'Printemps' tunic

The background for these photos belies the name, but I was inspired to finish this knit tunic top by a particularly spring-like day last week. Alas, the burst of sunshine is gone and we are back to dreary skies and colder temperatures. But at least I have a new top to show for it!


I had a lot of fun with this one. I didn't start out with a clear design idea, but things evolved as I went along. First I thought I'd try out a handkerchief hemline like various striped tops I've seen at Anthropologie. It took a little trial and error to get the look I wanted, but when it's hanging nicely (and not blown out by the wind, like in the photo) it looks pretty nifty.


You've probably all seen variations on the striped-top-with-ruched-sleeves look that is trendy right now. I thought of a sleeve design on a 1936 dress in Janet Arnold's book Patterns of Fashion 2 that I've always liked, and decided to try it out. I didn't scale up the pattern or anything, I just drew it out freehand and it worked! It looks complex but the sleeve is actually all one piece.

The final touch was some lace from my stash for the neckline, zig-zagged on with invisible thread, and the result is a romantic and feminine top for spring. The best part is that the fabric was 97 cents a yard at Denver Fabrics, and since everything else came from my stash, this thing cost me less than two bucks!