I’m so excited to join the Sew Altered Style Misty Top and Dress Hack Tour today! Which basically means I’ve done what I *always* do: take a new pattern and sew it in a knit! I got a preview copy of the pattern, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Misty is the first pattern release from Katie (left) and Mac (right), the absolute babes behind Sew Altered Style. I got to know Mac when she co-founded @MeetMakersOfColor, and it’s obvious that both women bring a lot of passion for sewing, inclusion, and fun to their shared project! This pattern is named after Misty Copeland, and is available size 0-30 with both a B and D cup options for all sizes.
So, the pattern is designed for lightweight wovens, but as soon as Mac and Katie asked me to hack it, I knew my two changes: use a knit and make sure the straps are wide enough to cover my bra!
All hail good pattern drafting! I made the straps .5″ wider and placed them exactly where the marking suggest, and BOOM! My 38G bra is covered in the back and under my arms! If you have a smaller bust, this may not seem so miraculous, but trust me, as the cups get bigger they usually get higher under the arm and cover higher up the chest. The straps get wider, and often the centre gore gets higher too. In other words, there is a lot to cover! I’d be happy to wear this top to work as well as for casual summer fun. (There is also a lower back version with cute criss-cross delicate straps, which is cute but less functional for me.)
Now, how to sew a woven pattern in a knit? Well, there’s what you should do, and there’s what I did. Look, it was late at night because I was excited to sew this, ok? Here’s what you should do: size down. Here’s what I did: cut my size according to the pattern chart!
Let’s go through this step-by-step, shall we?
- My measurements put me in a size 16 D-cup bust, graded to a 20 at the hips. I cut a 16/18, because the swingy shape has plenty of room for my hips. Once I tried it on mid-process, I cut it down to a 14/16.
- I used an ITY knit because it has stretch and drape but is not as heavy as a rayon which might pull itself out of shape. Everything is serged together, except for the bottom of the front V which I sewed on a regular machine.
- The neck, armscye and back are finished with all in one facings, which works equally well in a knit. The only change I made was to topstitch the facings down so that they stay neatly in place.
Besides the excellent size range and different back options, one thing that sets this pattern apart from, say, other well-known v-neck cami patterns, is the dart. It really helps to get a nice fit! Of course you could just sew the dart in a knit, but I always think that looks a bit odd. Instead, I prefer to gather the dart into the side seam, and it disappears but still offers shaping.
Here’s what I mean: You can see the original dart marked in orange Sharpie (my favourite marking tool) but instead of sewing the dart I’m just gathering using two lines of long stitches. It’s important to straighten the side seam before you do this (see how I’ve cut off the triangle where the dart usually extends beyond the side seam?). I forgot to do that the first time, and ended up with a baggy saggy puff of fabric under my arm.
There’s one more thing I’d like to commend about this pattern: the printing chart!
LOOK AT THAT BEAUTY! I am getting increasingly frustrated with the waste of time and paper when pattern companies expect me to print off every view all at once. Why should I have to print pages for a full skirt if I want the straight skirt, or the long sleeve if I want the short sleeve? I’ve had a few patterns lately that wasted 15 or more pages of printing with redundant views, and I’m mad. If I don’t want to waste paper and ink, then I have to squint at the printing layout and manually try to figure out which pages I need, inevitably getting it wrong. I adore that the Misty pattern lays out exactly what I need to print for each view and each size. It’s elegantly done and easy to follow – pattern designers, take note!
Now, one final confession before I wrap up. Not only did I cut the wrong size and forget how to properly gather the dart… I photoshopped my hair!
Yes, dear readers – it bugged me so much that my bangs had separated into chunks that I used the clone tool in Lightroom and added some hair into the gap. It’s not elegantly done because I don’t know how, but hopefully it is subtle enough. There is also a portapotty in the background of some pictures and the Fiona Dress I quickly altered into a skirt has no top button. I’m in favour of honestly here, and the truth is I’m a mix of on-the-fly and perfectionist!
The point is, I love this top. It turned out so well in a knit that I’m already sewing it in a woven. It’s going to be a maxi dress with a huge circular ruffle at the hem, and I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Thank you to Sew Altered Style for letting me try your pattern – if you aren’t already following them on Instagram, it’s worth checking them out! In the meantime, let me know: Did you notice my hair, missing button or the portapotty? Do you care if patterns have printing charts to let you know exactly which pages to print with no waste? And do you have any tips for sewing a woven pattern in a knit?
