Friday Pattern Company Sagebrush Top

When I made my first sagebrush top I was indifferent about it- the sleeves seemed too puffy and the ruffle seemed to make my bust look huge. But by styling it differently (mostly just tucking it in) I've changed my tune about this top. Friday also has some tutorials about reducing the puff of the sleeve if you also are unsure about having such big sleeves. In the pic, I have made the top in a cotton poplin which gives it more volume but in a viscose, the sleeves are far less puffy.

I think this is also great for beginners because the neckline is finished with bias and the sizing is generous. The neckline finishes with a long strip of bias so you can save a lot of fabric by buying pre-made bias tape or by replacing the back tie with a button. I've managed to make this top out of 1m by skipping the back tie.

Another Sagebrush Top in better quality viscose crepe fabric after the washing machine destroyed the first one.

I made a few changes. I lowered the neckline by turning in the bound neck edge once more and stitching down. I removed the ties, swapping them for a small button and small elastic loop. I changed the elastic in the sleeves to a cuff which allows them to hang lower.

This is a size small which tallies with my bust measurement. It's a perfect size.

All my modifications are detailed further in my blog post. Click Here

I wasn't sure about the ruffle in the front but I think it works with this fabric. This pattern was easy to make. The instructions are straightforward.

I used a quilt-weight cotton with a soft hand.

The design has you put elastic in the sleeve hem but I didn't want such puffy sleeves. The front ruffle was enough for me. So I left off the elastic. I also made a slight 1/4″ (~6 mm) square shoulder adjustment. When I made a mock-up in quilt-weight fabric I noticed slight drag lines around the neck.

I cut size L and graded up to size XL in the hips.

I hand stitched sleeve hem and bottom hem. I didn't want to see any top stitching.

This top has the potential to be too cutesy so I would sew it again only if I found the right fabric. But I have had strangers compliment me on this top. I think they liked the fabric.

If I sew it again, I might change the tie in the back to a button or maybe a loop and button. I don't really like tying a bow behind my back. I like the idea of replacing the ruffle with piping.

This pattern seems to work on many body types and a range of fabrics. If you like ruffles, this is the top for you. You can see more photos and details of my Sagebrush Top on my blog.

The Sagebrush Top by Friday Pattern Company was released in May 2020. 2 years ago!

So I must be near the last to make it. Or the last to come around to big sleeves AND ruffles.

It’s really out side my comfort zone and I wasn’t sure I was even going to like this one!

I was in between a small and a medium. I didn’t want to risk it being tight across my back so in this instance I went with the medium.

During my research I came across details regarding taking volume out of the front of the front section and also from the sleeve but for my first version I kept with the pattern.

One thing I did change was the neck line. I didn’t like how the neck band seemed to stand up, away from the body on some versions I had seen. Instead I used a traditional bias bound neckband. Turning the whole thing inside and top stitching it down. This also results in the neckline being lowered by 1cm all the way around. Much better for me, I thought.

I also replaced the tie with a button and a small loop of elastic.

There's more details and images on my blog https://lovelucie.org/2022/05/23/the-sagebrush-top-by-friday-pattern-company/

I very much like my version.

I love this top so much, I have now made 3! It fulfils all cottage-core desires & is such an easy make. I'm very slow at sewing & even I can whip one together in one weekend using all French seams!

I'm 115/109/126cm (b/w/h) and made the XXL. As the pattern is fitted at the bust, I didn't have to worry about fitting my waist. I've made a 1 1/4" broad back adjustment for all of them. For the second one (the long sleeved one), I extended the sleeves by an unmeasured-I-totally-need-another-12"-of-sleeves amount (which is too long but is held nicely back by the elasticated cuff. I also continued to lower the neckline by 1/2" as I found it sitting too close to my throat.

For the otterly adorable version, I tried removing some of the pouf in the sleeve as it does tend to stick out when using a crisp cotton. I just removed 2" from the width of the sleeve. I also replaced the ruffle with some piping.

The top comes with no alternative options but it's such an easy make & really easy to hack to. It's been my first attempts at hacking and I think they went quite well.

Otter fabric is a cotton poplin. Grey checks is a brushed cotton, White & brown checks is a shirting cotton.