Cowl neck top in sheer viscose

When scanning my syllabus at the start of the pattern making course I took last semester, I was most excited about learning how to draft cowl neck tops.  When we finally got to it toward the end of the course, I was surprised how simple they actually were!  Using a basic bodice sloper, it's just a matter of lowering the neckline and slash and spreading to create fullness.  The self-facing in the front keeps it pretty no matter how the cowl falls!  Clearly, putting my new knowledge to use was in the forefront of my mind when I had the opportunity to use one of the fabrics from the Novelty category at Britex. This unusual ruby and black sheer viscose fabric seemed like a fun and modern choice for a fairly classic cowl shape.

This fabric isn't an obvious choice for a cowl shape; while lightweight, it isn't particularly drapey, behaving more like a voile.  Nor could I cut on the bias (common for cowls) because of the obvious horizontal stripe. However, I kind of love how the neckline is more "origami folds" than draped.

The viscose is sheer--in these photos, I'm wearing a nude-colored tank top under this for modesty, but for cocktails or dancing, it would probably be fine without.

The self-drafted top is a basic pull-over shape, with no closures or darts.  It isn't as fitted as I normally like my tops, but it's light and airy (especially with the sheer fabric!) and adds a different silhouette to my wardrobe. For the construction, I used French seams throughout since the fabric is a loose weave. There is a back neck facing, which attaches to the front cowl facing, and bias tape for the armholes--simple and elegant!

Here's the exciting part: I've been learning digital drafting and grading, and I'm nearly finished with a multi-sized (S-M-L) pattern of this cowl-neck top as a free download!  Look for it sometime next week here or at the Britex blog!

Thank you to Britex for providing this great fabric--it's fun to try something completely new!