When we received the new models from the brand "Les patronnes", I immediately saw the potential of Riley... first because it’s a perfect little top for the heatwave but also because it’s not at all fabric-hungry... goodbye scraps 😂!
And yes, with about 60cm of fabric at 140cm wide, you can sew a Riley top and up to size 38 it even fits in 110cm widths!!!
Plus, it has top-notch, well-thought-out finishes and you know I love beautiful finishes, so Riley ticked all the boxes for making little tops to face the temperatures.
I dug through my scraps of Japanese fabrics and coupons, and I had fun!
I'll show you everything!
Let's get started!
The pattern
The Riley top is a sewing pattern for a small sleeveless top with a clean and feminine style. Its slightly flared cut offers a fluid and comfortable silhouette, perfect for sunny days as well as layering in any season.
Both timeless and totally on-trend, this pattern stands out with its fairly high neckline and delicate back keyhole closure, providing an elegant and refined finish.
The clips on the front subtly structure the garment for a balanced silhouette.
In a light and flowing material, Riley transforms into an airy top ideal for summer.
Made from a fabric with more structure, it takes on a more sophisticated look, perfect for a dressy outfit that can be styled as a total look.
Easy to pair with jeans, shorts, a skirt, or high-waisted pants, this top will quickly become a staple in your handmade wardrobe.
What did I like most about the pattern?
- the beautiful clean cut
- the back keyhole: a detail that changes everything
- a fabric-efficient pattern that allows you to use up your scraps
Practical information for sewing this pattern
Riley is a top accessible to resourceful beginner / intermediate seamstresses. More advanced seamstresses will also greatly enjoy making this quick sew with beautiful, well-thought-out finishes.
The pattern is available from size 34 to 48 in PDF format on our website.
In the file you will find: the pattern in A4, US letter, or A0 format for printing at a professional printer or for projection.
Don't panic if you have to tape your pieces in A4 format, Riley consists of two pieces: a front and a back... you won't even have time to watch a series at the same time 😂
In the seamstress's basket
To sew Riley, you will need a woven fabric such as:
- some poplin or cotton voile
- some cotton satin
- some cotton lawn
- some viscose linen or linen
- some poplin or viscose crepe or viscose satin
- some tencel
- some broderie anglaise or embroidered cotton
- ....
Almost any fabric is possible! The style will vary a lot depending on the choice: a thin, light fabric will create a flowy top, a heavy fabric will amplify the volume to give a much more structured look.
For haberdashery supplies, we’ll add:
- 1 spool of matching thread
- 1 small button for the back closure (about 10 to 12 mm)
- About 60 cm of matching lining
- optional: matching cones for the serger
My supplies
I sewed a first version from a floral cotton poplin coupon that I had leftover for two years waiting for a project... needless to say, I saw the potential right away!
I had 65cm of fabric in a 110cm wide poplin, and it fit 🥳!
I used white cotton voile for the lining, white thread, and a pretty pink button.
To make my loop, I didn’t bother much; I took some buttonhole trim I had leftover, and it works great—I’ll show you below!
Building on my first version, I used the leftover fabric from my Eyra shirt by Instinct Couture that I sewed last year to make a second version in a different Japanese fabric.
By the way, if you want to see my shirt, there’s the blog post here.
Technical points
Even though Riley is designed for confident beginners, I find that Les patronnes really took care with the finishing touches, and we love that!
There are some interesting technical points in this little top:
- creating a clip
- attaching a lining with managing the back keyhole
- creating a loop and sewing a button
- managing the armholes with the lining
- making hems
For my part, I am delighted with the model and the explanatory booklet which really helps to understand the more technical steps.
Making the clips for the bust darts
Managing the lining seam with the loop and back keyhole
Making the hems
My sewing experience
Two hours is enough to sew this top if you're used to sewing, a bit more if you're a beginner. I really enjoyed this sewing experience because I like alternating "small" sewing projects before working on bigger (more challenging or longer 😉) ones.
I really saw it as a relaxing, soothing sewing project, and it feels great!
I loved the fact that I could make a sewing project that I could wear the same day, and in this heat, this model is just perfect!
The big plus for me is really using two beautiful fabric scraps, too small for a bigger project but perfect for Riley. I'm thrilled to have been able to make the most of the end of my lovely coupons of fabric, and that's fantastic!
So, ready to sew Riley for yourself, your teen, ...? Let's dive into all the great patterns from the brand Les patronnes
Want to find the perfect fabric for your sewing project? Take advantage of our current sales to find the fabric that will make your heart beat faster!
No more excuses, let's get started!
Get your needles ready!
