It didn't disappoint. The straps don't feel flimsy and with her pattern offering different cup sizes to choose from the bust fitting wasn't an issue either. The loose lower bodice feels shaped, not tent-y at all and the back cross over detail is so much fun!
My only discovery was that lightweight fabric and 50km/hr wind gusts combined with a flowy bodice can add up to a rather revealing flashing incident. It's a good thing that I had my inaugural wearing of my cami at home in the privacy of my out in the country, well treed property away from innocent bystanders who would've been treated to the bottom of my top billowing right up over my face. So, if you, like myself, have a propensity for wearing the most inappropriate garments for windy days (which you'd think living on the prairies where 99.9% of the days do seem to be windy I'd have learned a lesson or two by now almost 47 years into life), let me suggest taking a few stitches somewhere along the back to tack that crossover down a bit.
I chose to make both my versions from rayon and they're comfy and cool for hot days! I had also bought a cotton lawn on the way home from work on Friday evening, eager to sew up a third version. Then as I was under stitching my Poppy print top, the Pfaff seized up again. Not even a full two weeks since it came back from repair, and barely any sewing done in those two weeks. I was so incredibly upset that I had wasted my money on a repair that did nothing and to had to pull out the good for nothing Singer Advance again. Sewing with it is so terrible - you can't get an even tension, it puckers seams, it skips stitches. No matter what you do it's a nightmare to use. Needless to say the third version will have to wait until I can get my Pfaff 1221 fixed again or get a new machine.
Anyway enough about my machine trials and tribulations and back to the good stuff... the pattern! I will warn you to be careful when cutting out if you use rayon or any other shifty fabric. Also make sure to stay stitch right away to avoid any stretching. On my first one (the bicycle print) I made the mistake of not having the tension quite right on my just back from the repair shop Pfaff and ended up having my armscye stretch out like a beast. I had to do some fancy maneuvering to get that sucker back into shape and get it to match up with the facings. All was well in the end, but there was some gnashing of teeth along the way.
I did add a bit of length to the bodice and am happy I did. It feels like it sits at the right spot for both my body shape, long waistedness (not sure that's actually a word! LOL) and my own preferences, but that was the only change to the pattern I made, which is impressive. Is it any wonder I gravitate towards the Itch to Stitch Patterns with so few alterations necessary?
I feel like this pattern can be one that you'll really be able to stretch your pattern buying dollar with too because there's so many ways to change it up. Some of the testers used lace or other trims along the hem line. Other's did ruffles. I was thinking of doing double spaghetti straps on the "now has to wait" cotton lawn one. You can make it super casual or quirky to wear with shorts (I'm wearing my Liana Jeans shorts) like my bicycle print version. Or you can make it date night dressy with a more feminine print like my poppies one, or elegant with a fancier fabric. So many options! You can head on over to the Itch to Stitch site and grab the pattern on sale right now and don't forget to check out all the tester versions while you're there.
