best motorcycle 2013: Eleanor Rigby Top

Before Abbey was an Abbey she nearly became an Eleanor. You see we like the Beatles... (ok we love the Beatles) We wanted to give our kids names that meant something to us, so we choose Beatles names. We didn't discover the gender of our little miss until she was securely in our arms so we went to the hospital with a list a boy and girl names figuring we would decide which fit when we saw her face. She was almost an Eleanor. It's ironic actually because our little Abbey is the shyest little gal I know, so maybe Eleanor Rigby would have suited her just fine. She prefers to play by herself and be by herself and breaks down crying in a hysteria if a stranger so much as glances her way, it's 10 times worse if they dare try to greet her. Tell me, do you have shy kids? Kids that shy? Tell me they outgrow it and it's just a phase... Anyway back to the top of the day. I appropriately named it Eleanor Rigby for our shy little one... (although maybe naming it wallflower would have been more hopeful)

I added pockets to a relatively simple top so she could store her treasures and it added a little detail.

It also takes advantage of some smocking from the lesson earlier this week.

So shall we get started?

Now before we laugh and make fun of my drawing skills here, let me just say a while back my dear sweet husband bought me a drawing tablet for the computer, it take some getting used to (clearly) so I am trying to force myself to use it more often. Sketching out the pattern pieces I just thought would be the easiest way for you to see them, bad sketches and all. (ok feel free to laugh now) So here is the deal.
The front of the top is broken into 2 pieces one bodice piece that will be smocked and one skirt piece that will have the pockets. The lines show the slits for the pockets.
The back I made all one piece. Then I cut a slit in the top to create a larger neck opening.
Then there is the sleeve which I did as a petal sleeve. (more on that later)
Lastly the pockets which is just a rectangle the length of which should be two times the desired depth of the pocket. (since the pocket is folded)
Other than that you will use facing for the bodice, front and back. For the front I did mine fully faced which means cutting two bodice pieces and for the back I only did a facing which you will see later.

Ok so let's get down to it. The bodice is going to be smocked. Remember in smocking 101 how if you are going to smock then you have to allow for 2.5-3 times extra room. The easiest way to do this is to create a regular bodice piece (shown folded) and then cut out a second one adding several inches. (both shown folded)

Then smock the top. I smocked the middle section only, using the honeycomb pattern. The best thing about smocking a plaid is the lines are already there for you I just used the cross points as my "dots" You can see how once it is smocked it is the same size as the regular bodice piece, which is now the facing.

Now for the petal sleeve. I have made a petal sleeve a number of different ways, but lately this is what I do: Trace the curve of the arm opening. Then continue the curve up past the shoulder (that's what will overlap) then round down and come to a point at the arm pit. Is this the "right" way? Likely not, but it is the way I like to do them.

Next for the back facing. I cut a curved piece that goes from shoulder to shoulder and is long enough to go an inch past the slit that is in back. Then be sure to cut the slit in the facing as well.

Ok now for the sewing... before we start I changed the neckline when I was done, since I decided I didn't like it when it was on. So I am changing some of the instructions from what is shown... Start by sewing the facing pieces together at the shoulder seams. Then sew the bodice piece to the back piece at the shoulders. Then with right sides together sew the facing to the outer pieces by sewing around the entire neckline, including sewing around the slit in back.

Then you will turn the facing around to the inside and simply tack by hand the facing in place at the shoulder seam. That will keep it secure. SO you can kindly ignore the piping and the top stitch which is a hot mess and was removed...

Next let's tackle that front skirt piece. Start by sewing some piping to the bottom half of the slit. The flap of the piping should line up with the raw edge of the slit.

Then take your pocket flap and sew right sides together along the same line you sewed the piping. The left pocket above is done and the pocket has been turned to the inside and the right pocket is showing how you sew it.

This next part is really easy to do but hard to photograph. I promise it makes more sense as you do it. You want to take the other end of the pocket rectangle and flip it up so right sides are together with the top part of the slit.

Then you will sew it together. Both seams now should be on the back side or inside of the top.

Then fold those pocket flaps to the inside and you should have pockets that go into the slit. This is where I take a needle and thread and hand tack the corner of the piping into the corner of the slit.

Then in the back sew both sides of the pockets.

Then with right sides together sew the skirt piece to the front bodice piece.

Now for the sleeves. You should have 8 petals. 4 for each side. Sew two right sides together. Then turn it right side out.

WIth right sides together secure the petals in place matching them at the end of the arm opening and overlapping them in the middle. Then sew them in place. (you can once again ignore the piping at the neck)

Then with right sides together sew along the sides.

Lastly add a button and loop to the back and hem the bottom and you are all done, unless you are like me and decide you hate the piping and cut it all out and re-do the neckline...

Either way your little miss (or big miss) has a new and stylish top. Which can be worn with a belt if you are a belt lover like Abbey and thinks a belt should be worn with PJ's and even swimsuits...