Making a Neck-Tie Top with a Lower Neckline

 This is the first time in months that I’ve made a knit top for myself. All summer long I’ve been making myself dresses, and while I love dresses, I’d forgotten how fun, quick, and easy sewing with knits is!

This is also the first time in months there’s been a Winter Wear Designs blog tour! I hadn’t forgotten how fun these are to participate in, and I’m happy to be doing one again!

This week WWD re-released the formerly retired Neck-Tie Top pattern. It's been updated, the size range has been expanded, and it's received a couple of additions, namely, sleeve options!!! 

I do love fun sleeves, and any pattern that has them instantly catches my attention! That said, the sleeve options included with the Neck-Tie Top, might look a little familiar, as they were part of the, now retired, WWD sleeve add-on pack from a few years ago. I was sad to see this pattern go, so I am thrilled that these sleeve options are available again! Do you want slightly puffed, very puffed, or somewhere in between sleeves? This pattern has them all! As for me, no surprise here, I picked the "very puffed" 3/4 length poet sleeve option. Puffed sleeves are the best!

Ok, fabulous sleeves aside, this pattern didn't actually appeal to me that much, so I thought I might just sit this blog tour out. Why? The neckline. It has a fantastic bow, which it's named for, but it is a very high neckline, almost a turtle neck, and I just don't wear necklines that high. They look fantastic and elegant on most people, but I don't like them on me. 

The high neckline is the whole reason I never bothered to make this pattern back before it was retired, despite thinking it would look absolutely amazing with the plaid wool circle skirt I made using the Crop Dress pattern. And, I would have passed up making this pattern again had it not suddenly hit me "You know how to hack patterns Alyssa! You do it all the time!! Just lower the darned neckline!"

Just like that, I was making a neck tie top for myself.

I was worried it might be complicated to lower the neckline and keep the neck tie, but it proved to be incredibly easy! I just cut out the neckline at about the level I thought I would want (I could have cut it lower, the neck tie adds some height to the finished garment neckline.), sewed up my shoulder seams, then measured the circumference of my new lower neckline and marked with a pin where I wanted my neck tie to tie. (I picked 2" from the center front for this, as that's about where the mark was on the original high neckline, but with the lower neckline I wish I'd moved it a bit further over to the side.)

 I calculated what 85% of the neckline measurement was, just like you would for a standard knit neckband, and made the section of the neck tie that attached to the neckline this long. 

It worked beautifully! The tie lays nicely on the new lower neckline, looking just as elegant as it should while being comfortable for me to wear!

I'm now very pleased that I decided to make this top. I wore it the day I finished it, and I've worn it a couple time since as well. It looks just as fantastic with my plaid circle skirt as I thought it would, and I like it with jeans too.

Thank you Suzanne for inviting me to join this blog tour so that I actually gave this pattern a try! It was worth it!

The Neck Tie Top is on sale for it's release this week for only $3! Once the sale is over, as part of the Wardrobe Builders collection it'll be $5 regular price - and it's certainly worth it! The hacking potentials with this pattern are great, and the sleeves can be used on just about any WWD knit top pattern.

For more Neck-Tie top inspiration, check out the rest of this week's blog tour! The sneak peeks I've already seen of these ladies' projects has made me eager to make a few more versions of this pattern!

Wednesday 10/7

Patricia of Sew Far North

Thursday 10/8

Alyssa of The Sewing Goatherd

Friday 10/9

Lim Hwee Ke of Keke Sews

Monday 10/12

Aurelie of Maglice&So

Tuesday 10/13

Laurie of the Bear and the Pea Atelier

Donnisha guest posting at Winter Wear Designs