Fly Girl Top by Little Lizard King
/Happy Labor Day Weekend to those of you in the States!!! I hope you have some fun outings and barbecues planned to celebrate these last days of summer. If you do, you may just want to quickly whip up a Fly Girl Top by Little Lizard King! This is such an adorable top that celebrates the end of summer with all it's whimsy, and will transition perfectly into fall and even winter with a little bit of layering. Little Lizard King is giving away a pattern to three lucky readers (1. Fly Girl, 1 Sweet Caroline, and 1 Retro Glam Skirt) !
- This review was completed by a 3rd party objective reviewer who received a complimentary copy of the pattern in order to complete the review. Neither Pattern Revolution nor the reviewer received any additional compensation for this review.
Now Here are Jessica and Sarah to share some of the variations on how you can make your own unique Fly Girl. ...
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When I think of the name "Fly Girl," I think of a girl who is sophisticated, trendy, and determined. She has a certain flair about her and is always wearing just the right thing. This new pattern from Little Lizard King bears that name, and I think the girl that wears this will definitely be one fly girl!
I love this top for several reasons, but its versatility is what I keep coming back to. It's great for this time in the summer because it's breezy and fun. It's also an ideal top for layering in cooler months because it swings and isn't so fitted. It could be paired with leggings, capris, ruffle pants, jeans, you name it! I think it would be a great candidate to be lengthened into a dress, too.
Let me give you the nitty gritty on this little number. Fly Girl is an open-backed top and you can do a sweet bow or a single button to fasten the top. You can close the back up as well, which is what I opted for. You also get a bonus kerchief pattern and it is super cute! There are a few pattern pieces to contend with, but rectangular pieces are given in the form of measurements. I hate cutting out pattern pieces for a rectangle! The pattern pieces for that are included are on page 6, too. I loved that! They are right there for me to print while I read up on the rest of the pattern. The directions are well written and easy to follow for the most part (see cons), and there are a lot of full color pictures to help you along the way. And if, for some crazy reason, you run out of inspiration, there are plenty of tester photos included to help you create your own Fly Girl.
I want to note that I did make a few changes in sewing this pattern. I like the look of a traditional placket, so I used techniques I've learned from other patterns to use a solid back. I also added a strip of ric rac to the bottom hem (because a girl can never have too much ric rac!) Instructions for those are not mentioned in the pattern and are things I did on my own. I did also add some topstitching in places, like at the top of the bodice. They did not really affect the overall look of the top and were personal preferences.
Pros- This is a staple pattern, in my humble opinion. I think the silhouette is timeless and lets little girls be little girls...just a little more fly. I would say an ambitious beginner could tackle this top. It has numerous possibilities and can go with a lot of different ready to wear or handmade items.
Cons- The only downsides I can think of are that I there are steps where I wish I could have seen what the INSIDE of the top should have looked like. There's a lot of maneuvering that has to happen to get the seams hidden and sometimes I need an up-close picture of what I'm supposed to be doing. It also took me a few hours to complete it. I tend to sew slow, so I would say it probably took 3 hours from start to finish, but some of that could be because I had trouble envisioning how it was supposed to look.
Pros- This is a staple pattern, in my humble opinion. I think the silhouette is timeless and lets little girls be little girls...just a little more fly. I would say an ambitious beginner could tackle this top. It has numerous possibilities and can go with a lot of different ready to wear or handmade items.
Cons- The only downsides I can think of are that I there are steps where I wish I could have seen what the INSIDE of the top should have looked like. There's a lot of maneuvering that has to happen to get the seams hidden and sometimes I need an up-close picture of what I'm supposed to be doing. It also took me a few hours to complete it. I tend to sew slow, so I would say it probably took 3 hours from start to finish, but some of that could be because I had trouble envisioning how it was supposed to look.
I think the real test of a pattern is answering this question: "Will I make this pattern again?"
And where Fly Girl is concerned, the answer is a resounding, "YES!"
Photos provided by Rebecca Laurel Photography.
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Today I am reviewing the Fly Girl from Little LizardKing. I have a number of LLK patterns, but I have never actually made one of them. So this would be maiden LLK voyage!
My first impression of the Fly Girl was "uh-oh, open back!" It's August, and I don't know about you, but I am getting out of the business of sewing summer clothes. School is right around the corner, and my daughter's school will not allow sleeveless or open back clothes. I quickly scanned the pattern and found that there was an option for closing the back up. Phew! There were also options for a bow back or a button back. And I'm a girl who loves options!
So after a quick trip to the nearest HobLob for some funky fall fabric, I dug in. First off, there is exactly ONE page of pieces to print. That makes my heart happy. The rest of the pieces are straight cuts with measurements provided. I quickly got to measuring and ripping my fabric and had the entire thing prepped out in about 20 minutes. I have spent longer than that taping some patterns, so score one for the Fly Girl!
The pattern itself is well written, has very clear directions and explains a bit of a tricky encased bodice very thoroughly. If you are like me and read through all of the directions before you start, the encased bodice is a bit daunting. But I went with it, didn't second guess, and it turned out beautifully. And how much do I love an encased bodice? A lot! It was so neat and polished when I got done. Plus, no serged edges rubbing on the chest and back. So score two for the Fly Girl!
My older daughter insisted on "helping" me with this pattern, so it took a bit longer than I would usually take, but even with my helper it was a pretty fast project. One nap time to be exact. I had just the hem to finish up and when I slipped it on my daughter. AND... it was too short. Rewind back to my 20 minute prep time, and I discovered I'd cut my pieces an inch too short. Bummer. But I quickly added a band around the bottom and no harm, no foul. Which also made me realize there were lots of other ways I could change up the bottom too, and like I said, I love options!
Of the options for the back, I ended up choosing the open back with the bow closure because a. I am a bow kind of gal, and b. somewhere along the lines I decided I was making a layering outfit and I thought the open back would be the easiest for layering.
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| Bow tie closure with open back. |
And it is beautiful I paired it with a knit pair of ruffle pants and a long sleeved shirt. Add a pair of platform heels and a chunky necklace, and I would wear this outfit! Even better? My daughter loved it. She felt pretty in it; I could tell from the way she lit up when she looked in the mirror and from the way she stopped complaining about taking pictures once it was on!
-Sarah
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Thank You Jessica and Sarah for the fun reviews - I want to go sew one up NOW... oh wait, I have to go photograph a wedding today, maybe Monday ;o) Make sure to enter for a chance to win one of three great patterns!
