Grab A Little More Summer With Dana Point Top, New From Itch to Stitch

 Summer might be winding down, but it's still hot as Hades out here!

I made my Dana Point Top from a crisp, stretch cotton lawn shirting to keep me cool and looking put together as summer starts to wane. I totally fell for this fabric the second I saw it on the Fabric Mart website a month ago for only $5/yard. I've never seen a cotton/lycra stretch lawn before and besides, look at those black and white bows!

I forgot 2 important things when I snapped up this fabric:
1. Peach is NOT a good color for me.
2. Cotton = WRINKLES.

Yes, I did iron this top before pictures.

Press press press, pop outside for pictures and what do I get? The "Did You Wear That Top To Bed?" look. It's a damn shame, and I'm really kind of mad about it. My version of Dana Point Top is too washed out and rumpled to do the pattern the justice it deserves. Please be sure to pop over HERE and check out all the other tester versions.

Pattern Details

Product shot of the Itch to Stitch Dana Point Top from the shop listing.

As you can see, the Dana Point Top from Itch to Stitch is a woven pattern with beautiful shaping! My favorite is how the faux-halter shoulder line swoops into the the modest V neck. It feels graceful and flattering...even if, like me, you've been skipping your shoulder exercises for the last 7 years.

Design Features

Dana Point Top has some lovely features:

- Drafted for light weight woven fabrics
- Front pattern pieces for each A-DD cup sizes (bye-bye FBA!)
-Fully lined
-Flattering yet modest v-neck
-Button down front closure
-Pleated shaping at the shoulder and waist

Muslin Work

I really didn't end up needing many adjustments for the Dana Point Top. I took out a 1/2 in of the bodice above the bust dart, did a 1/2 forward head adjustment and needed to remove length from the back. These are all pretty standard for me. Still, I managed to find something interesting to learn along the way. 

I decided to play with my muslin and explore how different ways of shortening my back effected the final look. On the far left of the screen is my unaltered muslin. Lots of extra fabric above my darts. After pinching out that 1/2 from above the bust dart, I pinched out another inch of length right across the back through the armhole. That's the shot in the middle. On the right is my second muslin. Instead of removing that inch across the armhole, I shortened the back 1 inch at the CB neckline using Nancy Zieman's Pivot-Slide technique.

I found it absolutely fascinating how removing the same length in different ways gave me different outcomes! For my final, I removed that length from across the back through the armhole. Look at what a smooth fit that gave me!

Construction Notes

Dana Point Top is all about the pleats! Between the fashion fabric and the lining, there are 36 of them in this top, plus 4 darts. Don't let that scare you off. They are EASY, I promise, and they give the entire top it's shape. You'll be surprised how you breeze through them. 

Some garments are made before you even sew a stitch. This is one of them. When you take your time to make careful markings, you will be rewarded with beautiful results! 

I love to use Frixon pens to mark my fabric, because the ink disappears when I press seams.

I find it easy to pin through the little dots at the top and bottom to start, then the rest of the line practically matches itself. My machine (Juki HZL-F300 purchased last May) has a feature that auto-locks the beginning and end of my seam. Plus, it snips the threads as well. This made my 36 pleats much more fun to make. Every time I hear that "cah-chink" of my threads being trimmed, I giggle with joy.

Speaking of Joy and my new sewing machine... it makes the most amazing buttonholes. Never have I ever had them be so easy and quick. No more avoiding button holes for me!

Final Thoughts

Physically, I was a bit of an Igor during this test. The surgical shoe I've been wearing on my broken left foot contributed to me pulling out the right side of my back just days after the test began. Sitting at my machine was painful... standing for photos was too. At one point, I got stuck on the sewing room floor turning off my power strip and the hubby had to come rescue me. 

I sewed one seam here and another there, not remembering where I left off, or thinking about where I needed to go at my next session. I simply followed the instructions and the top came together, seemingly like magic. 

My Dana Point Top is being worn here with my North Point Trousers and my Lindy Petal Skirt. (As well as some stretchy pants that are easy to get on and off when you have limited range of motion.) 

Don't wait, grab a copy of Dana Point Top from the Itch to Stitch shop and extend your summer just a little bit more. Dana Point Top is on sale through August 28th for 20% off.