Itch to Stitch released her newest top pattern, Sabalito, yesterday… and this is where my announcement comes in.

I applied for, and have been accepted to, the affiliate program for Itch to Stitch. This simply means I receive a commission (10-20%) on purchases originating from Itch to Stitch product or page links I share. There’s no impact on the price for you as the consumer. I won’t be linking to products that aren’t sewing related and all affiliate partnerships will be disclosed. I honestly don’t know what to expect, as this is the first time I’ve partnered with a pattern designer as an affiliate. I used to say I wasn’t smart enough to have any affiliate links, but here we are! Maybe a follow-up post is in order after a few months.

Now, let’s get back to the reason you’re here, a new pattern (insert squeeee)!

Sabalito is a relaxed-fit, dolman sleeve top with lapped fronts and a tie detail.

You probably already know and love Kennis’ patterns for their cup sizing and professional construction. Naturally, Sabalito has all that, AND she’s rather stylish while still being easy to sew.

I was really excited to test this pattern. It was only my second time testing for Itch to Stitch. (My first test was the Kauai top, but my sample was gifted to a friend, because she designed the fabric I used.)

After making a muslin (from a thrifted bed sheet) to check the fit, I decided I wanted to have a more cropped final garment.

I made a size 8A, with 1” removed from each of the lengthen/shorten lines; 2” total. (The pattern includes instructions for making adjustments to the length, should one need a more detailed explanation on this.)

You might notice the fun stripe play. This was inspired by a ready-to-wear top image. I simply aligned the fabric’s stripe direction to be parallel with the angle of the front; likewise, used a horizontal stripe direction for the bottom portion.

Sabalito has a center back seam. One could also have some fun playing up the stripe game back here, though I didn’t. My stripes are horizontal and mostly matched. The slight mismatches are hardly noticeable when wearing the top, so I’m glad I didn’t pick the top of the seam apart in the pursuit of perfection.

The fabric I used is from my stash, and I wish I could tell you exactly what it is. All I know is it’s the remnant of the fabric I used for this top last year. My guess is that it’s a yarn-dyed cotton lawn. The weave is a bit loose, giving it an airy feel while being slightly sheer and keeping a decent drape.

I’ve styled my Sabalito with a tank, a pair of skinny Liana stretch jeans, and a pair of Rifle Paper Keds, of course! The jeans are detailed in my blog post here for #sewfancypants.