Two Pieces for Layering

Filmore duster with Hudson top (TSW)

As usual, it seems that we're speeding into winter here in the southeastern US. It always seems that way to me because I love seeing the fall colors and I miss them when they're gone. There are still some beautiful trees here but we're beginning to light the fire at night.

As winter approaches, I think about 3-piece ensembles. One of my tried-and-true layering pieces is the super simple Hudson top, from the Sewing Workshop (TSW). I like to make the shorter version so it slides easily under a vest or a jacket. I know that a current style includes the hem of a shirt showing beneath a short jacket, but I have not been able to adjust my eye.  It just looks wrong to me.

This season's first Hudson was made with a swoon-worthy cotton Ikat in black and brown purchased online from Stonemountain and Daughter. I did not have enough fabric, per usual, and so added a band to the front hem and bias binding to the sleeve hems.

There is always enough fabric for a little something on the back.

Today I made a project of determining what pieces will layer nicely with my new Hudson tops. Here are the pieces I pulled from my closet for the Ikat version:

Chateau jacket in wool Melton maybe (TSW)

Marcy Tilton design in a cotton-linen blend

Wiksten Kimono Jacket in washed linen (also lined with linen)

Wool tweed and silk vest, OOP pattern Hong Kong vest from TSW

My most recent make is the Hudson in a pebble textured polyester (yikes!) piece I purchased from the Sewing Workshop (TSW). It was a pain to sew, but I'm glad I persisted. It came very close to the trash bin after I completed French seams on the neckline only to realize that I had sewn it all backwards! I kept reminding myself that black is a core color and I needed this top!

Due my recurrent theme of too-little-fabric, I discovered that I could cut the front and back as one piece with a center-back seam. The side seams are completely straight on grain so it was easy to overlap the pieces by 1.25".

It doesn't photograph well but it goes with just about everything in my closet:

This jacket is made with a heavy Japanese cotton using the Now and Zen pattern (TSW)

Hong Kong vest again

A more recent make, this is the Stafford pattern in linen from a curtain, lengthened and sleeves omitted (TSW)

Fillmore duster in Brussels washer linen (TSW)

Chateau coat again, always sharp with black, I think

It's good to bring out some old friends from the winter closet. Now I can look forward to wearing them on these dreary winter days.