Hello sew-friends! Today I’m sharing another garment from my Make Nine list - the Hadley Top by Grainline Studio. I’m always on the lookout for nice tops that I can pair with jeans or trousers for a quick and easy outfit. I especially love sleeveless styles because they’re easy to wear under a cardigan. I really love the swingy design of this top, it’s a little fancier than the Willow Tank by Grainline (which I’ve made twice!) and it was a pleasure to sew.
I made view B which is sleeveless with a deep V-neck and swingy hem. I made a size 10 and did a 1” FBA which is my standard size and adjustment for Grainline patterns. I also lowered the bust dart 1.5” but I think that might have been a little too much. I decided to move the dart based on holding up the paper pattern to my body and after I did it in fabric the dart felt a little low. For reference, I’m 5’11”, my bust is 38.5 inches and my upper bust is 35.5”. If you haven’t done a Full Bust Adjustment before, I have a video about it here. This blog post from Curvy Sewing Collective is also a great FBA reference.
I really love the design and construction features of this tank. There is a seam at the center front and center back. The arms, neck and hem are all finished using facing which provide structure and a really clean finish. By the way, I have a post right here about how to sew a hem facing. If you haven’t sewn a Grainline pattern before, I highly recommend checking them out. They have a lot of classic wearable designs and the instructions are excellent.
I used a gray chambray linen that was gifted to me by The Fabric Store. It’s a totally yummy fabric and a joy to sew with. I used this same fabric twice before, once for McCalls M7788 and more recently for a sample of my Lela Skirt pattern. I love the linens from The Fabric Store and I so wish that they still had a shop in LA. After those first two projects, I only had a little bit of fabric remaining and it was just enough to make this top. I did have to use some scrap fabric for the facings but those are not usually visible so it’s no big deal.
This version of the top is kind of a wearable muslin. If/when I make it again, I think I’ll raise the neckline a little bit, raise the dart and maybe consider a square shoulder adjustment. I usually don’t do a square shoulder adjustment on sleeveless tops but I think it’s worth considering. That said, I love this top. It pairs especially well with fitted bottoms, like skinny jeans. I tried wearing it with wide leg pants and it was just too much volume for me.
Today, I’m very excited to share one of my final makes of 2020. It’s not the last thing I sewed this year but it is one of the last things that I sewed just for myself and just for fun. I started making this jumpsuit back in November as part of my birthday-month celebration. Isn’t sewing for yourself a great way to celebrate? Plus, there’s nothing like a fun and playful jumpsuit to make one get into a celebratory mood.