Marfy 2415 - muslin

A knit top with a cross over front, pointed detailing on one side of the hem, pleats at shoulder and side, and a dart, and princess seams.  Very well designed and it went together well, once I'd worked out how to attach the fronts so that the points had the seam to the inside.  Becki at BeccaBeckStuff made this one a little while ago and it was her version that sold me on the pattern, which I'd not really noticed in the catalogue before.  She mentioned possibly putting in sleeves...  well I don't wear sleeveless very often... so I have put in sleeves.  Well, one sleeve.  Its a muslin... why waste time with two sleeves....  I wasn't expecting this to work in the stripe... and in the cupboard the fabric looked vaguely unpleasant.  But its grown on me, though not enough to finish it and wear it, except as PJ's. 

A few weeks ago I made an absolutely disastrous muslin for another Marfy knit top and it came out enormous even though I was using my normal sizing.  This time I compared the pattern, rather roughly,  to a fitted top pattern that I knew worked, and was glad I had.  There was way too much ease in this top for me.  Now, this particular pattern has a side zipper so I suppose its possible its designed for a more stable knit or a woven with perhaps a touch of stretch.  But I wanted a pull over the head, very fitted top for stretchy knits.   Sooo, I made the top as is. that is, I just didn't add seam allowances when I cut it out then sewed it up with five eighths seams. Perfect fit.  Less time spent tracing.  I call that a result. For a less stretchy fabric, I think a half inch seam allowance would work, and for a more stable fabric, possibly a three eighths seam and a side zipper. 

The underneath layer on the front has a dart to fit it neatly and has no gathering, so its nice and smooth.  That side fits me perfectly, hugs into the front nicely, no gaping or anything.  The gathered side fits slightly less well.  However, all that needs doing is a touch more gathering adding.  This will pull the excess fabric on the curved front down and in, resulting in a perfectly respectable, non-gaping front.  I do need to raise the curve slightly, I will do that by adding a quarter inch to the front curves and back neckline when I cut so that I just get a touch more coverage around the neck.  Other than that, I thought it was great.

I added sleeves, originally I tried the sleeve from the failed Marfy knit top but that was too big, so I recut the sleeve using my self drafted, very close fitting top sleeve, and that worked well.

So now the muslin is done and I'm ready to move on to the real thing, which is for the SWAP.  I have a stunning piece of printed onionskin knit from Emma One Sock that is keen to become this top.