One of my few remaining pieces of RTW is a very stretchy top that I used to love, but which I haven’t worn for about three years. I decided that I would like a new one, so rubbed off the pattern and then went shopping in the stash.

I found a small remnant (what else?) of this grey/black/white high quality ribbed knit and figured I might be able to fit the pattern on. Except, of course, I couldn’t! Undaunted, I began playing pattern tetris and did manage it – after a fashion (no pun intended).

The top can be worn in either direction. In the photo above, I am wearing it as a cowl with a cropped bodice. It has sleeves in the form of cuffs added to part of the side seams.

I really like the way the bottom is shaped when I wear it this way.

In terms of construction: the fabric had a lovely selvedge, which I wanted to use, and I made the decision to put it on the long section, which is the cowl in these photos. It turns out that this was a daft decision because (a) I think it would have looked nicer with the selvedge on the bottom of the wide part, and (b) this fabric has a lot of stretch one way and minimal the other and I needed the stretch to go on the long section, but of course that’s not where it is! This photo illustrates this, it’s quite tight round my middle.

This was a super simple top to make, but there is supposed to be shaping where that fringed bottom is. It’s ok on this top, but I’m going to make another one with the shaping.

The other issue I had is that when the top is worn as above, the neck is really wide and falls off my shoulders. I fixed this by sewing the neck in a little bit and adding small press studs so that I can make it more fitted. Worked like a charm.

In the photos below I am wearing the top in the Beacon Hill Park in Victoria on Vancouver Island. Such a pretty park.

I’m wearing it with Jamie Jeans and a Named Kanerva Peplum blouse, which I’ve made twice before – here and another one, which I can’t find!

This is a perfect layering piece, being light but warm. The only thing that I noticed when wearing it in this configuration is that it can get untidy if I don’t pay attention. I hadn’t realised this until I started looking at the photos.

Here it is again, worn the other way round. Here I’m trying to show how the long section works,

and I have no idea why I look so horrified here, but I liked the fact that the Fairmont Lake Louise was in the background.

I have already worn this a few times on this trip as it’s an excellent layering piece. Here it is being worn in Toronto, at the top of the CN Tower, where Mark is also dressed head to toe in stuff I’ve made him.

I’m trying to show the lovely vistas as well here.

On the glass floor where I’m pretending not to freak out

and Mark insisted that I sit on a knobby stool in front of this sign. It was cold here so I’m also wearing the secret dressing gown!

I love the fact that when this sign is full of padlocks they cut them off and make them into furniture, which is what I’m sitting on. I was also fascinated by an enormous padlock that had “Property of the New York Insane Asylum” engraved on it. I wonder how old that one is and how anyone could bear to part with it as it was strangely beautiful.

I have worn this top a few times on our travels and it’s currently enjoying itself in Montréal. How is that view?

This fabric came from Potters many moons ago. I was so pleased to have it out of my stash as it’s really nice. Having worn this top a little bit, I might make some minor modifications for the next one – the main modification being to have the stretch go round my body on the long thin part.