For summer, jersey is perfect, and Fanny of the brand Instinct Couture knows it!
She offers us a lovely asymmetric top and dress pattern with pleats: the Vakita pattern.
I fell for it and sewed myself a top from a 3 m remnant of GOTS-certified jersey with a gorgeous floral print… and a dress as well! I chose to make them using two different techniques, and both work beautifully!
Let me tell you about my experience sewing jersey on the blog. Here we go!
The design
Vakita is a summer design to sew in knit fabric, combining style and comfort.
Its asymmetric cut is designed to work with a bra, thanks to the additional strap. Vakita also gets its charm from the pleating at the shoulder. The upper bodice is lined to below the bust for a neat finish.
This pattern offers a wide choice of styles:
- crop top,
- top,
- fitted dress
- skater dress.
Information for sewing this design
Vakita comes in sizes 32 to 52, corresponding to a bust measurement of 76 to 120 cm. The pattern is available in printed and PDF formats on our website. Seam allowances are included and measure 1 cm.
The sizing is accurate. If your measurements are slightly above those for a particular size, I recommend choosing the next size up rather than sizing down and ending up with a very close-fitting garment.
In the sewing basket
Vakita must be sewn in a knit fabric with at least 40% stretch. You can choose cotton jersey or ribbed or textured knits. The cotton jerseys available in the shop are suitable for making it without any trouble, provided you follow the size chart carefully.
Knits with some body, such as Milano or interlock, also work well for Vakita. For a more fluid, swishy result, you could also choose a viscose jersey.
To sew Vakita, you will need:
- Knit fabric for the different versions:
The crop top:
Sizes 32 to 42: 70 cm of fabric (140 cm wide), and sizes 44 to 52: 100 cm of fabric (140 cm wide)
The top:
Sizes 32 to 42: 80 cm of fabric (140 cm wide), and sizes 44 to 52: 120 cm of fabric (140 cm wide)
The fitted dress: sizes 32 to 42: 100 cm of fabric (140 cm wide), and sizes 44 to 52: 150 cm of fabric (140 cm wide)
For the skater version, add 60 cm of fabric (140 cm wide).
The haberdashery needed to sew the top or dress:
- 3 m of Lastin
- Matching thread
- Matching thread cones if you are using an overlocker.
My version and supplies
I chose to sew the top and skater dress versions in size 36.
For the top, I picked a 3 m remnant from our joly coupons selection. It is a GOTS-certified jersey with just the sort of floral print I love.
For the skater dress, I chose a viscose jersey from my personal stash (it was actually left over from a 3 m Joly coupons remnant that we no longer have in stock. I had fallen for it, and somehow a piece found its way into my stash 🤔)
I chose to use straight-grain stay tape specifically for jersey instead of Lastin to support the seams at the straps, armholes and neckline.
Difficulty level and technical points
Fanny, the brand's designer, gives the Vakita top/dress a difficulty rating of 2 out of 5. I think Vakita is well suited to an intermediate sewing level.
Confident beginners can give it a go, and more experienced sewists will enjoy the lovely construction of the pleats and the lined jersey top.
By sewing Vakita, you will learn to:
🧷 Sew knit fabric
🧷 Sew Lastin (on a sewing machine and an overlocker) or apply fusible straight-grain stay tape for jersey
🧷 Sew pleats and a hem
🧷 Sew a lining
My sewing experience
As I like to test patterns under the same real-life conditions you have at home, I decided to sew one garment on the overlocker and the other on the sewing machine. The pleats on the straps must always be sewn on a sewing machine. So I sewed the top on the overlocker and the dress on the sewing machine.
Apart from taking a little longer on the sewing machine, both versions sew up very well using either method. So do not worry if you do not yet have an overlocker: a sewing machine works perfectly well. Just remember to use a jersey needle.
I chose to sew the hems on my coverstitch machine to make good use of it. If you do not have a coverstitch machine, you will need to use a twin needle for jersey/stretch fabrics.
I have to say I love both of my new makes. I really like the distinctive neckline and pleated straps. They make a lovely change from the designs you find in shops.
I am really pleased that Fanny drafted the pattern to work with a bra.
I love my T-shirt, which will be perfect with shorts or jeans.
And as for the twirly dress… mamma mia, I love it! It is definitely coming in my suitcase for my next holiday in the sun!
What do you think of this design?
Do take a look at Fanny's designs and her brand Instinct Couture, because there are some real gems to discover.
Happy sewing!