Crafting A Rainbow 
Love the new top, I’ll be running to check out sew altered as soon as I finish my first coffee. Thanks for clearing up the mystery of how to blend that side dart in. And thanks for the laugh at your honesty. Nope, I never noticed any one of the three! More times than not, you have to take perspective from anything posted on the internet and realize that we’re all real people here darnit and sh*t happens. I’m far more comfortable knowing that I’m in company with someone who has the courage to admit imperfection than pretending otherwise. Carry on, gorgeous.
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I”m so glad you enjoyed my confessions! I’m so uninterested in seeming perfect online – that’s just not good for me or anyone! Far more fun to celebrate the messy truth! 🙂
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Gorgeous outfit. 1. Nope didn’t notice hair split. 2. Still haven’t found the missing button. 3. There’s a Porta potty?
I haven’t tried knit necklines (scooped or “v”) with my new to me coverstitch machine. Did you apply fusible hem tape then press down and stitch? The “v” especially has me stumped. P.S. I am an old school sewist from the 70’s.
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Hello! V-necks are achallenge on the coverstitch, and while I’m sure there are better methods… here are my two:
a) start at the bottom of the v, going up around the neck and back down the v on the other side. End at the same place you started, with the two lines of stitching crossing over each other. I think this is the best method, but sometimes my threads unravel a bit as I pull off the machine, and then it doesn’t look perfect and it’s front and centre!
b) alternately, start at a shoulder seam, go down to the v, and stop with the needles up… lift the presser foot, manually loosen the threads slightly twist the fabric, and put the foot back down… then proceed on in your new direction up the other side of the v! Works better on wider Vs than very sharp narrow ones.
Hope that helps!!! Happy sewing!
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Super helpful review! I took one look at the original straps and dismissed it, as I’m not a fan of showing off my bra straps. If you can cover your 38G bra with a wider strap, I bet I can as well (Wacoal Retro Chic forever, baby!)
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I hope it works for you too!!!!
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OMG – I haven’t even finished this post but the genius of the gathered dart!!! How do I not know this? Did you make it up?
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Me again: You cannot tell that you photoshopped your hair. Honestly. Just remove that part of the post and no one will ever know!!! And I beyond love that pattern piece chart. When I realized that the Itch to Stitch Danube skirt (that denim one I showed you) had a layered printing option, I was thrilled – esp since all of the colours used to distinguish between sizes start to look the same. I’m not into printing out 20 extra sheets of fabric – which happened with the Sirocco (admittedly cuz Scott didn’t listen to me about not printing the shorts version). This PDF thing ain’t going away so I welcome industry improvements.
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It’s fun to see how something like PDF printing can improve – I mean, 8 years ago when I first used them, I wouldn’t have thought that there were so many ways it would be easier by now!
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Thanks for the thorough review! It’s really refreshing to see a high-enough armscye on a larger bust in a tank top pattern – I don’t think I’ve yet made a knit tank pattern that didn’t expose massive amounts of bra band!
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I am a big photoshop fan and I did not notice your edit until you pointed it out. Certainly not the button or the port a potty. I am totally envious of your great fit. I don’t know why a simple cami is causing me great fits (well other than having a totally different shape now than I had most of my life and a little body image disturbance going on) but I’m on the second year and maybe cami #6. Still have gaping issues. Getting better. Yours is inspirational!
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Fit is such a tricky thing!!! Have you been experimenting with your fabric choices? I tested a tank once where the fit was horrendous in a bedsheet muslin… then I tried on a friends version of the pattern in the same size but in a rayon challis, and it was super cute!
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You have exploded my brain with your bust dart gathering! I am going to have to try this….do you do it just on knits or have you used it on wovens as well?
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Your cami looks amazing! I really love the print. And the pattern seems perfect, as well. More I knew why I held out in that other popular V-neck cami pattern: bust darts, FBA included AND straps wide enough to cover a bra! I’m all heart eyes. (And the side armscye, that as well!)
(Also a definite no from me on the perception, but I did laugh at hearing you point them out)
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