Just For You: Vernazza Top

12:17 AM


A new book was released this month focused on sewing for women.
Just For You
It's a compilation of bloggers' patterns and projects.  I have a women's top in the book, and....

we get to give away a copy of the book!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED, WINNER CONTACTED. THANKS!
GIVEAWAY ENTRY:
just leave a comment on this post and include your email address.
winners in the United States will receive a book in the mail, international winners will receive a code for a free digital version as an ebook

_________________________________________________________________

The projects are categorized by months, and my top is under May.
It's the Vernazza Color-Blocked Top.


The inspiration for the name is from a fishing village in Italy, Vernazza.
It's one of five small, amazing coastal village that make up Cinque Terre.
My husband lived in Italy for a few years, and would visit this area.  
We didn't go on a honeymoon really when we got married but saved up for a few years and were able to visit Italy for 2 weeks.  Cinque Terre was one of my favorite spots.
One afternoon we hiked from the second village to this third Vernazza, it was a warm summer afternoon and a flowy blouse would have been perfect for the occasion and weather.
The structure of the blouse with the vertical color-blocking kind of mimicked the construction of all the buildings smashed together in different colors.
We spent 2 nights in Cinque Terre and one of the magical moments of the trip was falling asleep with the windows open and hearing the sound of the ocean and the jazz band playing at the restaurant below.

So after all that romantic inspiration, hopefully your own version on this design will have a mix of structure, color, and a flowy, drapey fabric that is comfortable and memorable.


THE FIRST TOP:
About a year and a half ago I made a this top after I had Izzie.
I was excited about the color palate, light blue, champagne, and ivory.
It was a simple dolman sleeve top and I color blocked the top and sides.
To cover my bum, I also added a high-low hem.
My original top was made with the wrong side of satin so it was a matte finish, but ended up being really comfortable to wear.

these are the photos I submitted in the beginning:

I wear this blouse often and really love it in the summer when it's hot.
The relaxed fit allows it to stay cool and breezy, and I wear it casually with jeans or throw a skirt on top to dress it up a little.

This was another prototype during the pattern process, using coral, navy and cinnamon.


I've not had the chance, but I always liked the idea of taking this blouse, adding a skirt to make it a dress.  It would look similar to this dress I made for my 10 year high school reunion, but have the color blocking sides. So many ideas!




I designed the top in a woven fabric, and the published blouse uses knit, so the project in the book has an added band at the neckline, but the concept of the color blocking is the same.
So if you prefer the comfort and ease of knit, I'd recommend a thinner, slub or tissue knit for the drape effect on the high-low hem.
You could also use the pattern from the book to try it in a woven, and if so this video may help you hem the neckline so you don't have to have a facing.


This is just the beginning of the blog tour where each blogger that contributed gets to share their project!
Be sure to check out the other projects in the Blog Hop!



It's been exciting to see my concept published in a book, all my work was done last year, so it's cool to see it in real life after all that time!

I wish I had time to sew the projects from the other talented women, but for now back to my crazy life of house building, school, kids, and everything else!  Maybe for 2015 I can pick a few months to sew for me! (or at all)

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65 comments

  1. The book looks awesome! mamastuey@yahoo.com

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  2. I'm from southern Germany, so Italy and the Cinque Terre is just some hours from where we live. We have visited these beautiful villages several times and I think they are just incredibly beautiful. I definitely would love to sew me a Vernazza blouse ;)

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  3. I like the design of this blouse - looks very cool and breezy for the summer.

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  4. I love this top! Great job on the design!

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  5. The book looks great! carolyn.rickard@gmail.com

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  6. The book looks great, and I would love to win!

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  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  8. I love your blog and have already sewn a handful of the pocket shirred waist skirts for myself. I'd love to give this top a try next! (as in next year after I get over all this crazy holiday crafting for other people!) :)
    princessgranola @ gmail . com

    Added spaces to avoid automatic spammers...

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  9. Great blouse! I've love to win a copy of the book. purplepix@aol.com

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  10. Oh, that looks like a great book! I rarely sew for myself :-)
    mira.greene @ gmail . com

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  11. The top is so pretty and I really like the color blocking! I love sewing for myself, but haven't had a chance lately due to a busy school schedule!

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  12. Congratulations on our blouse being chosen for the book! While I sew for my kids and others all the time, I rarely sew anything for me. What an inspiration!

