The retro wrap

After the gathered dress fiasco (and I really appreciate your nice comments. However, I'm just going to walk away from this one. Because I don't usually do that, I'm going to call that a learning experience in itself) I needed a bit of a palate cleanser. 
And I thought about some of the nice things I had found on the well-suited blog.  This top in particular:

The retro wrap top was a pattern puzzle last year, inspired by this image of a vintage pattern from Red Point Tailor's Pinterest page. In this post, Studio Faro tells you how to make this pattern. It's kind of a free-form pattern, so no slopers required.
I'm a big fan of both vintage and odd patterns, so it's obvious why this particular project attracted me. 

I drafted it as instructed (the narrowed sleeve version) and used a nice viscose jersey from my stash (with 4-way stretch, which is really important for this design). I had only one meter of this fabric, so I cut 10 cm off the sleeve so I would have enough fabric for the waist tie.
I don't mind three quarter length sleeves and having one's sleeves at less than full length is period accurate for the 1950's anyway.

When seeing the finished top, I think the original sleeve length would have been too much for me. It may have to do with the size, which is given as 'fits up to a size 12'. I don't know what an Australian size 12 is, but I suppose it's close to either a British or an American 12. Which would mean a bit bigger than I am. Because it's a one-pattern-piece garment, the relation between length and width can be complicated. I am wondering how someone with a substantially larger chest would feel with this front length though. For me, the ties pull the front edge taut, making the wrap feel quite secure. On a larger bust, it might be too tight.

By the way, I apologize for the (lack of) quality of the pictures. I'm a bit out of practice with self-timer photography and the light was difficult too. 

As a result, you can't really see the fabric in these pictures but I really like it. It's a very fine stripe in brown and beige. The stripes are way too narrow to bother with matching them, but somehow, they do so on their own here on the sleeve curve. When worn, I think this makes for a really nice detail on the back. But that may be entirely down to my sewing-geekiness. 

And you may have noticed in the vintage pattern illustration that you are also supposed to be able to wear this top the other way round. So, of course I had to try.

I didn't find it as bad as Studio Faro, but it kind of feel like the top is trying to me. That's not the only issue though. 

In the pictures above, I've pulled the top to sit on my shoulder kind of like in the illustration. 

However, if you do something crazy like moving around, it slides down and ends up looking like this. 
I don't think I will wear the top like this. Even though it has an odd kind of Japanese pattern appeal...

All in all, I'm really happy with this top. It's also the first waist length item I've ever tried which stays in place when you sit down and stand up again. That's a really big plus and contributes a lot to its wearability.
I've made another vintage via Studio Faro top but I think this post is long enough already, so that will have to wait till later. 

P.S. You may notice I've got a bit of a 'sweater girl' look going on. Which, by the way, I think is quite right for this design. And it's the result of wearing my new bra