Handmade top with v-notch neck

A few weeks ago I found myself in a bit of a sewing slump. I really wanted to do some sewing but felt like I really didn't need to be making any more clothes and so didn't feel motivated to start a new project. Of course, I probably don't need to sew any more clothes, but sewing is my hobby and it's really important for me to have a sewing project on the go.

As is often the case, this sewing indecision was due to me completely overthinking what I was going to make out of the fabric! I loved this floral fabric the moment I saw it and always planned to make it into a simple t-shirt. However, I really didn't want to make another basic top. Not so much because I have a lot of them (which I do!) but because I wanted a slightly more challenging sewing project. 

The situation somehow magically solved itself with a bit of RTW inspiration. I was looking at some online shops and saw a top with a v-notch neck detail, which I thought would be the perfect detail for a top made out of the floral fabric. It makes the t-shirt a bit more interesting but still lets the fabric do the talking! 

Making simple tops with extra details have always been some of my favourite things to sew. These tops allow me to learn new techniques like ruching or plackets while making something that I know I'll wear. Other ways I've made simple tops a bit more interesting have been to add a patch, a ruffle, buttons and even a zip. I guess I'll be adding a v-notch neck to that list next time!

Once I'd decided on adding in a v-notch neck I (naturally) wanted to make the top straight away. I looked online to see if there were any tutorials for making a v-notch neck but couldn't find anything, so I made up my own technique. I might create my own step-by-step tutorial as it was actually pretty easy to do once I figured out the technique and it's a nice detail that you can add to any jersey top pattern.

The most important thing for me was to keep the neckline really neat, especially at the base of the v where messy stitches would have stood out. I'm really happy with how neat the v-notch is, although such a busy print would be quite forgiving to any mistakes. 

This fabric (which I bought in Tokyo!) was so perfect for the collar as it's a fairly stiff jersey. At least I think it's a jersey, but it has basically no stretch - it just has the feel of a knit fabric. The stiff fabric holds up the collar really well and also made it a lot easier to sew the bias-binding onto, I definitely wouldn't enjoy sewing a v-notch collar onto a stretchy lightweight jersey!

Like I said, I made up my own technique for the collar which worked really well and ended up really neat. I spent quite a long time figuring it out and basically sat on the floor with a few fabric scraps, cutting and pinning a mini version to find out what would work!

The rest of the top is really simple, I used the same pattern I use every time I made a top like this one, which in it's simplest non-hacked form leads to a t-shirt like this stripy one. Because the v-notch is bias-bound for a neat finish, I added bias binding around the entire neckline instead of a neckband like I usually would add to a t-shrit. I wasn't expecting to like the bias-binding so much but I actually really do, I think it's down to the lack of stretch in the fabric that it worked so well.

This lovely top was exactly the kind of sewing project that I needed. It was fun and easy to make and I really enjoyed figuring out how to sew the collar. I'm so pleased to have made something so wearable out of the fabric as I love it so much but it's definitely a little out of my comfort zone! I can't believe that I've almost used all of my fabrics from Tokyo, after this top and my recent polo shirt I only have one more left!

And I love that v-notch detail so much!