Tested: Itch to Stitch Tallin Top

I really, really need more work appropriate tops. I have an army of tank tops, t-shirts and athletic wear in my closet, but really, very few tops that rise above the bar into casual work-wear, especially for this unseasonably warm Spring we’re experiencing in Northern California at the moment (not that I’m complaining about the 70 degree weather, it just caught me by surprise!).

The new Tallinn top from Itch to Stitch looked like a great chance to fill this gap, and it just so happened I had some lightweight ribbed sweater knit from Surge in a lovely heathered grey/rose color-way that matches the local almond bloom perfectly.

The Tallinn comes in three views- a princess seamed short peplum, a longer princess seam view and a full dress. Only long sleeves are included, but it’s a simple matter to shorten them as the weather warms, making this pattern easily modifiable for all four seasons. The neckline is what I would describe as “jewel”, and finished with binding (check out my easy binding photo/video tutorial here), and a standard and full bust piece are included.

Fabric & Fitting Details

My fabric had 75-100% four way stretch, and I did find that while I didn’t need to shorten the top at all for height, the standard bust option was too generous for my post-nursing A-cup endowment, despite fitting in the bust measurements for the size 00. I generously padded my bra for these photos (which was kind of a fun throwback to junior high- lol!) but next time I’ll execute a small bust adjustment by smoothing out the curve of the front princess seams at the bust point, essentially removing some depth there.

I had plenty of fabric left over, but I think this top would also be  a great project for those smaller scraps, because the front and back princess seam lines lend themselves well to color blocking as well as awkwardly shaped pieces of fabric leftover from other projects.

Hack Ideas:

The center front seam is purely decorative, and could be eliminated if you wanted to remove the seam allowance and cut it on the fold, or a back seam could even be added to do a swayback adjustment or work in a smaller piece of fabric. Decorative cover stitching could also add a fun element- with a simple but well fitting pattern like the Tallinn, your imagination can really take over!

Along with the more tolerable weather has come the opportunity to enjoy our evening photo shoots as a family, and the kids really enjoyed playing in the meadow behind our house while we took these photos.

We will be moving soon, and I’ll miss this prime photoshoot/play location, so I want to be sure and document these moments- it’s been a great place and we have been very blesed to have such a great “wild” place so near our home over the past five years.

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1 Comment

  1. Renee on April 6, 2020 at 5:05 am

    This is such a flattering too, Sarah! It;s gone onto my “to buy” list for sure! Thanks for sharing.

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