Sandra Betzina Today's Fit Vogue 1085 - View A

Vogue 1085 View A, the raglan-sleeved top with drapey neckline. This is my second version. I used a raspberry red knit for the first run, automatically adding 2 3/4" to the back/front length and the sleeves...but it was too long! A first! It was also too tight - was the chocolate Zinger tasty treat I succumbed to last night to blame? (OK, two Zingers.) I couldn't save it, even shortening the length and using 1/4" serged side seams. Sandra allows 1" seam allowances for the side seams, all the others are 5/8". So I retaped the pattern pieces back together and added a little extra to the side seam allowances for this one. I was going to use the leftover neck binding piece until I tried to pin it to the neckline - it wasn't stretching enough to fit. I tried tugging it and there was hardly any stretch. Did I cut it on the wrong grainline? No, the problem was the stretchy part of the knit was lengthwise. So it wasn't the Zinger's fault! It was the $1/yard Wal-Mart stash fabric, which I just assumed had the stretch going crossgrain! I still liked the contrast look and recut the binding. I also ended up taking out some of the side seam allowances, too. Whew! Sandra's sleeves still run just a little short on my arms, I think it needed an extra 1" in length. This view also has a pouch pattern piece for a weight to tuck into the front binding to help the neckline drape. Sandra suggests a quarter, though for this fabric it was a little too heavy and I went with a nickel instead. Also good to know you can also make this in a woven using a bias layout to increase the versatility, for just a bit more fabric. The one thing (two?) I realized while wearing it about today how it pulled across the bustline. Later tonight I pulled the front pattern piece and noticed the apex point was lower - lower than where the raglan sleeve met the side seam. Yet despite my tugging up, down and out, I was higher. Even the draping effect couldn't disguise it. Check the pattern to see how it corresponds to you. Honestly, I liked and bought the pattern for the wrap top, View B. I'll stick with Sandra's Vogue 2945 when I want another draped-front top.