I can’t believe it’s taken me SO LONG to post again! Last year was CRAZY BUSY and by November I basically ran out of puff!

I’m still recovering now, to be honest. But I HAVE been sewing while I’ve been away from these pages, so it’s time for me to catch up on a little blogging admin.

As I’m sure I’ve said before, I feel the cold. I’m a skinny little muppet who’s a one-woman pass-the-parcel as soon as the temperature dips below about 15 centigrade.

So roll necks are a go-to in my wardrobe. However, the ones in my wardrobe depressed me. Whilst they still had wear in them, I’ve worn them for so many damned winters that they really REALLY didn’t spark any joy. It was time to thank them and take ’em to the charity shop, people.

Now I’ve had Vogue 8616 in my pattern stash for FOREVER. What with my propensity to feel chilly and the fact that one of the versions takes a scant 1.1m of fabric, it’s tempted me ever since I picked it up at my local sewing shop. Some years ago I even went to the trouble of fitting it on my dress dummy (which resulted in folding out excess fabric at the lower centre back seam for my sway back), and using my own sloper/block to refine the fit at the armholes.

And there it sat. In the envelope. For YEARS. Altered, ready to go but .. nothing.

Why? Because the shots of completed garments I saw online left me feeling a little .. underwhelmed. I couldn’t find anyone with a similar body shape wearing it, and it’s one of those garments that looks kinda boring on the hanger. Plus, a zip? IN SOMETHING MADE OF JERSEY??

The cold weather was coming, though. And I was buggered if I was going to pull those joy-less polo necks out of the bag marked for Oxfam.

Rummaging in my stash I came across a firm, warm navy jersey of unknown provenance. Figuring that this would be a wearable toile if nothing else, I set to work. About a day later, I had the completed top.

And, my dear reader, I fell IN LOVE. It fits like a (warm, surprisingly flattering) second glove. The armholes are spot-on. The centre back fits neatly into the small of my back, preventing draughts. The custom-fit bust (with those hidden side-seam gathers) means it’s perfectly trim across my bust line. And that high, notched collar? Well, I thought it might look a little odd but it looks like the kind of high winged collar a blouse from the 1950s may sport.

In fact, I’m surprised to note that, depending on how I style it, it can look primly vintage/retro, sporty or subtly modern.

Any changes?

Well, I might go up a size if I’m making it in such an unstretchy jersey again, just because it’d make it easier to layer over other garments (pass-the-parcel, remember?). I’d definitely size up on the hips anyway as it’s longer than I thought so those side-seam splits are REALLY needed.

Plus, because I made it on autopilot and couldn’t remember all the pattern alterations I made, I forgot to add extra length to the bottom of centre-back seam which was shortened due to my sway back adjustment. So the front’s slightly longer than the back (SHUSH).

But despite those minor quibbles I’m DELIGHTED with it. I’m even hoping to make another.

Because, unlike this blog post, it was DEFINITELY worth waiting for.