Today, I’m sharing my review of the Fibre Mood Harper Top – the THIRD pattern I have sewn from issue number 22 of Fibre Mood magazine.
In my opinion, it’s the best issue yet of the magazine. I am not yet at the end of list of things I want to sew from it!
So, Fibre Mood Harper. I made my version out of a striped cotton/viscose blend I purchased from Cross and Woods. It feels a lot like a lightweight cotton gauze.
It is recommended that you choose your size for the Fibre Mood Harper based on your bust measurements. My bust measurements had me firmly in the middle of the “L” size range, but I was worried as to how that size would fit around my hips. After checking the pattern pieces, I confirmed that the pattern has no shaping so that the bust measurement given for the finished garment is also the same size as the waist and hip for that finished garment. This confirmed my suspicion that the size I needed around my bust definitely wouldn’t have enough ease for my hips.
I was tossing up between just going up a size to better accommodate my hips and have a looser feel to it all, but instead I decided to stick with L, but I graded outwards from the waist to give myself an extra few centimetres at the hips.
The pattern piece of the Fibre Mood Harper which goes around the neckline and then all the way down the upper arm is very large and is supposed to be cut on the fold. Since I wanted to have the stripes running in the opposite direction than front and back pieces, I very quickly realised that I did not have anywhere near enough fabric to do this as a single piece – as designed.
So I had to cut this pieces in two halves and join them together, which does result in there being a seam right at the centre front of my neck. So you may want to keep that in mind if you are going for any directional play. You would definitely need more fabric than recommended if you want to cut out in a different direction while keeping the neckline a single piece. My best guess would be about 60-70cm extra, but don’t take my word for it, get out your pattern pieces and measure it yourself!
The Fibre Mood Harper top was a very quick and easy sewing project. I traced it out during my lunch break and then, on one workday evening, managed to cut and sew the entire project. So it is also one of those quick winners.
It definitely felt a little unwieldy to handle the oddly shaped gather-filled creation at times – I spent a lot of time grabbing a piece of fabric and thinking – are you my centre back seam or my side seam or are you maybe an arm?
But it’s entirely manageable.
All-in-all this was a quick, fun and easy project. And I love the end result.
But, you know I always like being honest, right?
So, while it looks great, the Fibre Mood Harper top is not necessarily the most comfortable garment I’ve ever worn. And that’s ok.
Sometimes arm movement is overrated. I will accept sacrificing brachial mobility for sartorial purposes.
Reality is that when you have any “sleeve” which doesn’t consist of a separate sleeve piece but is grown on to a bodice, it will create limitations on arm mobility (unless it is very oversized, roomy, batwing etc, none of which apply to Harper). When you then add extra fabric for gathers into that equation, well, it’s clearly not going to help.
So, yes, I cannot really lift my arms above my elbows in this top. But I’m going to say it’s worth it!
My other final little comment is that, on me, the neckline does not sit as flat as I would like it. I think the fit would be better on me if I removed a bit of fabric from the back neckline (a couple of centimetres). Which would be easy to do and which I would do next time.
You can see in this shot how the back neckline and facing are a a bit off on me and need some fixing.
But, when sewing this one, my son and husband were returning from visiting family the next day and I knew it would be my one last chance for sewing for a few weeks. And, well, I just wanted to finish.
If I find it really bothers me, I can always go back in and fix it!
So, while I want to be clear that this is not a perfect flawless top (at least on my body), I still love this Fibre Mood Harper, in all it’s slightly piano-themed glory.
It just looks modern and interesting and really quite unlike anything else I’ve seen out there.
I think that patterns like this are really where Fibre Mood excels. Compared to an indie pattern designer who has to make sure that every single pattern is viable and well received, a magazine can take more risks and present more unusual designs as they don’t need to ensure that every pattern appeals to every customer – just that there’s a good enough mix across the issue.
I think that this can lead to a really dynamic creative process and give us some real unique patterns like this one!
Which is not to say that I don’t love my regular indie patterns too. I think there will always be plenty of room for both sewing magazines and regular patterns in my sewing practice.
On the other hand, don’t get me started on online pattern subscription clubs – definitely not a direction I am at all interested in taking my sewing practice…
And a bonus Closet Core Nicks Dress..
And, just when you thought the blog post was done, I’ll throw in a bonus garment!
Do you ever love a fabric so much that you can’t decide what colour to buy it in.
That’s exactly how I felt about this striped cotton.
So I also bought this colour way and used it to sew yet another Closet Core Nicks Dress.
The Closet Core Nicks – with its many tiers – simply has “stripe play” written all over it!
I’ve already written a blog post all about the Closet Core Nicks Dress – featuring my other three versions of it! So if you want to read more about the pattern, you can check out that post.
This version is exactly the same as my previous versions – why mess with a great thing? This is seriously just about my favourite dress pattern ever.
And I doubt I am done with it yet!
So for now, all that’s left is to share just how much fun these stripes are to spin around in!!
