Silhouette Tank Top

I'm not as fast getting something finished in this new year in the sewing room as some of my fellow bloggers, but finally something is finished!  Below is a photo of Silhouette #550, Tank Top.  This is a pattern made for woven fabrics.  The fabric is a "remake" of a silk blouse that I picked up at a thrift shop a number of months ago.  The blouse still had the original sales tag on it, and I think I paid $3 for it.

I had pulled out the tissue some weeks ago and made a quick and dirty muslin out of a retired bed sheet. For the original muslin, I cut a size 2 at the neck/shoulders and widened out to between the size 3 and 4 for the hip area.  I was generally happy with the fit, but did have just a smidge of neck gape.  So, I just slit the bust dart (the pattern has a bust dart coming from the side seam), then made a slit at the neckline, and overlapped the neckline a "smidge" (somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4" overlap).  It was with that adjusted pattern I cut this silk.

What I failed to allow for was french seams.  I needed to do this on this fabric to deal with the fray.  As a result, my side seams are a bit larger than 3/8" which is allowed by the pattern.  So, this top is a smidge tighter through the bust than I like, but it will get some wear as I'm not ready to add it to the donation pile just yet.  I've made a note on the pattern envelope so that this doesn't happen again (that is IF I read the pattern envelope before I cut again).  This pattern will be fine as is for fabric that I will be using serged side seams.

Below you see my pattern.  The back is at the top of the photo.  That overlap you see is not an alteration; it is merely a "piecing of the pattern paper."

The front pattern piece is at the bottom of the photo and you'll see the slight adjustment made at the neck and bust dart.

Next up for me (I think) is a muslin of Butterick 5678.  Rhonda Buss has done some wonderful creations using this pattern as her base.  She's done some great tutorials for different necklines and sleeves.  I definitely want to try one out.  Before I tell you which one, I'll just show you when I complete it.

If you haven't had a chance to check out her blog, you a missing a great resource and wonderful inspirations, so be sure to take a minute to click on Rhonda's blog.

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While my tank top wasn't a true factory fold pattern tried in the new year, I'm going to give myself a break and count it anyway.  I feel like I am beginning to work toward my new year goals.