Sewing the Twist It Up Top by Ellie & Mac

Time to roll into fall sewing, and I’m kicking it off with the Twist It Up Top by Ellie & Mac.

About the Pattern

I was drawn to several features of this pattern:

• The multiple options for sleeve length
• The fact that the long sleeve option uses cuffs instead of a hem.
• The twist knot. I love a good knot on a shirt.
• The cowl neck. I hate boring crew/round necklines.
• The dolman sleeves.

The pattern instruction design is better than most, though the graphic designer in me sees room for improvement—but that’s nothing new with indie pattern designers. The instructions themselves are clear and the photos are mostly well-done. The steps for the knot don’t show the detail of what’s going on very well and pixelation doesn’t help. Also, the “flip sections around” explanation is vague to say the least.

Those minor critiques aside, the instructions are easy to follow and it’s an easy garment to sew.

The Toile

Before slicing into what was left of my white loose weave sweater knit, I wanted to make a toile to gauge the fit. I didn’t have any similar fabric, so I decided to use my leftover French Newsprint jersey from Made of Love Fabrics.

• Fabric Type: Jersey
• Fiber Content: 60% Cotton, 40% Polyester
• Weight and Thickness: 100gsm 0.25mm
• Stretch: 175% horizontal, 25% vertical
• Softness: ★★★★★
• Sheerness: ★★★☆☆

Options Used

• Size XS
• +2″ to sleeves
• Cowl neck
• Long sleeves

I ended up loving this way more than my Nyoka made of the same fabric. I love how it hugs the hips and floats away at the waist. I also love how the knot creates a built-in lazy tuck. I’m also pretty thrilled how the print is situated. That skinny column of text going right down the middle of the front, and how the placement of all the photos ended up—I’m super happy with all of it. I wasn’t very deliberate as far as print placement when cutting, but I was when it came to selecting the interior/exterior of the cowl and the cuffs.

It’s a good thing I added 2″ to the sleeves, too. I did pause before doing that and wondered if that would be overkill, but then thought better. Too-long sleeves are way better than too-short sleeves. Turns out, even with the extra 2″, these are only just long enough to be comfortable for me.

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The Final Version

About the Fabric

Fallen Snow Loose Weave Sweater Knit from Boho Fabrics

• Weight: 9 oz.
• Horizontal Stretch: 150%
• Vertical Stretch: 60%
• Poly/Rayon/Spandex Blend

This fabric was a little tricky to work with. It has a pretty loose recovery, and it sheds a bit at the cut edges. Loose and open weave knits are also a little more challenging to create sturdy seams with because there’s just so much less fiber to work with. It was also more finicky to feed through the machine, so my seam allowances are probably a little more than the 0.25″ called for in the pattern.

Options Used

• Size: XS
• +1″ to bodice
• +1″ to sleeves (for a total of an extra 3″ over the original pattern)
• Long sleeves
• Cowl neck

With the looser recovery of this sweater knit, I probably didn’t have to add the extra inch to the bodice. It does feel a bit on the too-long side, but I can always bunch up the hem to counteract that.

Due to the fabric, I finished the raw edge of the twist cut-out before I started constructing the shirt. If I hadn’t, it would have unraveled around those edges which the pattern leaves unfinished.

This is such a comfortable sweater. I love the extra-long sleeves and the fabric is so soft. It’s a perfect transitional top between summer and fall. It adds just enough of a sheer layer to take the bite out of cool mornings and windy days, but still comfortable when the sun warms things up.

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