    Tracie n2creativity@gmail.com

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  13. That blouse is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing the history behind you design and concept. I hope I win, I can't wait to sew one up!
    roberkann @ gmail.com

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  14. Love the top - like the fabric used, will probably try this for myself!!
    Karen

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  15. oh yes please! I really love this blouse!! xeyarue@gmail.com

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  16. Way to go Jess, you Rockstar!! I love that your talents have been put in a book. Such a cute shirt, and I love the color blocking idea, and even more the dolman sleeves. I learned what that even meant here on your blog, even though i've liked the style for a while. I would love to have the book!

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  17. I love color blocking! What great inspiration you had!

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  18. Such a cool top! Love your poses too, haha. I hope you get more time to sew in 2015!

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  19. Perfect simple blouse and I always love your colors! caryhuether at yahoo dot com. :OD

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  20. How exciting for you! I'd love to have the book! Afletcher770@yahoo.com

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  21. How exciting for you! You're so talented !! I'd love to own a copy of that awesome book. Afletcher770@yahoo.com

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  22. Love this! DeniseMChar at gmail dot com

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  23. Looove your top! Way cool!
    bearpaws9(at)copper(dot)net

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  24. That blouse is beautiful. hmsrobinsoni at g mail dot com

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  25. I really like your top.kasopjes@charter.net

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  26. Love the top! nan7783 (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  27. lots of ideas for this and the lowered hemline in the back gives it a dressiness as well as camouflage. has
    congratulations for being published. looking forward to some updates on your house too.

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  28. This book looks to have some nice projects.

    melodyj(at)gmail(dot)com

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  29. Congrats on the book, count me in for the giveaway. Thank you

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  30. What a great blouse! And congrats on the book!

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  31. The blouse looks really cool and I like cool.

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  32. I love this blouse, I hope I can win a copy of this book.

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  33. Love your top! I really like tops that can be casual or dressed up.

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  34. i love everything about this top, would it be hard to lengthen the sleeves?

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  35. I'm addicted to color blocking and I love this top, I would love to add this book to my sewing library.

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  36. cjmont:
    Because the sleeves are designed into the bodice, longer sleeves would have to be like a bat wing, and lower the arm hole. I think that would be a better option for a knit than a woven if you choose to make them much longer than a cap sleeve.

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  37. I would love this! luckygirl.mary@gmail.com

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  38. I like the top and the colorblocking.

    detroitgirl77 AT gmail DOT com

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  39. Your blouse is really pretty! Congrats on the book!
    atkinsonjames@bellsouth.net

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  40. Great top! This is one of my favorite patterns in the book. Congrats!

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  41. Such a special gift. Congratulations!
    sheryl.johnson77 (at) yahoo.com

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  42. such am enticing work!
    pipertusa AT yahoo.es

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  43. I love this top Jessica! Probably my fave project in the book! You are stinking adorable by the way.

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  44. Cute top!! Sarah.chera@gmail.com

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  45. I love all the projects I have seen so far ,I would really love to win this book.

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  46. I had to smile when you showed the picture of the lower hem in the back to cover your bum. I'd never think to do that. To be in my family, you can't have a bum except to sit on it. We are all flat as pancakes. My kids' maternal grandmother had a bum but she's the only one on either side of the family. So, it was a unique idea to me to think to cover it. I've always been conscious of my top. Then I had breast cancer and don't think nearly as much about it. I love the top and the flow of it. Great job. The more projects I see, the more I want the book. Thanks for participating.

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  47. Lovely pattern and that village is just GORGEOUS!!! proverbs3122(at)gmail(dot)com.

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  48. That top is really cool! What a neat story behind it as well! Thanks for chance to win a copy.
    emsewcrazyatyahoodotcom

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  49. I hadn't heard about this book. How exciting it looks! jessica.jo@live.com

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  50. Love the use of color-blocking here, thanks for the opportunity to win a book!

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  51. Ooo I like the second one you made - great colours! Chloe@deadlymite.com

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  52. Can't wait to sit down with this book and a coffee...

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  53. I'd love this!
    Shiebs24 at gmail dot com

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  54. I have never sewn a top for myself ! Dresses and skirts. But never a top. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.

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  55. Lovely blouse! I'd love to win this book.

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  56. I love your blouse and seeing the inspiration! I see it!! So cool.

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  57. I love your blouse! Looks so comfortable and easy to wear! Thanks for the chance to win a copy of this cool book!
    Debby E
    samtaylorcjsmimi (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  58. This blouse is so cute, thanks for sharing.
    dawnm1993 at gmail dot com

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  59. Color-blocking really is so popular right now. I see it on a lot of morning news shows and our local evening news. It's bright, slimming and coordinates with lots of pieces! Go you!

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  60. Love your top and the back story.

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  61. You have inspired me to make some clothes for myself. -- soparkaveataoldotcom

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