In October I mentioned how I wanted to finish a Loretta top for my very patient and very kind mom. I finally did get that to her before Halloween, but didn’t get pictures of it until Thanksgiving, when she wore it for the holiday.
Tada!
The late fall/early winter in Los Angeles can be a little chilly or it can be stinking hot. This year it’s mostly been hot, like a fireball. So when the end of November rolled around, it was perfectly acceptable to still wear lightweight, flowy linen. Which is what mom opted for in donning her Loretta top for Thanksgiving dinner.
We’re close enough in size that I’d had her try on my Spanish Loretta top for reference. She liked the fit but asked for both the neckline and armholes to be a little higher. So I made her a size 12 as well and raised the armholes another 1/2″. This is the max that can be raised without adding length at the neckline because the arm seams start pulling up into your armpits unless the shirt is worn off shoulder.
As a modest lady of a certain grandmotherly age (she’s a young grandma, thank you very much), she was not going to wear this off shoulder, so I simply shortened the neck elastic a tiny bit to give her what the look she wanted.
Again I used store bought bias tape for the neck because the fabric frayed a lot and I just didn’t want to fight with it. It also wrinkles instantly (because linen), so ironing it over and over and over again to THEN make bias tape wasn’t going to be time well spent.
The fabric is very drapey and lightweight, almost like a lawn or batiste. I mean, maybe it is. The purveyor of these goods was low on info, but also in price, so whatevs. Mom picked it for herself and that’s all that matters.
Insides are all French seams because mom deserves the best finishes.
More pics of mom cuz she’s just so cute.
I’m so lucky to have her as my mom.
Pattern Recap:
Seamwork Loretta Top Version 2 with the curved back hem of Version 1
Size: 12
Modifications: raised armhole 2″, shortened elastic length because she didn’t want the off-shoulder look.
