When we left for our annual vacation (which now was a while ago!) I carried with me a whole bunch of stuff-books that I planned to read, fabric that I hoped to make something out of, a few patterns to accompany them, and finally, not to forget, embroidery related bits.
At that point I had only some very vague ideas of how I wanted to spend intermittent free time I would get, and so I can honestly say that I surprised myself by making not one but two tops on my now favourite sewing machine.
The pattern I used is Camber top by Merchants and Mills. I remember buying about a year ago because I was so taken by their overall aesthetic having read about it first here. It so happened that around that time Mr. M was to go to the UK, and so I ordered three of their patterns with plans to get down to sewing them immediately upon his return. I recall excitedly opening the package and reading the not too detailed instructions, followed by hastily putting it away since it all looked far too complicated. But since then, and especially since this attempt I was in a mood to try something else for myself and so I went back to first of the three M&M patterns I got back then.
Since this is only my second real attempt at sewing for myself, and because I could not make much of the instructions even a year later, especially how to attach the lining of the back yoke I decided to make a muslin first. (The fabric is mangalgiri cotton that I had bought in Pune sometime back.)
After three failed attempts at figuring out how to do it and almost giving up I decided to scour the web, albeit quite pessimistically, in hope of some help. And thus, finally, with many many thanks to this blogger, I got it! In fact, it was a kind of an a-ha moment, because as many others have already said, when you get it, you immediately realise that it is really quite brilliant how the front neckline gets sandwiched beautifully between the the back yoke and its lining. From then on it was smooth sailing and I finished the rest of it in less time than it took me to figure out the yoke.
Having most definitely liked the muslin, I almost immediately made another one. 
Based on my bust size, I made the top in UK size 8 with 10 at the hips. There is however, again as others have mentioned, a lot of ease. So I briefly contemplated if I should make the entire thing in a 8, but I like how the muslin fits, and the second fabric with kalamkari print was the one that I had been saving up for a while. So in the end no changes were made, and I am happy to report that these make perfect summer tops.
I am now actually wanting to try the Camber dress, and there are some lovely versions out there. I especially liked this one.
For reasons not entirely clear as yet, making the tops has also left me feeling particularly self satisfied (although, admittedly I look rather morose particularly in the last photo). N, however, when she saw me making the second one, did come up and ask if I was enjoying this far more than making stuff for her. A kind of a momentary worry I suppose. Of course I am far far from tired of sewing stuff for her. But sewing for myself certainly brought about a different kind of pleasure, and I enjoyed every bit of it.
What are you sewing these days? Is it anything for yourself? I would love to hear about it.
Asmita/xx
elephant in the study 