I went into Chico's to look for a funky belt to go with my new knits and while I was there I fell in love with this silk top. Actually I am not sure if it is meant to be a top or a wrap, but since it has to be pulled over the head, I tend to think of it as a top:
It is really just a simple square of silk chiffon and would be very easy to make. I bought this one because I LOVE the fabric and it coordinates perfectly with everything I am taking on a trip to Brazil next week. This would be great over a swimsuit with some cute casual pants by the pool and it also just solved an entire formal dinner dilemna. Well, to dinner I would obviously have to wear a tee or tank under it.
I think I might even have a piece of chiffon or two, originally meant for other things, that will get transformed into something similar.
The top is a rectange of fabric folded in half with the fold at the shoulders. An opening is cut for the neck; I would think I could just copy one from another pattern. The fabric is turned over in a narrow seam and topstitched. The bottom of the rectangle has a narrow topstitched hem. The sleeve openings are a little more than 1/3 of the length of finished top, although that could be easily varied for individual preferences. After the sleeve openings were finished with a narrow hem, the side openings were french seamed closed.
Very simple really.
The bottom fringes are sewn on individually. Each one consists of 6 strands of shiny rayon thread in a heavier weight, about 13 inches long. They were obviously threaded through the hem of the fabric, so the needle must have a big enough eye to hold the thread but a sharp enough point to pierce the silk, pulled half-way through, and then knotted in place leaving about a 6 inch tassel. On my top the tassels are spaced 5/8 inch apart.
