A Garment a month: March - Bess Top

Ok, I know you are wondering what happened to February, right? I'm claiming my Roly Poly for that month. It might be small, but it's still a garment.

Anyway, this month my infatuation with Imagine Gnats patterns continues, this time grown up size. For March, I made a Bess top. I'd seen this on Pinterest in different versions and thought that I'd give it a go. I liked that it didn't have sleeves to set or darts in the bust (I'm starting off easy, remember?). 

I had a panel of Nordika fabric by Jeni Baker that I loved and was reluctant to chop up. Plus I (still) have a load of that sheer chambray, so a Bess top they were destined to become. 

Now, I stayed up late last Thursday finishing the top so I could wear it Friday and I got instant gratification. A complete random in the park came up to me and said she liked my top and where did I get it? Ka-Ching! Doesn't look handmade then. Next up I got a compliment in my local quilt store. Double Ka-Ching!! So clearly I must make more clothes. 

Slight downer was the discovery of this hole later in the afternoon

But I stitched it up and it seems to be holding so far. 

I made the pattern pretty much per the instructions with the exception of using a knit to bind the neck / arm hole / hem. I didn't have any on hand and I didn't want to buy some just for this, so I used the finishing method from the Wiksten tank and bound it with the chambray. 

Next time round I think I'd like to try French Seams down the side. I don't have an overlocker and I think a finished seam looks so much nicer than pinking / zig zagging. Plus I think it may be a bit sturdier construction for people that have small children hanging off them. I suspect that the pinking may have had something to do with that hole...I don't know for sure, but the seam looked a little skinny there post pinking.

Regardless, it was a quick and easy sew. The pattern says intermediate because of the sleeves wrapping around requiring some thinking (I thought ''I have to do what?'') but I just went ahead and sewed and it was pretty straight forward. I would definitely not class myself as an intermediate garment sewer and I had no troubles following this pattern at all. I am pretty happy with how it all came together and I think there are more Bess tops in my future.

This is also my finish for March ALYoF (I was #40 in the original goal linky). Now I have to start planning for my garment for next month.