Simplicity 4020 Print Kimono Sleeve Top

Fortunately my 1980s Toyota basic sewing machine does work. Its very noisy and smells strongly of sewing machine oil. It had been in the loft a long time in the other house and I wanted to use it to take to evening class, so asked my dad to get it running again a few years ago. He did. bless him, but used so much oil that more than 4 years later it still gets everywhere.

Once I had got used to using a clunky basic machine again actually it sews perfectly adequately, and using it and my serger I have made this top this evening. I know you all like pictures of the clothes being worn and I will do one honestly, but for today its just a hanger shot. It fits well though so I am a happy bunny.

The only changes I made were to lengthen the body and sleeves, and to have a tiny hem on the sleeves so they fell longer on the arm. I also stretched the neckband a fair bit as I sewed it on resulting in cutting about four inches off. This looks slightly gathered on the hanger but means it sits neatly on the body when worn.

The fabric is a thin cotton knit with not a great deal of stretch. It does howver have a nicely printed pattern (which stretches with the fabric, I hate when those white lines appear when prints get stretched) and I think may have been a John Kaldor fabric though I cannot recall where I purchased it. Its a bare 1.5m and neatly folded so I think one of the more expensive places rather than a bargain remnant.

This top is also a 16 and is a neat fit  - well through the lower body which is the only place this style really fits. However it is a very different fabric. I moved the slinky top to take the photo of this one, and its MUCH heavier, which I think is stretching the whole top out of shape a bit, though the Butterick pattern has come out too large before so perhaps a bit of both on that. I shall recut the slinky top tomorrow when I have a bit more will to tackle a gone wrong project. However the quick success of tonight's project will help with that I am sure!

The machines will stay threaded in red until I have redone the slinky top to fit better.

Not sure when sewing red fabric to black lining whether to use red or black thread. Is there a convention on this? The red is the faux fur, the black the satin lining for the wrap.