Part of my MakeNine for 2019 was to try and use the subscriptions I have more. It was great to find the Seamwork Emmie, which is a top made for amazing fabric.
I am very happy with this top. It’s a style I like, the fit isn’t bad and I used the gorgeous sandwashed silk I bought recently in Singapore.
The top itself was fairly easy to construct. There are some cool details – especially the collar, which is elasticised to give the peasant-y look, then closed at the V with hook and eye closures.
The sleeves were really annoying to sew – it’s impossible to get the elastic channeling neat, because the curve of the sleeve turns in two different directions too steeply. I posted in the Seamwork Community about it and was happy to discover it wasn’t just me. It doesn’t really matter because the elastic then makes it all scrunchie anyway, though it’s still a bit irritating. However, I was also happy to have dipped my toe in the water of the Seamwork Community too.
I think an FBA and/or some additional length would have been good, but overall am pretty happy with it.

This top is my first foray into #SewThePrecious – a challenge we are launching for 2020 with Sewcialists. It doesn’t quite count, because I knew the challenge was coming and made this top before it launched! But still – this silk could have sat on my shelf forever while I panicked about cutting into it and making a mistake or making the wrong thing. Instead, it’s a top I can wear now!
All the deets:
Pattern: Seamwork Emmie – View B (no ties)
Size: 20
Adjustments:
- Added 3″ of length to the body
Fabric used: Sandwashed silk from Singapore
Like it? Wearing it? Yes and yes. It’s beautifully soft and a great colour
Notes for next time:
- Don’t try and work out the sleeve thing, just fudge it
- Add even more length
- Add some CF length as a cheat FBA