Hey there crafty friends! Today I have number 5 on my list of DIY Winter Wardrobe sewing projects share with you. This is a knit striped top made from the (free!) Mandy Boat pattern by Tessuti. The pattern is one-size-fits all which will probably either make you gasp in horror or squeal in delight. To be honest during the sewing process, I wasn't sure if I was going to like this top. It was just so loose fitting. But after I tried it on I fell in love and did not take it off for the rest of the day.
This is the first Tessuti pattern that I have tried. I've been following them for a while and their Fave Top has been on my to-sew list since they first released it. The Mandy is very similar to the Fave Top except that it has separate pieces for the sleeves which makes it a great pattern for stripes. The top is very easy to make, especially with the aid of a serger.
The fabric is a bargain bin light-weight knit fabric that I also used for a pair of leggings. It's a little less stretchy than your average knit but still worked fine. Consequently the sleeves are a little tight but as long as they don't ride too far up the arm it's comfortable (just a warning to maybe measure your forearm before cutting). That said, I love the fitted sleeves paired with the swingy body of the top. It feels casual and fun and like maybe I could don a straw hat and hop on a boat. You only need about a 1.25 yards for this top so it's very affordable as well.
With such a loosely fitting body to this top, it's important to wear something slimming on the bottom like skinny jeans or leggings. I really do love this top so much. It's perfect for weekends but I'm sure I'll be tempted to wear it on an occasional weekday as well. Here I've paired the DIY top with Light Blue Jeans and Loafers. I can already envision wearing this with shorts and sneakers when summer rolls around.
