Finished Project: Grey Renfrew top

I wipped this top up in just a few hours this week-end. I have so many projects ready to go, it was hard to decide which one to start with, so I decided to just go for it and try my hand at knit sewing.

For one thing, tt was refreshing not to have to make a muslin.

I cut a size 6 in the shoulder, bust and waist and tapered to a size zero a the hips. I cut the length of the size 6 too. The sleeves are also size 6 in the shoulder and length but I cut a size 4 in width.

The longest part was probably the cutting, because I meticulously followed Tasia's instructions on how to cut knit fabric to avoid twisting seams...Hopefully it did it right.

For the rest, I pretty much followed Tasia's advice on sewing knits without a serger:

I sewed all the pieces with a jersey needle and a zigzag stitch. I also finished all the seams with a wider and narrower zig-zag stitch to get that "serger finish" look. I topstitched the neckline, cuffs and waistband with the same zigzag stitch I used on seams. I stabilized the shoulder seams with Stay tape.

The fabric I used is a medium weight cotton knit from Gala Fabric, it's very cozy and comfortable.

Overall, this pattern was really easy to make, and the fit is really good right out of the envelope.

There is a little bit of extra fabric at the bust, I might try to remove it on my next go, maybe raise the armhole also just a bit and if I were to do the same view again, I would probably raise the neckline a smidge in the shoulder area. Next time around though, I'll probably try view C with the cowl neckline.

 How do you make a photo of a grey shirt on a grey rainy day look interesting?
You add pops of colorful yarn - and a real WIP knitting project...

I actually wear a lot of this kind of shirts in the winter, they are great for layering under a cardigan or a sweater, so I'm definitely considering making more of those. It's a great instant gratification project when you want to be able to start and finish something in the same day.