Simplicity 2360 - a flounced top

For our latest meet-up the cunning plan was to wear something which we got from the previous meet-up, be it a pattern from the swap or a piece of fabric. I secured this beautiful sheer fabric from A Charm of Magpies. It's a really dark navy blue with the leaves almost embroidered on. They feel quite silky.

There was just over a metre there, enough to make a top or blouse. Having made a blouse from Simplicity 2360 once before, I decided to have another go.

This pattern is one of the Project Runway patterns. As you can see it is a dress pattern, but when has that ever stopped me? I love the flounces over the sleeves and went with this version, but after the V-neck and back didn't work very well last time, I went for a round neck. The pattern has the option of a V-neck or round neck at the front, but the back is only a V-back. I drafted a curved back hoping that it would work! I lengthened the top, because obviously it's made to be waist length only. I also decided to make the flounces a wee bit bigger by extending them by about a couple of centimetres.

I have used French seams throughout the top. I also decided in my infinite wisdom that I would edge the flounces with binding in a contrasting colour. I didn't find any binding and bought double-sided satin ribbon. It looked good and it went on like a dream...

Until I attached the flounce to the top and put it together...

As you can see, it's a disaster! Note to self - do not use satin backed ribbon for binding edges, particularly on sheer fabric!

The top sat for a couple of days while I decided what to do. It was nearly a bin liner! In the end at the suggestion of Modern Vintage Cupcakes, I took me and my top to see MrsC at Made on Marion. We had two ideas. One to completely remove the grey edging. When I hemmed the edges last time they were a mess so this wasn't my favourite option. The second option was to Pendrell-ise the sleeves. The top has Princess seams and is a similar shape to the Pendrell. So I decided this would be the option.

I sat down one evening, unpicked the French seams and lay the flounces down so they were attached to the bodice higher up. This meant cutting off large pieces of my carefully stitched ribbon! :-( It's taken me a week to decide I won't keep them and chuck these bits in the bin - what am I like? MrsC also found me some satin bias binding in the same colour of the ribbon to bind the neck - why didn't I go there first?

So I managed to finish the top in time for Sunday's meet-up. As many of us have said already, the sun shone and it was a fantastic day. Although I added to the length of the top, it still was not that long and I ended up using a belt to tuck it in my skirt.

The finished item... You can see we did posing practice on Sunday!

 I still don't like my back view!

The nitty-gritty
Fabric:  Some kind of sheer fabric with a silky pattern, which I got at our first Wellington blogger's meet-up last November. Just over a metres worth.
Trims:  Satin ribbon from Spotlight and satin bias binding from Made on Marion.
Pattern:  Simplicity 2360 with the skirt removed and top lengthened. The back neck changed to a round neck. The flounces cut wider and shorter and attached higher up.
First worn:  For the Wellington bloggers meet-up in the Botanic Gardens last Sunday.
Worn with:  A skirt I made about four years ago (not blogged about), belt which came with a dress from Debenhams years ago and my bargain Mischief sandals (if you didn't see the last post, check out these beauties...)