Purple Plaid Aster
Well it looks like I've taken an unexpected blogging break! So sorry about that, I've been so busy working on bags that my wardrobe hasn't really had any new additions. Until last week when I finally took a few hours to make myself a new top!
What is it about a new season that makes you want to tear apart your entire wardrobe and start fresh? With spring finally showing up and warmer temperatures appearing, I got a craving to have a quick make. I've had my eye on Aster from Colette for some time. It's a cute top with an interesting neck that feels more casual than your typical button up. This type of top felt perfect for work, which is a trait I've been trying to find in sewing patterns. Working on a farm makes getting dressed difficult. I can't wear dresses all the time, and certainly don't want to get some of my favorite makes dirty and dingy, but still want to look nice when talking with customers. It's been an ongoing battle between me and my closet and I thought this pattern would help.
If you haven't heard, you can now use your Seamwork Magazine credits towards Colette Patterns, so I was able to use a few of my saved credits on Aster. This top comes with three versions, long sleeve, short sleeve and flutter sleeve. I chose the short sleeve as I plan on wearing this top more for Spring/Summer. The pattern was a fairly quick sew, no major issues. When I got to the neckline, I was a little confused about cleanly ending the bias and it didn't come out exactly like it should, but you can't see it while wearing.
I was gifted a huge bag of fabrics from my parent's neighbor and this plaid was inside. There was quite a large piece of material, and I was happy to use this as a wearable muslin. I'm not positive what the material is, some form of lightweight cotton. I don't work with plaid much at all, since it's hard for me to find a color scheme I really love. But this one was pretty, and has a nice blue detailing that I was drawn to. I was also able to use bias binding from my stash that matched the blue perfectly! Making this top practically free! (Alright it cost a few Seamwork credits but lets not get too technical here haha)
I love this top. It is perfect to wear when working on the farm, but nice enough to have as a casual piece in my wardrobe. I love the small details like the pleat in back, and the cuffed sleeve, and could see myself making a bunch of these. I would actually like to make a couple solid versions (I'm thinking a pretty pale green or chambray) and of course, I would love a floral version as well.
For reference, I am 4'9" and made Aster in size 0. You can see this top falls pretty perfectly length wise, but if you have a longer torso, you may want to lengthen the bodice pieces. If you are looking for inspiration on this top, search #coletteaster on Instagram - there are some great versions!