Fibre Mood Tanita Top

This is one of those projects that I was so excited to make, but the finished result is a bit of a fail.

The pattern is the Fibre Mood Tanita top. I subscribe to Fibre Mood and this was in issue 20. As soon as I saw the pattern I was really keen to make it. There are very few pattern pieces, it seemed a quick and easy make and would result in a nice, breezy summer top.

The top has a front and a back piece, then bias binding for the neckline. The sleeves are grown on and there is elastic to the sleeve cuffs and the hem.

I picked some large scale gingham cotton from my stash to make this. It’s quite a lightweight cotton, between a lawn and a poplin I would say. The pattern suggested stiffer fabrics if you want the top to hold its shape.

I did add some length to the pattern, not wanting it to be too short, but you can see from the pictures it only just sits at my waist, with very little blousing. This is fine, until I want to lift my hands above my head (which admittedly isn’t very often, but I did make this to go to TRNSMT festival in Glasgow) and then it raises above my boobs so is completely indecent. I think the problem is exacerbated by the fact that the sleeves are grown on and then elasticated, there just isn’t enough fabric from sleeve cuff to waist when your arms are not by your sides.

Maybe if I made a bigger size and in a drapier fabric the problem would be lessened, but I just think it’s one of those patterns that looks good, but is just a bit too simplistic to work well… I’d be very happy to be proved wrong though, if you have a successful one that is easy to wear without flashing 50,000 people then I would love to hear from you!