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Thursday, January 2, 2014

Laura Petrie, or Palm Beach?

Hey, it's Jungle January!!  I've been waiting for this for months!  I so wanted to participate last year, but despite several shopping excursions I couldn't find a fabric I liked.  This year, I've been stocking up :-)

I'm not sure this is really kosher for Jungle January.  I made this top in the last three days of 2013.  BUT - I just took the photos today!  And I love this top, so I'm going ahead with it.


If you follow me on Instagram, or if you've taken a peek at my stash pages up above, you've already seen this fabulous sequin leopard print.  I actually bought two separate pieces of this fabric, because I loved it so much and I was planning on making some pattern changes so I wanted insurance!


This top is the same as my first two sequin tops.   When I went back and took a look at the magazine, I discovered that there was a version with sleeves.  My first two used pattern 12/2012 #118B, and you may remember that there was no download option for that pattern.  But this is 12/2012 #119 - it uses the same pattern pieces and adds in sleeves - and this one is on the website.  I think this is a great little pattern, so if you are looking around for a simple darted top, do consider this one.

The sleeves on #119 are long and full.  I knew that I wanted elbow-length sleeves for this top, so I traced the sleeve pattern piece but then trimmed the arms down to match the Renfrew long sleeve, which fits me well.  I knew that making the top out of this sequin sweater knit, the fit would be looser - and that is just what I was looking for with this one.

I did end up trimming sequins on this top as well, but not as much as on the last one.  I used the plain fabric from the selvage to make bindings for the neck and sleeves, so didn't need to trim there.  Then I tried on the top to see if the sequins were scratching me and where.  It turned out that they really only bothered me on the inside of the arms, so that's the only place I had to trim.






Here's a little sequin-trimming anecdote for you:

Hubby:  "There are sequins in the bathtub."
Me:  "I know.  I was making another top.  I haven't cleaned up yet."
Hubby:  "But they're in the bathtub.  How did they get here?"
Me:  "On the bottom of your feet.  You're a Carrier."

Hahaha.  He was so disconcerted!  But:  I think I'm over the sequins.  For now.


Also, this project was the first entry in my new notes binder!  I placed my pattern pieces in a zip-lock bag when I was done and stuck that just behind the note page.




Anyway, I think this is pretty cute.  In my mind, it reads Laura Petrie.  But there's a tiny voice in the back of my head saying maybe it reads more Palm Beach retiree?  I think I can be OK with that.

Here's a close-up of the front and back, so you can see the fit better:



I think of this as my casual, day-time sequin top.  I would totally wear this out for lunch with these little gold flats and jeans.  You can dress it up or down, and it's actually pretty comfortable.


And finally, I think I'm supposed to do this for Jungle January?


If not, have a good laugh on me!

50 comments:

  1. Very nice! I love sequins but am a little scared to sew with them.

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    1. Thank you! It's not so bad really! My secret is to use an old needle :-)

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  2. Hehehehe! That pose is gold. I think it should become madetory for all Jungle January makes!
    Also, that top is fab! Not retiree at all. Very cute!

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    1. I think it is? I don't know! I've seen a lot of people doing this pose, and I thought it was in connection with JJ!

      Thank you!

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  3. Very cute! I love all the sequin tops you've been making lately!

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    1. Thanks, Kelly! I think this is the last one for a while :-) As you know, I'm now on a Stash Diet!

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  4. Great job! I'm super impressed with the sequin sewing :)

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    1. Thanks, Kristin! I had a lot of fun with it the last month or so. So festive!

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  5. I LOVE this blouse. Your innards are always so nice and clean. I almost always have something wacky going in the seams.

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    1. Thank you! I love it too! And actually, they're not THAT great - fooled you all with the black fabric, low light and crappy camera! LOL!

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    1. Rawr! You have to be killer in the Jungle! hehehehe!

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  7. This one is great! Sooo beautiful.

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  8. Love your top and your purring pose :) I did have to look up who Laura Petrie was ... ESL moment? In any case, that's great that the top had a sleeved version - did you alter anything at the armscyse/sleeve area? It looks great. If you're done with sequins, I bet Hubby is a well. A "carrier". You crack me up!

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    1. Hey, I'm growling! I guess you know how tame I really am!

      Ohh, Laura Petrie - my style icon!

      I didn't alter the sleeves at all, because this sweater knit has a fair bit of give. However, if I were to make this top in a woven, I'd do the whole forward shoulder/sleeve head adjustment thing. But the armscye is the same for both 118 and 119.

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  9. When I grow up I want to be as cool as you! Lol! Awesome posing skills!

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  10. Totally love this - definitely Laura Petrie! :)

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    1. Thanks, Sally! I'm glad to know I got some agreement on that!

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  11. Only you would have "lunching jungle print sequins"!

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    1. Hehehehe! I'm working on my "I'm 50 - I can do whatever the hell I want!"

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  12. That is a fabulous top! Love your hair down.

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  13. Well, you know how I feel about Laura Petrie, so yes, I love this top too! Great job.

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    1. Thank you! Her wardrobe was the best, wasn't it? For me, it was always the slim pants, flats and sweaters - LOVE!

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  14. Another great top! I love it with the skinny jeans and flats.

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  15. You are the queen of sequins Gail! Another fabulous top. Love the conversation between you and your hubby, sounds like something that would be overheard in my house too!

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    1. Thanks, Sam! The guys can be pretty entertaining, can't they? Today he told me he thought it would be a great idea to make men's jeans that have side slant pockets, like dress pants. LOL!

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  16. It's awesome - sequins plus Pard = awesome. It's very Golden Girls but in a totally fab way. I think it'd look great with some little black 60's style Capri pants. Love it.

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    1. Thank you! I agree it would look good with black capris. OR: gold ones? Maybe?

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  17. Such a super top! You just can't go wrong with sequins and a tiger pose :)

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    1. Thanks! I know you approve anything sequins!

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  18. so awesome!! love the sleeves, i hope you do have loads of opportunities for sequin top wearing! and "you're a carrier..." cracks me up!

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    1. Sequin Fever: don't let it affect the ones you love!

      Thank you! I am interested in trying the sleeve the way they are in the pattern. The photo on the page is a little misleading - that big sash is actually part of the skirt, not the top. Just a simple, classic top pattern!

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  19. Oh wow, I just love your new blouse. It is awesome and you look fierce in it! I'm so excited about your new sewing notebook, too (ahh, the geek in me).

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  20. Love it, your pattern is the perfect showcase for this beautiful fabric!

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    1. Thank you! I think it's a great basic. (The pattern - probably not a sequin leopard print top!)

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  21. AHHHHH, I LOVE this!!!!! So, so cute! It's just the right amount of glitzy!

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    1. Hahaha, I had a feeling you would like this! Channeling my inner Ginger!

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  22. Really love this with sleeves and I am seriously jealous of all of the sequins! I'm looking forward to a month of the purr/Grrr poses on my blogroll! Too bad I have no animal prints in my stash and I am on a fabric diet... January Jungle looks fun!

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    1. Thanks, Sara! I definitely want to try the pattern as written some day, with the long full sleeves.

      Believe it or not, this was the best of the grrr poses I did! They were pretty funny!

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  23. Mmmm, I love this top so much, especially how casual the styling is, yet it's so put together. It's simply fabulous.

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    1. Thanks, Jill! I'm hoping to wear it very soon -haven't made it out of my grubbies in days because I've been doing a lot of cleaning!

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  24. where did you get the sequin fabric...it's not in any of your info!

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