Orono Top by Itch to Stitch
Another cozy, comfy top added to my wardrobe, which is perfect because it seems Arizona decided to participate in the winter season this year. I have been so cold, so I am very grateful for the new This comfy knit top features raglan sleeves, with a subtle shoulder dart for better fit, unique side pockets, a stand up collar and of course the double petal front. Many of the testers adjusted their collar height to better suit their preferences, but I did mine just as drafted and it is the perfect height for me. I have always been a fan of a turtle neck (even when it wasn’t cool 🙂 I do love the double petal front, but I think my absolute favorite feature are those pockets! Kennis structured these pockets in a way that I have never seen before and it is pure genius. I definitely want to try this technique on other patterns in the future. As for the rest of the top’s construction, everything came together so smoothly. As with every Itch to Stitch pattern I have made, I was impressed by the accurate use of notches to help piece the pattern together. I did use my regular sewing machine, my serger and my coverstitch machine for the construction, but it could easily be done with just the use of a standard sewing machine. As for pattern adjustments, I made very few. The pattern is drafted for a B cup, which I am, so I did not need to make any adjustments for the bust. I did make a couple of adjustments based on my measurements. I made a size 0 and then graded out to a size 4 just below the waist line. I also took out 1/2″ in length just below the waist line. I made these adjustments to the front piece, the back piece and the pocket. One last thing I would like to note about the pattern is about the fabric. The pattern was drafted for a medium weight knit fabric with 15% – 30% stretch. I used a mystery poly blend from my stash with 25% stretch. This lower stretch percentage gives the top some structure and keeps the fit as intended. I do have a few more possibilities in my fabric stash with this lower stretch percentage, but I also found a very fun list of fabric on Orono Top. *This post does contain affiliate links. 
