Kwik Sew 4159 in Moda Regent Street cotton lawn

This top is an unexpected gem.  I had sort of low expectations for both the fabric and the pattern, which I will explain, but I am quite pleased with the end result!

I purchased the fabric at a little local quilting shop during a visit to my parents this past January.  The ladies were just unpacking bolts of the Moda Regent Street lawn fabrics and all the pretty florals caught my eye.  There was much hemming and hawing on my part before I settled on a bit of this for some type of summer top or blouse.  After purchasing it, though, I still couldn't visualize the top in my head.  I really didn't want it to be too juvenile looking, and I only had one and a half yards of this narrow fabric.

The pattern is Kwik Sew 4159, which doesn't look like much based on the pattern photo, in my opinion, but I was on the lookout for something to make with my fabric, and I thought the flowy back might be a nice compliment to the soft lawn.  The sleeveless version with notched neckline looked nice, and I decided to give it a go, despite fears of it turning into a shapeless blob.

Here is the result.

 As a simple, cool summer top, I think this fits the bill.  The fabric is opaque enough to wear over a nude-colored bra with no problems, and it is oh so lightweight and cool to wear.

 It is fun and casual with my lavender shorts, but with some white cropped pants or jeans, it will look a bit more sophisticated.

 The swingy back is surprisingly flattering. I did take in the side seams about 1" each, tapering to the regular seam line at the bust dart.  This is basically a muumuu in top-form, so you do want to be sure the shoulders fit well and it isn't tooooo voluminous in the front.

  The notch at the neckline was easy to sew, and it stays put just fine.  I did not interface at all, but I used a slightly heavier-weight cotton for the neckline facing.  I machine-tacked the facing to the top in a few places and don't have any trouble with it flipping out.

 She armholes are finished nicely with purchased bias tape.  Don't mind the sunburned arms.  Too much gardening!

Again, I think this is surprisingly flattering.  It is not too voluminous in the waist area, and the soft lawn fabric is perfect.  So all in all, a serendipitous creation!