Grasser Patterns 1073 Drape Neck Top

It’s no secret that I love the texture and weight of Merino wool jersey and in this delicious paprika colour, I’ve made Grasser  Patterns 1073 drape neck top to add to my growing collection of Merino tops. 

I bought the paprika shade of jersey along with a couple of other colours earlier this year from The Fabric Store so you can expect to see some more jersey makes from me. In the meantime let’s get back to this orange top.

So when Grasser bought out a few new designs a couple of weeks or so ago I was instantly drawn to the unusual neckline of this style…Perfect for my preference for elevated basics. I chose a size 46 based on the amount of ease that I wanted. I did my usual adjustments of squaring off the back shoulders and sloping the front ones. I also added more room at the waist and I shortened the length by about 3cm (approximately an inch).

The first bit that gets sewn on this top is the back neck edging and I used a strip of cross-grain fabric seamed along and then folded to the inside a bit like a single layer of bias binding. The pattern instructions suggest using some kind of twill tape which would create a very stable fixed edge but I didn’t have any tape and I couldn’t see any reason why my method wouldn’t be a suitable finish. Apart from the back neck edge, I followed the instructions to the letter and I can honestly say that it all went pretty smoothly for me. I love a project that goes off without a hitch, don’t you? 🙂

So once the back neck was done I started on the front and if you decide to make this pattern I would advise you to follow each step precisely and don’t skip anything. It’s a slightly complicated process but so satisfying to create the drape effect. 

You start by overlocking the little openings that are partway down the centre and then once that is done the centre front seam gets sewn before creating the drape. 

Ok, now sewing the seams of the top sections of each side at the upper fronts has to be done in a specific order. There are 6 seam edges involved in the process and if there is one piece of advice that I urge you to take it’s this…Be sure to label your seams as I did with the numbers mentioned in the instructions and on the diagrams….I pinned little labels onto the edges to be sewn together with numbers 1, 1.1, 1.2 and 2, 2.1, 2.2. Doing this saved me from having any problems as I followed the instructions and as if by magic the draping cross-over effect happened. 

The inside of the draped part looks quite plain and fairly neat. You can see where one piece threads through the other:

The rest of the sewing process is just standard stuff…you know, shoulders, side seams, armholes and then hems…the usual. I did all of my seams on my overlocker set up with 4 threads and it was pretty quick to do. 

I love this top, it’s just a bit different and interesting, and the extra gathers around my neck feel cosy, like wearing a scarf around my neck. 

As long as you’re careful to follow the instructions for the drape, this is an enjoyable and effective project. I love the colour too and I even have some fabric leftover that might be enough for another top in a different style…or maybe a cardigan? 

If you’re interested in seeing some of my other merino jersey makes I have this top, this top and this top and cardigan set. 

Thanks for stopping by for a read. I hope you like my newest make and I hope to be back soon with some more makes and inspiration.

See you soon!