Summer Top Week, Day IV

Some of you are wondering how long I can keep up this top week thing, eh? eh? You'll just have to stick around and see!

Today's top (and I really am wearing them on the days I post them by the way, which is just so very fun) is another thing I made up for myself. I sketched out what I wanted to do and did a little math and voila, new top. It was a little touch and go there a few times as it actually was supposed to have elastic around the top band for a sort of smocked look but that bombed and the whole thing got ripped out. I did put a zipper in the back, since I'm no longer afraid of zippers thanks to this fabulous zipper tutorial, although once it was finished I discovered that I could just pull it over my head rendering the zipper useless. OH WELL.

The fabric is Denyse Schmidt which I purchased at the Sew Mama Sew Shop.

So let's talk technique here. After deciding the shirt was too long (and yes, too maternity-esque YET AGAIN) the first day I wore it last week, I tore out the hem seam last night and re-did it this morning in record time. How, you ask? Answer: The Blind Hem, my New BFF (best friend forever for those of you not up with the latest lingo like hip little me [so sarcastic there...please...hip?]).

Anyway, if like me you loath the last step of every clothing pattern, The Hem, it will seriously change your life. First you need one of these though:

Meet Blind Hem Foot. On my Bernina Activa 220 it's foot #5 and works with stitch #7, which looks like this on the inside:

And no, for those of you wondering, I did not figure out how to do this on my own (are you kidding, read the manual???), I learned it at the (free) class my local sewing machine shop offers with a purchase of a new Bernina, which was Mr Rae's Christmas gift to me this year.

Here's how it looks on the front:

Isn't that pretty? All it takes is a two ironed folds and a quick sew around the hem and you're done.