I love a good re-make! One of my Make Nine 2023 prompts is "Make it Again" and I've used the Bristol Top pattern [from The Sewing Workshop] to make my fifth version of this knit top.
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| The Bristol Top: Make Nine 2023 Make it Again prompt. |
For Bristol #5, I used two knits from Art Gallery Fabrics—a solid and a print. The Bristol has several options for mixing and matching fabric prints and/or solids—yoke, cuffs, bottom bands, collar band. This version has a contrasting yoke.
Imparting happiness with hand stitching
The Bristol pattern instructions call for top stitching at the seam where the yoke meets the bodice. Influenced by a recent presentation on Bojagi by Youngmin Lee, I decided to hand stitch this with a variegated cotton sashiko thread in a similar color palette. The hand stitching of bojagi is not only a design element, says Youngmin, but a way to impart wishes for happiness into the piece and to the recipient or wearer. With that in mind, my plan is to topstitch wishes of happiness into this new Bristol top.
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| Bristol Top with a cotton sashiko thread for hand stitching. |
The many benefits of Re-makes
The last time I made the Bristol, I made two at once! One has long sleeves (as the pattern indicates) and the other is a pattern hack for a short sleeve version.
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| Long sleeve and short sleeve versions of the Bristol Top. |
Shortly after these two, I was thinking about zero waste so I made another long sleeve Bristol with leftover knit fabrics from other garments.
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| Bristol Top made with leftover fabrics from other knit garments. |
The first Bristol was a Make Nine project in 2020.
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| My first Bristol Top, 2020. |
Reasons I like re-makes?
- The more you make, the quicker and easier they go!
- The pattern is already fitted and modified to your body and style. It's one less BIG step in the garment-making process.
- You have your notes about the pattern to resolve the quirky/confusing parts, clarify any instructions, and the tips and shortcuts you've discovered along the way. (Yes, write these things right on the pattern pieces or the instruction sheets!)
- Different fabrics/colors/prints make every version different. (Besides, you don't wear all of them at the same time anyway, right?)
- Reusing a pattern is a wise investment in money, resources and time.
- If it feels good, do it again!
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| Completed Bristol top #5. |
This is my third Make Nine finish for 2023. Full steam ahead!
