Finished the Nora top? Sewing Bee star Tilly Walnes has fashioned a simple relaxed fit that you can make with just five pattern pieces, giving you a chance to flex your fingers stitching a round neckline, a curved hem, and a choice of full-length or three-quarter raglan sleeves. Practise fitting adjustments and topstitching whilst you mix and match jersey fabrics for endless sweet sweater satisfaction. Good vibes guaranteed!
A sporty seventies staple, stretch your skills with the
1 Download the pattern from sewmag.co.uk, then print and follow the cutting guide. Lay the front bodice and sleeves flat, right sides up, matching the sleeves to the raglan seams. Flip one sleeve over the bodice, right sides together, then pin the seam; repeat for the other sleeve. Sew or overlock both sleeves to the bodice with a narrow zig zag stitch. Press the allowances towards the sleeve.
2 Place the front bodice right sides uppermost and fold the sleeves away. Lay the back bodice over one of the sleeves at the seam, right sides together, then pin. Pull the back across to the other sleeve and pin the other seam, right sides together. Stitch or overlock both sleeves to the bodice, then press the seam allowances. Try the top on, and adjust the seams if needed.
3 Fold the neckband in half widthways, right sides together, then pin the short ends. Sew or overlock the seam, trim the allowances if you didn’t overlock, then press them open. Fold the neckband in half lengthways, wrong sides together, then press the fold.
4 With the bodice and sleeves laid flat, right sides uppermost, pin both raw edges of the folded neckband to the right side of the bodice neckline, aligning the neck seam line with one of the back raglan seams. You’ll need to stretch the neckband slightly to fit; keep the stretch evenly distributed around the neckline and don’t stretch the bodice neckline.
5 Tack the neckband to the bodice neckline, using a long zig zag stitch and 1cm allowance, then press. If it looks loose, unpick the tacking, cut the neckband near the seam joining the short ends and restitch them closer together, then tack the band to the bodice and sew to the neckline using a 1.5cm seam allowance. Trim the allowances if you didn’t overlock them.
6 Press the allowances to the inside of the bodice, then press the band away from the bodice. With the bodice right side up, topstitch the allowances to the bodice, close to the seam line; keep th
