Pop It, Lock It, Polka Dot It Top

Just kidding.  I won't be doing anything related to Miley Cyrus while wearing this shirt.  Or any other time in my life.

For Christmas I asked for (and received!) a sewing book full of patterns called Chic & Simple Sewing.  I like to be chic and I like to keep things simple, so I figured this book was basically written just for me.  The book contains 20 different patterns (tops, skirts, dresses, jackets, even a CAPE!), none of which need any zippers or buttonholes, so it's great for beginners!  I will say that the instructions themselves are a little bit lacking, so I'm not sure this book is something you would want to learn how to sew from, but once you've had a little experience, it would be a great next step.  And all the projects are split into seasons and even have a difficulty rating, so it's easy to go through and pick out the easiest ones to start with!

Anyway, the author, Christine Haynes, refers to this top as a great t-shirt alternative to wear on the weekends while running errands, to step up your chicness factor just a little.  I literally copied the example in the book exactly, using a black fabric with white polka dots, because it just looked so darn cute.

The pattern calls for elastic at the end of the sleeves, but I actually liked it better without, so I didn't do that.  Also, the back neck is supposed to close with a hook & eye, which I did do, but it came undone about 12 times throughout the day, so I'm going to put a little bitty button back there instead so it will behave and stay shut.

And, as always, how I wore it to work:

Heels + cardigan = work appropriate 4eva

Wishing everyone a great weekend, with the least amount of snow possible!