Sunday, January 31, 2010

KS 3740 - Cowl-neck Top - I *heart* you.

How much are you in love with this top?? I saw this thread on PatternReview.com gushing about this cowl neck top from KwikSew and just had to try it out. And she's right, this is a fantastic pattern. The cowl lays very nicely, the shoulders fit great, the neck/cowl seam can't be seen no matter what I'm doing, and it's a stripe! Okay, it doesn't have to be a stripe but I'm a sucker for knit stripes. I got this thin, thin (see my pink bra?) knit from our local fabric boutique, Seams Like Home. It barely has enough stretch compared to the stretch indicator on the back of the envelope but it works great I think. From reading the reviews, it seems to run large. In KwikSew patterns I usually make a S or XS. I made this one the XS with a little room in the hips and it's perfect.
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My husband just bought a new camera and these photos have not been touched up at all. I usually bump up the contrast and saturation just a bit on my photos. Otherwise, they look so grey and bland. I didn't realize my lipstick was so pink. I made two changes to the pattern. The first was to make a 1/4" tuck above the bust. This shortens the length between shoulder and bust and also makes the armhole a little smaller. I also added ribknit cuffs. The length would have been just a titch on the short side and I love thick cuffs like this. The ribknit is from Seams Like Home too. Next time, I'll add an inch or so to the sleeve pattern piece.
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I love how the cowl neck chevrons in the back. There is an upper and undercollar for this pattern. There is plenty of room for "turn of cloth" There is no way that under collar is peaking out.
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Here it is "unfurled." If you look closely, you can see the seam of the upper and under collar meet.
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I'll make lots of these. I know I told you that the KwikSew dress would be my next venture but I had to trace out the pattern and treat the suiting. While it was washing and drying, I had to do something sewing related. This knit top is a quicky. I forgot to mention that put the cowl neck on backwards (under collar up) twice. Yes people, twice. I have a lot of serger thread debris on my floor.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

OH I love it, I love scowl necks. And this one from KS is the best I've seen... I've tried the Burda one, but didn't like it. This one looks perfect. And I love your stripe fabric! Chantal.

Dawn said...

Heeee heee, "scowl neck". That makes me smile.

chelsea said...

Wow that's a nice top. I love long long sleeves and I love the cuff treatment you added.

Paulette said...

Looks fab, of course!!

That would look great as a dress too... :)

Anonymous said...

What a perfect casual top!

marysews said...

That turned out so well, I was going to blame you as an enabler, but it's already on my wish list, so ...

Gertie said...

LOVE it! I was also going to say how much I love your pink lipstick. Go with it!

Bug Adventures said...

I like it, I like it!!

Amy said...

Fantastic! I'm going to have to try that one! I love cowl necks.

senaSews said...

Nice top! Well done!

Sue said...

Oh no - I really need that pattern! Fabulous shirt!

Colette said...

Yours is my absolutely favourite. I'm a sucker for stripes too and this super fine one looks lovely.

I'll be getting my hands on this pattern very soon ;)

Uma Mageswari Preve said...

That is a very nice top... I am going to try to make a cardigan using the serger.. Wish me luck!

Anonymous said...

I have this pattern too! It's very high on my knit wardrobe list. Yours looks great.

julia said...

Love the top. The vertical stripes look great on you!!!

Cole's Corner said...

I heart your shirt, too. It looks great on you and I love that the neckline is lower. I hate stuff on my neck!

Cissie said...

Love, love, love this top. Wish I had seen your before I made the Vogue cowl neck which was not nearly slouchy enough. I'm getting this one!
Cissie

Lisa said...

Oh no yet another to put on my *to do * list . Lovely and it is perfect .

Amanda S. said...

Really cute! I love it in the stripe with the cuffs. I think I need this pattern now. Why must you always do cute reviews with these pricey patterns?! :)

nothing said...

Super cowl neck, love the stripes!

judy said...

Great top!

lorenakitty said...

Finally a cowl top that's not schlumpy! After waking up again to a friggin' cold 41 degree house I need practical - but CUTE! This KS just went on the list & bumped the next project I had in line. (Gr8 tip on shortening the pattern too, thx!)

Shannon said...

Ooo, I love this top! This baby is going on my wishlist.

Little Hunting Creek said...

Cute top - now I want one! I WANT two!!!

Angela said...

Very nice! I love cowl nects, too. I need to check out this pattern. Thanks!

Bunny said...

Wow, I am having top envy. The cowl works great and I think it is because it is the right scale. Some cowls are just too big to hang right and flatter. This one is perfecto.

meredithp said...

Yup, on my wishlist too! And keep the lipstick!

Kathi said...

I made this top today also!!!!! I am very frustrated by the fit, though. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the cowl - it is awesome. The rest of the shirt is an awful fit on me. I have been spoiled by Jalie. I guess I will take one of my trust Jalie tops and make my own shirt pattern and add the cowl to that.
I agree about the sleeves. I checked and they were about the same length as the 3/4 ones from my Jalie patterns!!
Yours looks GREAT!! The stripes are awesome.

weeza said...

looks fab on you. when you take out the .5" from the shoulder, do you also have to take something off the sleeve so it still fits in the armhole? I need a SEA (small-everything-adjustment) and I'm having trouble getting my head around the geometry...

Anonymous said...

oops sorry, in my comment above, I meant to write cowl and I wrote scowl instead, that's not the same thing! English is not my mother tongue...so I make mistakes sometimes! Chantal.

amber said...

Love it! I think it it going on my ever-growing list. :)

AngelaB said...

Oh, I so love your blog! I wanted to send an email with this question, but you don't have an email address listed, so I guess I'll just ask it here.

You mention that you have been sewing for a couple of years, and I am a beginning/intermediate sewist who would like to improve her skills, but don't really know where to begin. I have a lot of books that I refer to, and am a careful and conscientious sewer and presser, but my stuff never seems to end up looking quite right. I have some problems with fit and making pattern alterations. Do you have any suggestions or words of wisdom about the best way to learn more about this? Thanks.

Susan said...

I am wearing a store bought turtleneck in the same material. How I wish it was this cowl neck version you made! Lovin' it.

Andrea said...

I love anything cowl neck or turtle neck, so you know I love this top. I think I might just have to add this pattern to my list. Thanks. Yours is AWESOME!!!!

Kat said...

I'm not one for cowl neck tops, but this one sure is nice! That's interesting you commented on the size. For some reason, all KS patterns run big on me when I match the size to my measurements.

Anonymous said...

Fabulous. I love cowl necks and I have some perfect Navy/grey striped fine knit that I have been saving for something special. Kathy in Oz