Knit Peplum Top

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you had an excellent holiday season and your mind is full of exciting resolutions 🙂

I have taken the last few days off of work and have spent it doing little other than sewing.  I have to tell you it has been wonderful!  I had gotten a little disgruntled with my sewing because I had been having some trouble with sorting out my fitting issues but I made two garments over the break that I think fit perfectly.  This accomplishment was just what I needed to get my “sewjo” back and I am ready to tackle more projects now.

On a side note, I participated in the Christmas sewing swap hosted by Vicki Kate and I was paired up with Rebecca from Sew Tiger Sew all the way over in San Francisco.  She sent me this gorgeous grey and white sheer cotton from Britex Fabrics.  I may be making an Alma blouse with it if I buy the pattern or I may use a pattern from my stash — we’ll see.  You’ll have to wait to see what I sent Rebecca when she reveals it on her blog.

A few days ago, I was checking out a new local high-end women’s boutique.  I saw several cute knit peplum tops on the racks, all in the $250 and up price range.  Aside from remarking to my husband on the outrageous price tag for something that was fabricated in China, I also noted the simple construction techniques that had been used to make the tops and exclaimed that I could make one myself — and for a lot less than $250!  So I set out to do just that.

For this top, I used Simplicity 2648, an Amazing Fit dress pattern.  I had made it once before in the preblog days before I knew how much ease the Big 4 pattern companies add to their patterns.  I recut the pattern in a smaller size and bust cup and the fit was much better.  I still did a little bit of tweaking, I think mostly because I used a knit (albeit very stable and sturdy Eileen Fisher white ponte knit), and took the seams in a tad under the bust and at the sides, but overall the 12C pattern fit me well.  I also shortened the bodice by 1″ for my short waist.  I drafted my own 1/2 circle peplum to fit once I had perfected the fit of the bodice.

For construction, I serged all the seams with a 4-thread overlock.  I then topstitched the princess seams and back darts as well as the waist seam.

I fully lined the top with a silky tricot I picked up at a local fabric salvage shop for a song.  I edge stitched the neck and armhole openings to echo the topstitching and to help keep the lining in place.

Overall, I LOVE my top and plan to wear it a ton.  I think I will also be making more knit tops like this but don’t know that I will be lining all of them, especially if they are not in a see-through color.

As an added bonus, I  now have a princess bodice block that fits me and I will be showing you the second project of my mini holiday break that I created using the pattern soon but in the meantime here is a sneak peek!

Styling Notes

Top:  Me Made!

Skirt:  CAbi

Tights:  Spanx

Shoes:  Donald J Pliner

Necklace:  Kenneth Cole

Tags: knit, peplum, simplicity, tops