Shoulda known...

More Slow Stitching, french seams, facings sewn down, no raw edges.

Not so pleased with how this garment turned out. I should have known, really, that any pattern marked "simple" is usually bound to be a disappointment, but I wanted a basic sleeveless top. The pattern includes a sleeveless version and one with long or short sleeves with a vee/square/round neck variation. It has bust darts and the neck and sleeve edges are fully faced, so I had high hopes that this would work out to be that basic shell top, but nope: gotta keep looking. It's wearable under something else - which is what I wanted - but
I'm disgruntled with the neckline. I chose a square neck because I don't have a garment with that neckline, but the finished result sits oddly out from my body. Not much, but enough to be annoying. I adjusted the bust darts (is anybody else above a B-cup irritated by that constant adjustment for the fuller busted?) but they're still not quite right. I also cut this at a size that should've matched my measurements according to the pattern envelope, but turned out to be at least two, perhaps three, sizes too large; I did a pin baste to try it on before sewing a seam, and ended up cutting it down two sizes but could have cut a little more and still had it fit.

I had issues, too, with the sewing instructions. I know these simple patterns are aimed at new sewers, for the
most part, but I think this one is teaching bad habits that will be hard to unlearn later. Why bother to face the
sleeve and neck openings with a finished edge facing (nice and neat) measuring about two inches in width, then instruct makers to edge sew at one inch, so that there's a nasty flappy bit of facing flopping about on the
inside of your garment, probably crinkling up and spoiling the fit? Instead, why not either make the facing narrower, so it gets sewn down completely, or use a wider edge stitch? I looked at those facings long and hard, trying to convince myself  I could live with those flappy facings, but in the end I couldn't. As I often do, I ignored the instructions and made my own up. I considered cutting the facings down, but laziness prevailed and I edgestitched a wider margin as they were. It looks fine and it's better for my peace of mind :)

So, I have a wearable garment in a colour I love. Bonus, if a qualified one given my misgivings above. Would I make this again? Nope. It requires more tweaking to make it a truly satisfying piece than I'm willing to put into what is meant to be a simple garment.