Finished - Crazy Cat Lady top (aka Burdastyle 09/2011 108A)

What is a girl to do? You've popped into your local fabric store for some thread or elastic or some nice cheap little notion, you're on a fabric diet saving up for your wedding and honeymoon and just because you're already there you do a little lap of the the store and you spot it. You wonder if you squealed out loud or if it was just in your head. You're powerless to resist despite the right side of your brain saying 'Hey! Sarah! You're in your mid thirties - novelty knit prints? Is this the path you should be taking?'. Your left brain replies with 'Pfft! Mid thirties schmirties! This is RAD! Age is no barrier for something this great!'. And before you know it you're skipping out the door with 1.5 metres of digitally printed crazy cat fabric. 

This is a lovely heavy cotton-lycra knit from Darn Cheap in Heidelberg. It has become another Burdastyle dolman sleeve top - first blogged here. As with the first version I used the neckline of the free Maria Denmark kimono sleeve t-shirt, which is a little lower and wider, more of a boat-neck. I shortened the pattern quite a lot, and chopped the sleeves just below the elbow. To try to add some contrast and decorum I did a neckband in plain black knit, and longer cuffs. I just winged it with the cuffs, they could probably be a little snugger (I may still take them off and make them narrower), and the length is probably still a little long (it could go up a whole row of cats!) but many of my knit tops have shrunk a little (despite prewashing - always!) so I can always take it up after a couple of washes if need be. Sizing wise this is an XS and I have 2 more layers underneath - I'm clearly not an XS person, so this pattern has a fair bit of ease.

It is truly the most nutty fabric I have used, but I adore it. It's very 60's (it kind of reminds me of Andy Warhol prints and other pop art) and I think the dolman style works perfectly with a strong square or striped print - no sleeves to break up the pattern. It's printed pretty much on grain too - I decided I'd cut with the pattern rather than the grain because of how bold the print is, and was very careful to line up all my kitties evenly.

 I went with my new favourite method of hemming - gluing up the hem, and twin needling (I've found my perfect combination is slightly lower tension, stitch length 3, and very slight zigzag of 0.25).

Call me crazy, but I think those hemmed kitties look even angrier than the others.....

Gratuitious shot of new Camper sandals from NYC. 

And what does the Tilster think of it? Clearly she adores it!