Needlecord Top

I find that each time I make a garment it's something else that inspires it. Sometimes it's a trend I want to copy or the fabric jumps out to be made into something in particular. For this make it was all about the details. I started out with this gorgeous pink cuffing that I knew I wanted to use. I started with only a vague idea of wanting to use the cuffing and adding the detail of an elasticated hem and ended up with a top.

The cuffing is the main feature of this top and my favourite part. When I went to the Knitting and Stitching show at Alexandra Palace back in October, the stand that I was most excited about was Stoff and Still. I was fortunate to be able to visit one of their many shops in Denmark around almost two years ago (you can see some of the things that I bought there in this post) and it is possibly my absolute favourite shop ever - and I've been to quite a few! The quality and range of their fabric is amazing, it's just a shame that the shops are a plane journey away... 

I believe it was their first time at a sewing show and rather than bringing fabric on the bolt they brought with them pre-cut pieces of a few different fabric collections. While I didn't buy any of their fabric I did buy a few pieces of accessories, one of which was this gorgeous cuffing. I love the idea of adding details to homemade garments to make them seem more proffesional and cuffing is perfect for that.

This top hasn't actually photographed particularly well possibly due the the dark fabric and to me it feels a bit more special in real life. I wanted the cuffing to stand out so knew that pairing it with a black fabric was the way forward. Amazingly, upon rumaging though my fabric leftovers I discovered enough black needlecord left over from this dress to make a top! It did involve some careful pattern placements and there were litterally threads left by the end but I was so pleased to have been able to get another garment out of the fabric, usually pieces I have left over are too small to be made into anything else.

The other detail that I added to this top that I also love is this elasticated hem. It's a detail that I've seem on quite a few ready to wear tops lately and again I think it just adds a nice professional touch. I was really pleased to find the adjustors in my local craft shop they are such a lovely finishing detail. This top was really fun to plan out and see come to life, rather than the fabric or pattern it's the finishing touches that make the top and I like that about it.