Vintage Red Bronte Top

Just a quick little make for this week, my new favorite shirt, The Bronte Top from Jennifer Lauren Vintage.  I was so excited to make this up as soon as I bought the pattern.  I’ve had this on my wish list for a while but have been trying to keep my pattern buying in check.   This top was made as a wearable muslin last weekend with the leftover yardage from Ami’s storybook dress.  It’s a lovely vintage red organic hemp cotton knit from Marcy Tilton.  I had to do some very creative cutting to get this to fit with the remnants I had left, you can see the extra seam I added on the left.  I had to cut my front bodice as two pieces to get it to fit, and I actually think my seam allowance ended up a little too wide but I don’t care because I just LOVE this top!  My fabric actually doesn’t have quite as much stretch and recovery as recommended so I made sure to make this first one up in a size 12 and figured I could adjust as needed.  Luckily the fit was spot on.

Details:

Jennifer Lauren Vintage, The Bronte Top,  size 12

Vintage Red Organic Hemp Knit, Marcy Tilton

Worn here with my Indigo Dyed Jeans.

I love the fit of this top so I can see I’ll be making up some more to round out my wardrobe.  My husband really loves this one.  You can’t go wrong with red! I love  the color of this knit, more of a brick-red then the usual cherry red I often find.  I love the shoulders and  shaping of this top, it’s really flattering.  I can’t wait to make some up in something with a bit more stretch and try out the long sleeve version as well.  I’m also contemplating combining the bodice with the Lady Skater Dress.  Two favorites in one!

This week I’m working on some more natural dyeing.  I haven’t done as much as I’d like to lately and have really missed it.  I just wish I had more space to work in, someday soon hopefully! My husband Vic just got a new job in Ft. Lauderdale (he starts today!) so we’ll be probably be moving to the other coast sometime soon.  We’re just waiting to see how he likes it, but he already seems so much happier and relaxed. :)

I’m dyeing my newest dress, Vintage Vogue V2787, that I modified quite a bit and made in an organic knit, as well as a Burda top that had faded, both with Cochineal extract (the tiny parasitic bug that grows on the prickly pear cactus) sourced from Botanical Colors.  Trying for red, but as I’m dyeing cellulose fibers and not protein like wool or silk, not sure how bright I’ll get.   I’m reading A Perfect Red:  Empire, Espionage and the Quest for the Color of Desire by Amy Butler Greenfield which has me so intrigued and inspired to try out this dye.  Stay tuned as I’ll be posting more on that next week.

Happy Sewing!