Style Arc Sage pants and Naughty Bobbin Presto Popover top

adult's clothing, sewing

Tuesday, 3 October, 2017 by thornberry

This combination is an example of nearly right but not quite.  These two garments weren’t sewn to be worn together; they were just paired for the photos.  And in reality, I haven’t worn them with one another.

I might start with the top. It’s the Naughty Bobbin Patterns Presto Popover top. And I have sewn it one size too small.  I sewed the Medium – should have chosen the Large.

From the website: The Presto! Popover Top is designed specifically for knits for the wash and wearability your daily life needs.  Knits with 5% or more stretch, especially ITY knits and rayon/elastane come in all colors and patterns, so make more than one and get on with your life.  Good bye washday blues!  With it’s clever double-front V-neck collar construction and the always comfy 3/4 sleeve the Presto! sews up quickly on the serger, but can be made on a zig-zag machine, too.  Can be made in heavier knits for winter, lighter knits for summer. Excellent choice for sheerer knits. For its ease, comfort and a fast sewing project, you’re gonna love the Presto!

The fabric is cotton/spandex (possibly from Crafty Mamas Fabrics, but could have been from somewhere else). It’s got great recovery, but definitely clings to those central rolls.  The construction of this top is really interesting – the front is cut twice, so is self-lined with the shoulder and back yoke integrated into the front pieces.  The depth of the V-neckline depends on how far up you sew the centre front seam.  It’s worth sewing just to check out the construction – which isn’t actually difficult, by the way.

On me, in this fabric, the neckline folds back to form a shawl collar. I’d really like to see this top in something very soft that just pooled at the back, and left the front as a V-neckline. I haven’t finished with this pattern. I’ll reprint and do some more size grading through the body to improve the fit on me. I can possibly leave the shoulders alone.

I have actually worn the top, but with less fitted pants, and a jacket over it. I’m still in two minds about whether to pass this one on or to keep it. I really like the colour on me, but it’s that bit too small in the body. One voice in my ear says that it will be fine if I lose a bit of weight; the voice in the other ear says get rid of what doesn’t fit and sew something that does.

So, to the pants. These are the Style Arc Sage stretch woven pants, in Style Arc bengaline. From their website:  Designed to sit on the waist this is our new Bengaline pant block. Shaped front yoke and side panels along with its fashionable slim leg is ideal for all shapes and sizes. FABRIC SUGGESTION & DESCRIPTION: Stretch Bengaline is perfect! You can buy Bengaline at our store – click here . Or any stretch woven with approx. 5% spandex.

Style Arc does a brilliant job of stretch woven pants.  I like to have fitted pants in my wardrobe – I feel that they work well with the looser tops that I prefer to wear.  I cut the front upper yoke panel double to provide my belly with a fraction more support.  I really like the waistband with that flat elastic inside it.  Generally I cut the waist elastic to the same length as the waistband piece – for me that seems to work best.

There are subtle differences between the different stretch woven pants patterns that Style Arc produce. This one seems to have a slightly higher rise and wider waistband, which works nicely on my current shape/size/weight distribution. I find that the pair I prefer to wear is a combination of which fabric it’s in and how it fits me currently. If your size and shape is very consistent you could probably easily identify a favourite – I still like to experiment a bit.

These are a nice neutral for me, and easy to wear. The Sage pattern will probably get another outing or two at some stage!