A tunic top and some Spring designer Ideas

In a burst of energy yesterday, and inspiration from my shopping trip the day before,  I sewed up View A of Louise Cutting's new 2X4 tops in this stretchy cotton/Lycra stripe that I also used for a Sewing Workshop Mimosa top.  After comparing and measuring similar tops, I cut the size small  - highly recommend that process to determine the size to make.    This neckline and that of view B are pretty wide, so compare those as well.    If you've already sewn up the shells with the same necklines, you're halfway there.   For this neckline, I omitted the facing and trimmed and finished the neckline with a 1" unfinished bias trim using the technique from Louise's Master Class on trims and finishes in Threads #121 - one of my treasured issues.   This top has the mitered vents at the sides.   I omitted the optional triangle inserts in this top.  

The shape, the view A neckline, and fit of this 2X4 top is a lot like this gorgeous Piazza Sempione Linen cotton hand painted shift dress.   You know how I like to lengthen favorite tops into dresses, so this looks like something I need to knock-off for spring using the 2X4 pattern.    If you want to see beautiful outfits,   check out their website or the collection at Neiman Marcus.     The photo on the right is their Textured Sketch-Print Jacket with cargo pockets that are just like the pocket included in Louise Cutting's One Seam Pant pattern.   A fabulous knock-off of this jacket could be made using her In The Trenches pattern, with the concealed placket, shortened, without the drawstring and just a plain sleeve - a spectacular look for a lot less than $1,550.

DH decided to cure my cabin fever by taking me to South Park Mall in Charlotte NC on Thursday where I got to check out the resort and spring collections at Neiman Marcus.   I wore my black Tosca dress with a stretch velvet turtleneck and black textured tights that got raves from the staff in the designer section.   I saw a dress (sorry I didn't commit the designer of it to memory) that had a similar shape and hem treatment as the new SW Tosca Dress, same length as mine.   It didn't have the neat neckline as the Tosca, but it did have the deep armholes.  The interesting thing was that this dress (in a blue on white brush-stroke cotton) had little self-fabric inserts sewn in the deep armholes for modesty. Because the Tosca Dress front and neckline shape may be compromised by messing with the armholes, I may do that,  putting tiny snaps so they can be removed - like dress shields.   And talk about channeling a Sewing Workshop pattern classic, Michael Kors is selling a poly crepe skirt this spring ($1,295) that looks a whole lot like the Lotus Skirt!   

I absolutely love what is being done with stripes this resort and spring.   Lots of easy shift shapes, some with drawstrings like Chloe and Marc Jacobs.     Lanvin and Stella McCartney are doing relaxed fit shapes and shift dresses too,  but the Charlotte store doesn't carry those lines anymore, although they can order them.     I always love Etro and just about died when I saw their aqua cotton lace cardigan jacket ($1,730).   It was shown in their Resort 2010 catalog page 119 over a floral dress.   The sage green jacket in the photo from Browns in the UK is the exact same in a different color lace.   Interesting that the Chanel resort collection also had open, unlined eyelet looks.   More photos of the aqua jacket and the details of the french seams and trim are on Flickr.    How simple to create a cardigan jacket like this one from any basic boxy jacket pattern.    I seem to remember an article on creating trim like this in Threads - maybe someone can help me find it.