Plantain top in Anna Maria Horner cotton interlock knit

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We are nothing if not tireless in our testing of new fabrics for you all. Selfless I tell ya. And then of course we have to wear and wash and wear garments to test how they last over time. So when you see us wearing the fabrics and patterns that we sell, it's all in the name of research. Ultimately, it's for the good of you, our customers. You're welcome.
The print is actually quite straight, it's just how I'm standing to hold the camera!

This is my sixth version of the Deer and Doe Plantain top. I'm sure getting value out of that free download! Having made it using cotton interlock twice before, I wanted to try to refine the fit. The softness of interlock can make it tend to stretch out a bit more in width. I went down one size in the body, grading to two sizes down in the shoulders/armhole/neckline. I also narrowed the fit of the arms just a little. All in all, I'm pretty happy with it. Perhaps ultimately I need to perform some kind of narrow shoulder adjustment at the back but this is very wearable.

This Anna Maria Horner knit, new to us, is 100% cotton, beautifully soft and held its shape well in the pre-wash. The pattern lined up nicely for cutting on the fold. Interlock knit (the basecloth), on close inspection, looks the same on both sides. By nature it sits very flat for cutting, without the curling that jersey (which has two distinctly different sides), and especially jersey with spandex, can be prone to. So it's a great fabric for people with little knit-sewing experience to work with as it removes that potential frustration.

If you're sewing this knit on a regular machine I would definitely recommend a ballpoint (jersey) needle to slide smoothly through the fabric, and a walking foot to help feed the fabric evenly and without stretching. Use a polyester 'Sew All' thread for strength and small zigzag stitch for a little stretch.

We have three prints in this knit in the shop now: Sealing Wax (shown), Cracking Codes and Mary Thistle. You'll need 1.5 - 2m for a long-sleeved top.

- Jane & Fiona xx



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