Redo!

I wrote about sewing the Textile Studio-Monaco Shell. See this link:Danvillegirl Sewing Diary: Wadder! Couple of key issues were the fabric, difficult knit to sew and the top needed a FBA.

I decided to try it again. Based on feedback received from some who read the post and learning more about sewing with knits at ASG I decided to make the top again. I had sufficient fabric to make it again and may be able to get a cami from the remainder.

I used Sulky Solvy,placed along the fabric edge, against feed dogs, while serge finishing the seams. I tried fusing some straight as well as bias tape but serger worked best with Solvy. I made one inch FBA which proved to be the right thing to do. The top came out very nice and I will take pictures later to post.

The directions have you sew front and back center seams, then turn down facing edge which is a cut-on type facing for front and back. You then stitch in ditch to secure the turn down facing. Then sew shoulder seams, turn down remainder of neck edge and stitch in ditch of shoulder seam to secure that part. You are then to sew side seams, turn under sleeve edges and working from wrong side, topstich the sleeve edges. I decided to turn under the 3/8 sleeve edges and topstitch which allows a more flat topstiching. This worked great. I then sewed side seams and turned up hem and topstitched it. This is a pretty quick top to make and if one had uninterupted time, could cut and sew it in about 1 1/2 hours. I love the greens and warm pinks of the fabric.