for bias-cut pattern alterations–does it work the same way? Do you prefer sewing bias cut garments, or are you all straight grain all the way?
xoxo,
What a lovely outfit. I really love the Hunter Top, after seeing your version, I really need to make one myself. Thank you for the inspiration! xB
Wow this is absolutely gorgeous on you! A real winner of an outfit. I can see the top being paired with your high waisted jeans too.
Thank you! It's a little bit short with high-waisted jeans since none of my pairs (yet!) are quite as high-waisted as my skirts are… but really cute for a more casual look!
Thank you! It's a really nice simple top to make, I hope you will make one!
Stunning pics and outfit! I love the tie front tank. All I know about cutting on the bias is that it makes the fabric more pliable and drapey… The tank looks like it fits you really well in this size, what makes you want to size up?
Hi Allie, beautfiul outfit – both the top and pleated skirt look absolutely lovely 🙂 And what a great idea of wearing a slip under the eyelet fabric instead of lining it – I love it! If I had looked at your pics only and not read your post, I would never have known!!
I think if I cut it on the straight of grain it will be less flexible, and I'll want the extra room of a size up!
Thank you! I think with a pale slip it's not noticeable, but I'd love to make a couple bright slips now for a pop of contrast!
I love the idea with the slip underneath the eyelet skirt! I just recently bought the Lizzie Skirt pattern from Sew Over It and want to sew it with eyelet fabric – I think I'll copy the \”slip hack\”. As you said, it would be great to be able to wear different colours underneath the actual skirt!
I LOVE this outfit!! Have some eyelet hanging around my stash that will be the perfect thing. What pattern did you use for the skirt (if any)?
On the sleeves question – I don't know whether you have it, but in the Merchant and Mills workbook the Curlew top is a bias-cut top with sleeves (that are also on the bias, and therefore slim). Might be a good option for copying the armscye from rather than a pattern on the straight grain?
You've totally made me take a second look at the Hunter Top pattern now! It looks so great on you and I can now envision how it would work in my wardrobe. Lovely outfit!
Ooh thank you! I will check and see if my mom has this one, she loves Merchant and Mills 🙂
I think with and without sleeves it's a great wardrobe building piece!
I didn't use a pattern, the eyelet is just pleated into the waistband, which is made of cotton shirting!
I have a sheer eyelet dress in the works, too, that I want to wear with Ogden cami slip dresses… 🙂