New Look 6130 peplum top (sort of)

I've seen so many cute peplum tops out there, and I am so glad that the trend hasn't faded yet, so I can jump on board. It seems like the major peplum top patterns that are en Vogue at the moment are Vogue 8815, BurdaStyle 08/2012-113 and New Look 6130. The first two have a darted bodice, which I am still a little shaky about fitting, so that left the princess seamed New Look as the clear winner for me.

I also really like the vee neckline, as opposed to the high jewel neckline of both the Vogue and burda patterns. All that fabric covering the girls just makes them look ridiculously large. A vee neck is a busty gal's friend.

The fabric is a cotton knit with about 20% stretch. I intend to make the "final" version of this top out of ponte, so this was a good muslin knit.

Unfortunately, the New Look bodice draft and I are not friends. I won't go into the ugly details of the 3 muslins - all failed. I finally gave up on it and pulled out Simplicity 2996, which I made a few years ago and was happy with the fit.

The back of the New Look bodice was actually darted and I always find that New Look patterns are gappy at the back neckline, so using the Simplicity pattern was a win in back particularly. Since I didn't really like the huge puffy sleeve on the New Look pattern, I just used the tailored sleeve from the Simplicity pattern, just lengthened to elbow length. Since I made the top in a knit, and the neckline is fairly open, I didn't bother with the zipper in back and just cut on the fold.

For the neckline, I made a simple band, mitered at the vee. It wings up a little at the shoulders, so I think I need to shorten the bend just a teeny bit, but otherwise I am pleased with how it looks.

The part of the New Look pattern that I used unaltered was the peplum, which has cute little pleats at the princess seams. Since I had used a completely different bodice, the placement lines on the pattern weren't in quite the right spot, so I just walked the peplum pieces along the bodice from either side, and pleated when they met at the seam. It was a little fussy, but it worked.

And dear readers, lest you doubt the measure of my devotion to you, allow me to assure you otherwise. I braved a snowstorm of epic proportions to snap these little shots. The sunlight off the snow made for great lighting! But it was a bit chilly.