Gearing up for Winter ...

... with McCall's 6513 ...

A pullover top with front gathering/draping, this is a Palmer/Pletsch pattern I have had my eye on for some time - just because I liked it! I have always liked this crossover style, but never made one up before. 

Starting with the instructions, there is a heap of extra fitting solutions and tips along the way. Some of it was handy, but it also meant a lot more adjustable lines over the pattern. One of the most helpful tips was to make sure you mark every little dot and square - miss one and your gathers are shot! 

The collar is meant to be gathered, but I felt that the gathering was very thick and bulky on the back of my neck. So quickly pulled out the gathering stitches (luckily basted in) and folded 2 pleats instead - much more wearable ...

And I used my new Coverpro for the first time on the hem - impressed myself at just how easy it was ...

The sleeve was a funny thing, as it was to have elastic gathers up the seam as well as midsleeve. I ended up removing the elastic in the seam as it just seemed to rub, and really not gather up as much as the picture showed. 

Overall I like this top, will wear it a fair bit (when it cools down) but don't think I will be making another. It took 1.7m (1 7/8) which seemed a lot of fabric just for one top! 

This now makes top #2 in Faye's 2013 Essential Top Sew-A-Long Challenge ...

... and garment #1 in Vita and Natalea's Sew Your Own Wardrobe for a Year Challenge ...

On a side note, have you ever seen the Manufactures/Maker's mark so far in from the selvedge? This one was over 8cm (3inches) - it was a huge waste of fabric down one side ... maybe I need to be more observant when I go fabric shopping ... J