Sewing a Rushcutter top

This week, it was soooo hot, so I wanted to talk to you about the top Rushcutter that allowed me to go through the heatwave & air-conditioned offices in all coolitude. This top is actually an adaptation of the pattern of the Rushcutter dress by In The Fold. Made in a ramie fabric, this top is pleasantly airy and fresh feel without being transparent. Ideal for our little heat wave!

The Rushcutter top & dress pattern

The Rushcutter dress is a loose enough A dress for woven fabrics available in two versions: with and without sleeves. The patterns pieces are also very specific for each versions.

The long-sleeved version features 3/4 raglan sleeves, large pockets on the side panels and an invisible zipper on the back. The sleeveless version features a button closure at the back, pockets in the seam and a cleverly finished armhole and neckline.

For my part, I made the 3/4 sleeve version that I simply shortened to get a boxy crop top.

I need to emphasize the quality of In The Fold’s patterns. You can also test 12 of her patterns for free thanks to the collaboration of the designer with the Australian magazine Peppermint!

Peppermint patterns are usually very simple, basic but very good basics! I used one of these patterns to sew the pleated skirt in a printed Lascaux Dior fabric.

The In the Fold’s patterns are more complex with unprecedented and very original pattern drafts.

Both collections offer high-quality pdf explanations, diagrams and the pattern sheet. You can choose sizes on the pdf, sizes that are also expressed from A to J (from 76 cm to 131 cm). This allows the designer to be sure that sewists use the measurement chart and not the famous “RTW size”, which, let us repeat, does not mean anything.

I sewed this version as a wearable toile. The initial goal was to test the pattern before making it as the top of my best friend’s wedding outfit. The making is therefore far from perfect …

As you can see, I used a fabric remnant from my Goji skirt for the small yoke on the front. The two pieces work very nicely together set without falling into a total look … not my cup of tea.

The pattern also offers shoulder darts on the raglan sleeves to improve the shoulder roundity.

Sewing the Rushcutter top

The assembly is a bit special without being toocomplicated. First we assemble the front, the sides and the back pannels. Then the front yoke with the sleeves. Then, the sleeve block is sewn to the body of the dress with one seam (see the 2nd diagram on this page).

The proposed neckline finish is an invisible bias and the closure is done by an invisible closure too. Well, as you can see in the photos, these are not my most successful finishes! I chose a fluo bias that I like a lot … at least, if it shows, it does not bother me! ; D

Dernier mot sur ce top Rushcutter

I like this top … but finally, I did not use this pattern for my wedding outfit top. Only idiots don’t change their minds, as we say in France! I must underline that this is not at all related to a concern with the pattern. It is great, it fits well, no worries. It was just not the right pattern for what I had in mind. But, I will definitely make a Rushcutter dress one of these days. Sleeveless maybe?

Finally, I discovered ramie *. This material is very comfortable to wear and it creases less than linen.

* If you want to know more about this fiber, go see this article.

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