I enjoy a good knit top for several reasons, but first and foremost they’re just easy to take care of and comfortable. They’re also usually the first things my girls go for in the morning when dressing themselves, or rather, I’m dressing them because they’re total morning zombies.
Sew Like My Mom released the Apricot Dolman, another very stylish and comfy knit top/tunic/dress. This one goes together with record speed though! I tested version A, but version B includes some fun shoulder inserts that could be nice for contrasting fabrics. It also includes a neck binding that I think gives it a more polished look than a more traditional neckband, and a long sleeves option.
The first one I made is a size 4 with size 5 length tunic, version A (no shoulder insert), and short sleeves. Needless to say I think it looks amazing! I must be honest though, I’m always wary of dolman style tops, mostly because they often come out looking frumpy and over-sized (batwings anyone?), but Melissa nailed the fit on this pattern!
In case you’re wondering, both the hearts fabric and the ribbing are from Fabric Outlet. The ribbing (which you can read about in this post) made it very easy to turn the neckband over and top stitch because it has plenty of stretch, but it’s also lightweight. The hearts fabric is also soft and lovely, has 100% stretch and great recovery, and it wears nicely I think.
My girl loves it because it’s comfortable and has hearts on it 😉
Regarding construction, it’s pretty straightforward, most done with my serger, but pay attention to the fact it’s not a neckband. A neck binding is attached differently. I top stitched my neck binding with my coverstitch (most testers used their sewing machines) using wooly nylon thread for the looper (bottom) thread. Since the neck binding is thicker, I found the wooly thread had an easier time getting over the “bulky” seams, which to be honest weren’t that bulky. I’m thinking I need to try out a swimsuit with this wooly nylon thread and really put it to the test!
You can see the neck binding a little more clearly on this top version. The purple fabric is an interlock and the grey is a baby ribbing from Girl Charlee.
Anyway, as usual, I absolutely LOVE Sew Like My Mom patterns, and this one is no exception. The pattern comes with the layers feature so no wasting ink, the instructions are clearly laid out with photographs for each step, and fitting instructions are also provided to ensure proper fit for each body. It’s available in sizes 12 mos- 8 years and 6-16 years, or you can save and get the bundle. I can’t wait to make coordinated Boxwood Joggers! I think version B of the Apricot Dolman with the insert would go well with the pocket detail of the joggers.
Have you ever tried sewing a dolman style before? They’re so awful on me, but this one looks cute on my girl. I think I might try the larger girls’ size to see if I can squeeze myself into it! Hmmm…
penny sew vintage 
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