Itch to Stitch Arenal Top with lace shoulders

This is my third and final (for now) Arenal top by Itch to Stitch.  You can see my other two Arenal tops here.  It has taken me a long time to post these photos because there is some seriously weird lighting go on, and I planned to take better photos.  It hasn't happened in the past month, though, so I am just going with these.  Seriously, though, how is it both overcast and too sunny?

I used the 3/4 sleeves and standard hem on this version.  The knit fabric is from Pennie Fabrics in Sarasota and is very lightweight and drapey.  I have quite a bit more, and I'm not sure what to make with it.  Suggestions?  I am thinking of checking if I have enough for the dress pattern that I used to make my red tunic.

For this version, I used a little lavender lace I have had in my stash for eons.  I wanted to use the scalloped hem edge, but I didn't want to worry about bra strap show-through, so I just layered it on top of the standard tee.  For the knit fabric, I overlapped the front pattern piece and the front yoke pattern piece (the shoulder contrast) to make one whole front up to the shoulder.  Then, I used the yoke piece to cut my lace.  I just layered the lace on top of the knit fabric and constructed this as a regular tee.  Super simple, and it is a fun extra detail.

 I was a pattern tester for Kennis, and the links to Itch to Stitch pages in this post are affiliate.

McCalls 7351 Shirtdress

Oh my.  The lengths I went to for these photos!  First of all, it is pretty much always 100 degrees around here until October, so I sit inside, camera-at-the-ready, waiting for a big cloud to block the sun for a bit.  Then, I run out and get set up in front of my favorite Mandevilla bush because - hello, giant, gorgeous pink flowers!

 But wait!  What happened to my giant cloud?  Oh well, press on.

The cloud returned... and then entered the biggest, most-territorial bumblebee I have ever seen.  No joke, this guy decided the bush was his, and he was doing patrols around it so that every time I set the timer for a photo, there he was waiting to scare me off.  I'm not allergic to stings or anything, and I don't even know if this guy could sting, but he was definitely intimidating!  Ok, enough about the bee.  Photographic evidence of that fiasco will come at the end.  First, the dress!

This is McCalls 7351, a popular shirtdress pattern from spring.  I made view D, with the circle skirt and which is used for the sample white dress on the envelope.  This is a fantastic pattern.  It definitely looks best worn with a skinny belt.  I also used this pattern to create my Liberty blouse.

The fabric is this cotton voile from Mood Fabrics.  It says it is "vintage inspired," but it also reads Liberty of London inspired to me.  I was pleased that this voile is substantial enough that it does not need a lining or slip.  The buttons are from JoAnn.  I can't find them online, but I think they were made from a nut shell or something like that.  I like the way they contrast with the flowers.

Ok, on to the funny ones.

Here is my personal favorite of the lot:  Hey, check out my circle skirt!  Oh wait, there is a disturbing-looking bumble bee over there.

Nope, I am not even going over there this time.

Even the dog sees it!

 However, despite multiple attempts, I could not get a photo of the actual bee.

Vogue 1440

 This top is from Vogue 1440, a Donna Karan design that I gushed about here.  I really think this little blouse is the highlight of that pattern, not the jacket thing.   (I promise my hems match up!! - drives me nuts when that happens in photos)

The only change I made was to make the darts about twice as wide at the bottom, tapering to the bust point.  It was just a smidge too tent-like as drafted.  I think it still has a nice fluid shape while helping me avoid pregnancy questions.

 I adore the back detail.  I'm not usually a fan of racer-back styles on me, but I think this looks fine, and the seams are just really different.

Everything is finished beautifully, too, both inside and outside (thanks to the pattern instructions).  There is a fair amount of top-stitching, which you can't see well on mine since it is white on white.  My fabric is a cotton/linen from JoAnn's.  It was nice and cool to wear yesterday (it's 90 degrees this week already!)

Oops, you can see my cami a bit on the right up there. I wore this with a nude X-back adjustable bra and a cami that I retrofitted for this top by tying the straps together with some heavy duty thread. ;-)  I think I would have been fine without a cami, but the shirt was see-through enough that there was a distracting line where my black pants started.  I'll have to experiment with an outfit that wouldn't require a layer underneath, to maximize the cool cotton/linen factor.

I also like the detail of the covered button placket.  The only interfacing is in the collar and collar stand.  I used silk organza, and it lays very nicely, definitely the best result I've had with a collared shirt behaving.  I'm glad I didn't use fusible.

This pattern is definitely a "win."  I think I'll try it tucked into a skirt, also, and see if the volume isn't too much.  That would be a great, cool summer look.  It's all about staying cool on the bike rides for school pickup now. :-)