I’m so excited to share this top with you today. This is my first time sewing with Fibre Mood to help promote their newest patterns (released today as Issue 11 of FibreMood Magazine). This is my second Fibre Mood pattern to work with, after the Mindy Dress, and I’ve been so impressed with the quality and design of their patterns.
For Issue 11, I chose this Clara Top pattern – I’d received this amazing knit from Minerva just days before being invited to take part in the Issue 11 link party, and as soon as I saw this pattern, I thought they’d be a fabulous match. This knit is so lovely – made of a sustainably certified viscose, it is incredibly soft and has a beautiful weight and drape. It has a more knitted look than your standard jersey, and feels almost more like a lightweight sweater knit. It isn’t heavy, but the weight makes it perfect for the transition from summer to autumn here in Texas.
Though this pattern is simple, it has a lot of really lovely details that make it special. The sleeves are grown on and feature a lovely self-facing that gives you a really nice hem width detail along the sleeve edge. The ties are completely optional, and leave a lot of room for creativity. I made mine out of self fabric, which I chose not to finish (I won’t lie, this is because it wasn’t necessary and I was being lazy!). I prefer them tied in the front, so that I can take full advantage of the lovely look given by the drape of the fabric, but they could just as easily tie in the back. If you’re using a heavier or more stable knit, it also looks great without the ties at all (check out Cass’s awesome Boiled Wool Version!)
A feature that I was a little nervous about to begin with is the bias finish at the neckline! I have used a bias finish on a stable scuba knit before, but never on a more soft and drapey knit like this Lima Knit. I had some beautiful bias tape made from Rifle Paper Co. fabric that I won in a contest quite a while ago, and the colors were too perfect to pass up. I will admit that my bias tape is probably thicker than ideal for this pattern, but it turned out better than I had imagined, and it is worth it to me to have such pretty garment guts!
I absolutely love this top, and can’t wait to try out the versatility of the pattern by sewing a couple more. It’s a great option for an elevated everyday tee, but depending on the fabric content, could be something a little more elegant, as well. I’d like to think I’ve gone the slightly elegant route here! It would also be the perfect, snuggly top as football season takes off – I’m thinking a chunky, loop back French Terry would be fantastic.
Along with the Clara Top, there are some other seriously great patterns included in Issue 11 – check out what we’ve made with them here! Some of my favorites are the Paris Top (a loose fitting wrap front blouse with PRETTY sleeves!), the Madeline Skirt (a classic bias skirt, which I’m hoping to sew up for Thanksgiving celebrations!), and the Guilia Dress (a seemingly simple silhouette with some great details!). I’d love for you to use my affiliate link to check them out and pick up a pattern or two! Let me know which pattern you decide to sew up first!!
Dress: handmade by me
Fabric: Minerva – Meet MILK – Soft Lima Jersey Knit in Lapis
Pattern: Fibre Mood – Clara Top
Key Ingredients:
Brother XR9500PRW Sewing Machine
Brother 1034D Overlocker
Schmetz Jersey Ballpoint Needles
Dahle 36×48 Self-healing Cutting Mat
Heat & Bond Soft Stretch (Lite)
Thanks for reading my thoughts on this pattern! The fabric used for this post was provided to me by Minerva in exchange for photos of my finished garments posted on social media. The Fibre Mood Clara Pattern was provided to me by FibreMood to promote the pattern release. All words and opinions expressed throughout this post are my own, as always. Links provided throughout this post may be affiliate links – if you choose to purchase any products through these links, I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you. This simply helps me justify the costs of my sewing habit and the time it takes to share it with you!! Happy Sewing!
- XX Elizabeth
