A glimpse of ultraviolet shone out at me from my stash. Working as carefully as a Pantone Colour of the Year follower, I eased the top of the pile out of the way so as not to disrupt any folds, and the silky gem slithered easily out of its preordained hierarchy. As my magpie-like fingers shook the folded fabric open it shimmered in the sunlight and floated in full flight. It quivered to a rest on my worktable and revealed my dressmakers dream – there was enough!
Enough to make another summer work top just like the last one.
Well, similar. I swung the hem dart into the neckline and created gathers. Nothing too exciting – but I had to change something!
You might recognise the fabric (a Tory Burch silk/cotton from The Fabric Store in Auckland) from this post on planning pattern placement, and this post on my bell sleeve peacock print shift dress. Yes, I now have two items in this fabric and it’s pretty intense!
It is a gorgeous quality though, and is absolutely perfect for the invisible binding technique I blogged about last week. Wow, you guys liked that tutorial! And rightly so – it is an awesome sewing technique to have in your arsenal.
We have an Ultra Violet room in our house, so what better location could there be to take photos? (Actually it is Dulux ‘Elegant Lilac’, but close enough!)
I have to say these two tops have been a godsend at work so far because it has been a continuously hot humid summer. It was a welcome relief to visit the South Island last weekend – although it was still hot, it is not as humid there so I finally felt I could move and breathe!
We love to take off into the back blocks when we are down there. This time we drove up the eastern side of Lake Tekapo to the end of the road at Lilybank Station. Well the road continues, but you need to ford the Macaulay River!
Another day we explored the Ashburton Lakes region and Hakatere Conservation Park – a tussock grassland basin dotted with lakes and surrounded by mountains.
We drove through to Mt Sunday which is just before Erewhon Station on the edges of the Rangitata River.
For Lord of the Rings fans, this was the location of Edoras in the films – do you recognise it?
It’s a short climb to the top for incredible views of the Southern Alps and the headwaters of the Rangitata River.
It’s worth doing!
pattern scissors cloth 
So beautiful! I picked up 2 meters of silk yesterday at our fabric meet up here in Victoria BC off the remnant pile and it’s gorgeous! I have a dream to make some sleeveless silk blouses for this summer (I know we’re months away but I’m onto the lead time it can take with sewing to get what you need ready!) and you’ve inspired me with this top which is gorgeous. I had a pussy bow blouse by Vogue arrive the other day and I was just thinking how nice it would be in a sleeveless silk and now here you are! Your silk it truly divine. I laughed reading your intro – just enough – YAY!!
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Haha – you recognise that just enough feeling! You are so wise planning ahead – I usually think about making things when I need them, and by the time I get around to making them it is almost too late in the season!
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What a gorgeous fabric Sheryl and just in time for this year’s colour!! Love the South Island and North too, but the humidity would kill me. It’s a bit humid now in Melbourne, so some relief is welcomed.
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Thanks Evelyne! The humidity is stifling – but you guys get a lot hotter than us here!
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BEAUTIFUL!
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So pretty!
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Gorgeous photos, and the top is lovely too!
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Adorable top, but really loved your beautiful scenery too !
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Just such a beautifully gorgeous top, the armhole binding is just perfection. It suits you so well too! And no need to get too showy-offy about New Zealand being all fabulous like 😉 haha just kidding, I’m loving the scenic pics too!
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Gorgeous top! And thank-you for that lovely “armchair travelogue”. It’s always nice to see somewhere warm, when faced with the reality of cold and snow outside the front door.
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Gorgeous! You really found a gem of a fabric there!
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love that style!
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Love that pattern! And the couple you have shared are wonderful. Might make one in case the heat strikes here. Thank you for sharing this!
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That is pretty fabric and I am sure two items is no hardship. I really like the style you chose and the neckline gathers are really pretty.
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Beautiful pictures
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