At the beginning of March, I won a small contest organized on Instagram by the brand Lot of things which I had already presented in the context of making the Cosette top.
So I received my gift a few days later: the magazine Idées à faire No. 26 of March/April which contains the pattern and instructions to make the Alouette top.
It also contains other sewing tutorials but also cooking, DIY, macramé, knitting...
Alouette is a small sleeveless top, with a pretty crossed back and which has a collar without a collar stand.
Since it is a small spring-summer top, it is recommended to make it in a light and flowing fabric. The version presented in the magazine is in double gauze but why not make it in viscose, cotton poplin, broderie anglaise...
For my part, I chose a floral cotton poplin in ochre and fuchsia tones for the body and a plain tawny one for the collar. Both come from Nomura in Kyoto.
Alouette is quite economical in fabric since for size 34 to 40, 90cm of 140cm width is enough for its making, and 125cm for sizes 42 to 48.
To complete the list of supplies, I used 4 buttons from the maison dorée bought during the sales and a bias tape bought at veritas.
Alouette is easy for me to access even though it is rated 3 out of 4 for difficulty level and has some technical challenges.
Indeed, Alouette requires:
- making bust darts
- making and attaching a collar without a collar stand,
- making a facing
- creating a button placket on the shoulders
- applying a bias to bind the seams
- knowing how to topstitch.
However, with the explanations and the "photo doc" provided in the magazine, it is easy to carry out these steps without making mistakes.
To download the pattern in PDF format, you need to scan a QR code using your smartphone.
Assembling the A4 sheets is very simple and involves no difficulty.
Since the seam allowances are included, I cut size 36 directly.
I followed the steps but I did not make the buttonholes. I sewed the buttons directly by sewing the two shoulders together.
Since the top can be put on over the head without opening the buttonholes, I preferred not to make them and thus minimize the risk of openings.
I also did not topstitch the armhole bias as on the model presented in the magazine. However, I fixed the turned bias at the side seam allowance.
I am always surprised by the original assemblies used by the two creators of the brand. Indeed, it was the first time I encountered the technique of bias binding, followed by the "turning" of the shoulder button plackets. It's quite disorienting and surprising but it works! So I am happy to have learned a new technique thanks to this model.
And you, what do you think of this model?
