Christmas Sewing: Mum's Top

Back to catching up on my Christmas Sewing from 2024 (yes, I know we are in Feburary :P). Here is something pretty darn beautiful that I made for my Mum! My biggest regret is not getting proper photos. Hopefully these will give a hint of what it looked like, even if you can't see the full top. 

I saw the pattern for this as I followed Liz Haywood's work on her blog and thought it was just lovely. You can get it in her book, A Year of Zero Waste, or as a smaller instalment via her Esty page. The way the pleats were done like origami was such a drawcard for me! As far as patterns go - experienced sewer is right, but the instructions are good and the sew along video is also very detailed and handy, so well worth the purchase. 

Funny bubbly pleats waiting to be pushed out and pressed.

I did make a draft version in an old doona cover to check how the pleats would come together and the general size. I'm glad I did because it really taught me just how precise I would need to be with the pleats. Of all the Christmas makes, this was the one I started first, but after the draft I some how stalled for a while and needed to sew Dad's shirt before I was ready to go for it. 

It's like origami and sewing all in one!

The blue linen from Spotlight was fine to sew with, if a little irritating since it crushed so easily. I did have a moment when I needed to get a spool of new thread. I took the old spool to Spotlight thinking I'd just walk in, match the code (967) and then out I'd go. Little did I know that on the huge wall of thread available, the one I needed was no where to be found. 

I had a small break down, sent Steve a variety of strongly worded texts and then pulled myself together. Found the linen that I was using for the shirt on the shelf again and took it over to the threads to colour match a new thread. Crisis averted. 

The rest of the shirt came together pretty easily, but I did hesitate before I sewed the sides, wanting to do a fit check before I bound the armholes. Mum was quite accomodating and tried it on with her eyes closed so I could check. Glad I did, because I did need to lower the arm holes a bit. Thinking I was done, I sewed it all up, gave it one more press and wrapped it for Christmas. 

The back is the same as the front. So pretty!

Mum loved it, but when she went to wear it, it turned out a little too big after all. Oh well! As always, unpicking never takes as long as you fear, and it was straight forward to undo it all, sew the sides in further and then re finish it. Success all round.