Maison Fauve is a brand synonymous with femininity, comfort, great originality in sewing construction, but also elegance and character… That was all it took for Céline and me to decide to sew together to enrich our wardrobe with this Salto model. And you’ll see, we have the same garment, but not the same look! It’s so cool!

So, let’s get started!

The model

Salto is a top with wide curved straps, featuring a straight silhouette ending at the hips.

Its front can be one piece or have a button placket.

To enhance its cut, the front(s) and back feature small gathers that provide just the right amount of volume for the bust and back ease. Céline and Eugénie had to convince me to join the sewing adventure because I had some doubts about the model’s cut for my high contrast waist/hip shape, while Céline is tall and slender. It was well worth it because in the end, I find it fits me very well and is very comfortable. Thanks, girls!

Versions chosen by Marie-Hélène and Céline

You could say Salto has become a wardrobe staple for Céline! She has already made it three times and told me she’s planning other versions! All her versions are size 36. Céline chose to make her versions without the button placket and in two fabrics, which is a great idea to recycle vertical fabric scraps, often neglected, and it adds an extra touch of character to the garment. 

On my side, I went the complete opposite way: a single fabric and buttoned at the front. I cut a size 36 for the top and widened to 40 for the hips. Since I have a long torso and my pants are rather low-rise, I lengthened the pieces by 3 cm.

Practical information for sewing the model

Salto is available as a printed pattern in store and on the webshop and ranges from size 34 to 52.

As always with Maison Fauve, the instructions are bilingual French – English.

Seam allowances are included and are 1 cm.   

The brand indicates an intermediate difficulty. I agree, as the cutting and sewing of the straps require precision. I detail them for you in the technical points below.

In the seamstress's basket 

To make this printed pattern, you will need: 
- fabric with a width of 140 cm: 
   - sizes 34-38: 80 cm
   - sizes 40-46: 90 cm
   - sizes 48-52: 105 cm
- fusible interfacing G785 or H200/H180 depending on the material
- 7 buttons 10-12 mm in diameter for the version with button placket
- sewing thread

The printed pattern can be made from a very wide range of fabrics, as long as they are rather soft and light for the body (about 80 to 200g/m2): a cotton poplin or viscose, a soft and smooth jacquard, viscose crepe, serges, tencel, lace or broderie anglaise, cotton lawn, liberty...

Maison Fauve specifies – and it’s very wise – that materials which iron easily should be preferred for making the straps.   

Our supplies 

On Céline's side: Version 1 in Liberty with sun patterns for the front and back and washed black linen for the panels and straps. Gorgeous! Version 2 in Liberty Betsy mauve and pink for the front and back and in light gabardine Dahlia color for the panels and straps. Version 3, the fabrics are sold out! But the London Floral by Nerida Hansen is close for the main fabric   

For my part, I chose a cotton satin whose very fresh Japanese anemone patterns were designed by Nerida Hansen. The satin weave makes the cotton more fluid than if it were woven in toile weave (like for a poplin) and also softer, which is a plus.  

For the fusible interfacing, I used the H180 and only for the button placket. I didn’t fuse the straps because even though the cotton satin is fluid, it still has enough body not to fuse the pieces. And Céline made the same choice; the linen and gabardine have enough body. 

The buttons come from my stock and the thread is a beautiful fuchsia pink, Gütermann 877.

Indicated difficulty level and technical points

As you might have guessed, the challenge of this top is undoubtedly the straps. When cutting, you first need to identify them well: there are 8 pieces to cut in total, with a similar shape, without making mistakes between right side and wrong side, left and right, and top and bottom.

Moreover, Maison Fauve is known for bold constructions and Salto is no exception. You have to assemble the straps separately from the garment, prepare a 1 cm fold, then attach it to the front and back in two steps with some technical skill due to the fact that the pieces are all curved and lined. The result is worth the effort; the finish is very neat and truly beautiful!   

On the challenge side, there’s also the technique of making beautiful topstitching and creating buttonholes for the version that includes them.

Our sewing experience 

Céline and I really enjoyed sewing this pattern. It requires little fabric and the instructions guide you very well through the trickier parts. Once more experienced with the strap step, there’s no doubt that Salto is a little top to make and remake without too much time for a beautiful result.

The reward for the effort required by the straps is that they wrap nicely around the arm, don’t gape at the armpits, and cover the bra straps well.

Everything fits well for a very pleasant drape!       

So, will summer see you dressed in Salto?

Get your needles ready!