26 Oct The Lillian Top
My recent break has not been a break from sewing – far from it! Marketing The Tunic Bible has involved lots of additional sewing, but after completing 75 tunics, Julie and I have nailed it 😉
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Maybe you remember my post from April about the noble woman, Lillian Weber, who in the twilight of her life, set a goal to sew 1,000 dresses for the organization, Little Dresses for Africa before she turned 100. Lillian reached her goal two months before her birthday, attracting much media attention and inspiring a documentary. She died on the eve of her 101st birthday (May 6, 2016) having completed 1,234 dresses.
Deepika Prakash, founder of The Pattern Review Website has just released Pattern Review’s latest pattern entitled The Lillian Top in memory of Lillian Weber.
As part of the blog tour to publicize this cute top, I made one for Mimi.
The pattern, featuring five pattern pieces is described as a knit top or an a-line dress, and is designed for stable knits. The shaping is lovely and works for a variety of figure types.
The inset yoke can certainly be sewn in a contrast fabric for a completely different look, but I chose to overlay the yoke with a piece of cotton lace producing a subtle contrast.
What I love in particular are the cap sleeves! While this is Mimi’s top, I tried it on for size and found these sleeves to be flattering on Moms too!
The Lillian Top is designed with movement in mind and can be sewn in an afternoon. I find it very flattering since it is fitted in the shoulders through the bust before melding into a looser fit through the bodice and hips. It is ideal for casual wear!
I sewed all of the pieces on the machine and finished the seams with the serger. As a huge fan of fitted backs, I might add back darts when I make this for myself, although this step is not necessary. 
I downloaded the 16 page pattern and assembled the pieces quickly. Deepika provides excellent sewing instructions and illustrations including a link to her neck binding tutorial.
Do I recommend this pattern? Absolutely and for more than one reason…………..
Deepika is donating 20% of the proceeds from the sale of Lillian Top to the charity Little Dresses for Africa in Lillian Weber’s honor.
Will I sew it again? I certainly plan to, and the next time is for me 🙂
To see several variations of the pattern, be sure and follow the blog tour!
PatternReview.com (24th)
http://sewing.patternreview.
Julie (24th)
http://sewing.patternreview.
Sue (25th)
http://sue-parrott.blogspot.
Sarah (26th)
http://www.goodbyevalentino.
Eryn (27th)
http://www.stylesewme.com/
Margo (28th)
http://creatinginthegap.
Bianca (29th)
http://thanksimadethem.
Hila (30th)
http://saturdaynightstitch.
Irene
Posted at 15:45h, 26 OctoberLove your version of this pattern! It really is interesting to see so many variations of a new pattern.
Sue Parrott
Posted at 17:48h, 26 OctoberI love your version Sarah!
Bianca Springer
Posted at 20:57h, 26 OctoberI love your version of this !
Kris Souza
Posted at 01:29h, 27 OctoberThank you for this. I’m so glad to see that Lillian and her favorite charity at getting the attention they deserve.
Elaine Sabin-Simpson
Posted at 01:38h, 27 OctoberLovely- it looks fresh, stylish and comfortable. Lillian was an inspiration.
Deborah Penner
Posted at 16:36h, 27 OctoberLove this top, Sara! Thanks again for making the Tunic Bible available to those of us who ordered it earlier from Amazon,com. This pattern also looks like a Tunic.
Kathy
Posted at 19:02h, 27 OctoberVery pretty top. Where did you find that fabric, if you don’t mind my asking?
Samina
Posted at 12:26h, 28 OctoberConsidering buying this pattern – the only thing stopping me is the taping together the pages. Utterly lazy of me. But I’ll grit my teeth and buy it anyway. Not only for doing something for the late Lillian Webber’s cause, but because the top looks very pretty. I love your idea of the lace overlay to create contrast!