Picasso Top

Out of the remnants of the teal double knit I made Burda 111 from 04 / 2014 - a very unusual and original design, which is extremely popular on the Russian Burda site and has been made more than a hundred times (blouse and dress combined). 

I first saw this top on Carolyn's blog a few years ago and was immediately intrigued by it, as it looked different than the usual longsleeve knit blouses and kind of sophisticated. So when I was purchasing Burda knit top patterns last year, this pattern was the first on my list. 

For two months now I've been planning to make it and I was just waiting for the right fabric to try it - drapey and stretchy enough and not too expensive for a trial garment. So this teal double knit was just the perfect choice.

The construction of the blouse is quite unorthodox, it looks a bit like a design by Picasso :). The body is cut on the fold, with only one seam at the right side. The right sleeve is attached to the shoulder as usual, while the left sleeve is constructed without a sleeve head and is attached to a straight opening, which is cut into the folded left side of the body. The cowl is a long narrow tube, which is left to fold freely on itself.

The making of the blouse was fairly easy. The only modifications to the pattern I made - my usual shortening to accommodate for my petite height - I shortened the body by 10 cm and the sleeves by 4 cm and as the sweater is wide and straight I chose the size according to my bust measurements - 34. 

I sewed the cowl with a french seam, as recommended and hemmed it with a narrow 1 cm hem. I attached the left sleeve on the overlocker and then added a narrow zigzag seam on the straight machine and the rest part of the blouse is as usual for knit tops - overlocker seams and double needle hems.

Pattern: # 111 from Burda 04/2014

Size: 34

Fabric: polycotton, double knit

Thread: black polyester (overlocker), teal polyester (Elna)

Time to make: 2 days

So, my thoughts on this blouse. I don't like it and what is most important, I find it extremely uncomfortable to wear. The left sleeve keeps sliding down and the straight seam across my arm feels tight and keeps pulling into my arm when I move. The cowl is shapeless and unflattering and because of the pulling of the left sleeve the blouse keeps riding up and forming ugly folds across my chest. 

I consider my curiosity with this pattern satisfied for now, but I'm not keeping the blouse - there is too much nice fabric in it, so I plan to disassemble it and make another top out of it. Meanwhile I had enough fabric remnants after cutting this top and with the help of some pattern tetris I managed to squeeze a third blouse, which I finished last night. Hopefully, there will be a photosession of it soon.