I bought the V8867 last spring after seeing Karen’s gorgeous wool version, and I think I got as far as making half a half-hearted muslin, but must have gone chasing off after some other project, as usual.  So I’m glad that Scruffy Badger recently made a classy knit version, racheting this pattern back up into the leaderboard of ‘things I must make NOW’.

Having just gone back to look at Karen and Scruffy Badger’s posts, I realise I’ve been wearing this wrong all day: the cowl should be folded over, so it’s half the height.  I obviously completely missed step 39 of the instructions.  But I kinda like it all big and in-your-face… two ways to wear it, perhaps?

The fabric is something vintage off eBay.  Normally I take ‘vintage’ in an eBay listing with a giant pinch of salt, unless there’s an actual year on the selvedge, but I think this is genuinely something older as it’s only 80cm wide, from edge to edge.  I don’t know much about the history of fabrics, but haven’t seen any modern stuff this skinny…?  Anyway, it has a lovely slubby finish, and I don’t know exactly what it is, but nor do I mind, so that’s ok.

I ended up with a lot of excess around the bodice, and my now-familiar dowager’s hump gap at the back… so thank goodness we’re working with princess seams.  I just pinched out half and inch or so from each one, tapering towards the waist, and adjusted the curves of the armholes.  Sorted.

Oh, and of course I shortened the whole thing, so it’s a long top, not a dress.  Partly because I wear long tops almost daily, and dresses maybe more like quarterly.  And partly, because I am raring to go for Rae’s Spring Top Sewalong 2012!