My thoughts on the Joanie Top by Sew Liberated.

[@fionajohnson5842]

It's so good you had success with this project after your previous less-than-happy experience. Well done, I'm glad you're happy with it. I love making shirts - there's something about that precision sewing of collars, plackets etc that appeals to me, plus I just plain like wearing shirts. I think the biggest trick is to get the fit on the shoulders right as that seems to distract the eye from other fit issues. I measure the shoulder width on patterns and usually make a narrow shoulder adjustment before I cut into fabric. And yes, Karina's vlog on doing these is my go-to reference - she's amazing.

[@sewmuchsewing]

Great tip; get the shoulders right. I agree with you there, a nice fit on the shoulders makes the whole garment look a bit more polished.

[@SewMyTime]

Love the shaping on this shirt. Definitely one to add to my list. Looks great on you and the pop of colour is inspired.

[@sewmuchsewing]

So nice of you to say, thank you!

[@carolsewist4447]

Great review Catherine. Love the contrasting pops of colour.

[@sewmuchsewing]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@pjacksreads536]

I love the fabric you used and the blue accents. Nice job.

[@sewmuchsewing]

Awesome, thank you! 😊

[@j-asewistdownunder9132]

The shirt is a great fit on you, well done! Love the two colours and I really like that neckline\collar. Look forward to seeing the dress version!

[@sewmuchsewing]

Thank you! I promised my husband a shirt then my next Joanie will be next on the cutting table!😄

[@dianerincon3196]

Good morning from south Texas! I was so excited to see you’d made a clog about the Joanie Top. So I grabbed my concho and juice and sat down to watch with breakfast. I also bought the pattern because of the fit considerations especially about my hips, and the lovely shaping at the back. My first version will probably be in cotton flannel. Yours is lovely, especially with the blue accents., thank you for your vlog!

[@sewmuchsewing]

Amazing! I'd love to hear how your version turns out. I'm on to my second version already 🤭. This time a very light weight cotton for summer. BUT it is still veeeerrryy cold here in NZ so I've got side tracked before I finish my second Joanie and I'm on to French Terry sweatshirts at the moment! See you again soon... thanks so much for stopping in.

[@TheHaymeadow]

Go the lounge pants ❤❤ I’ve got my slippers on 99% of my videos!! Fabulous shirt and perfect fit Catherine, the shirt has turned out great! Just enough contrast fabric too well done. I’m going to check that one out, the minute there’s a shirtdress option my ears prick up! Great size range too. Have a great weekend 💞

[@sewmuchsewing]

Oh awesome, glad you like the pattern. I have another one planned. Sadly I said I'd make my husband a shirt out of the same fabric 🤦‍♀️ but soon as I've done that I'm making another Joanie for myself 😁.

[@mariareina1423]

I haven't actually looked any further than seeing it written somewhere that there's a hack to make the Joanie T. and the hinterland dress as a shirt dress and I can imagine that as my shirtdress of dreams.

[@sewmuchsewing]

@@mariareina1423 Funny you should say that.... hacking Joanie into a dress is my current project 😄. It's cut out and interfaced and ready for me to start sewing....

[@sarahvanhoof9992]

Great top and love the pops of colour. Looks so comfy to wear.

[@sewmuchsewing]

Thank you! It's so super snuggly to wear.

[@lynnewambeek2284]

Hi Catherine, love the round collar version you have done (I am not a 'shirt' style gal), absolutely love you are wearing your slippers and fake velvet pants.....always wonder what those blond chickie babes on the news are wearing under the desk....... Your sleeve plackets are GREAT! I will pop over to instagram in next few days and message you with my completed EME dress which I totally love.....absolutely love the bell/lantern style of this dress....have worn it layered (3 layers) yesterday and can see me creating more for the summer/warmer months eventually! Have a fabulous weekend and happy sewing 🙂

[@sewmuchsewing]

Thank you, I tell ya, I'm all class with my fake velvet 🤣. Talking about the news gals; in NZ the ladies all wear current fashion but the shoes... look like something from the early 2000's... and not in a cool, retro kind of a way. I just don't get it! Really looking forward to seeing your Eme, thanks for that!

[@LeonieLang-lr4pt]

Love your shirt Catherine, it looks great on you. Great work

[@sewmuchsewing]

Thanks so much.

[@ZeldaSews]

Lololol. When you're doing videos, you tend to jush out the top, and the bottom gets left! Ha ha ha. That is so true! I have to remind myself sometimes not to stand app because sometimes it's still just the night gown on.😂😂😂 You did a great job on the shirt. I never heard of the Joanie shirt before. I like it a lot! Have a great best of your weekend.

[@sewmuchsewing]

Lol oh we are a glamorous bunch aren't we? Thanks very much for stopping by! I'll check out your channel 😄.

[@philiptipping6738]

Love your blouse Cathrine. Cheers Mary🥰

[@sewmuchsewing]

Thank you! 😊

[@dbdesignsandsewingaustrali5668]

Great job of the tower plackets Catherine, glad you did not size up the shirt looks wonderful. Lounge pants are completely acceptable, like a work zoom meeting 🤣. I will have to check this shirt pattern out, looks fabulous, have a great sewing week, Deb 🪡🧵💕

[@sewmuchsewing]

Thank you Deb. Oh yeah, love me some comfy lounge pants 😄.

[@dbdesignsandsewingaustrali5668]

@@sewmuchsewing 🤣🤣

[@janep2776]

Love your shirt. I’m off to check out this pattern 😁

[@sewmuchsewing]

Awesome! I think its a real winner.

[@robynlaszlo6128]

Very nice shirt you did a great jobl looks comfy

[@sewmuchsewing]

Thanks so much, it is sssooo snuggly to wear and I have another one planned already 🤭

[@thierrymunseugandachildren802]

Great job thank you for sharing watching from Africa Uganda

[@sewmuchsewing]

Thank you very much, I appreciate it.

[@thierrymunseugandachildren802]

@@sewmuchsewing you are so welcome I'm from Africa Uganda have you ever visited in Africa? Thank you so much for the videos

[@sewmuchsewing]

@@thierrymunseugandachildren802 No I never have been to Africa and I dont think I ever will.

[@mariareina1423]

Hi Katherine and g'day. you totally inspired me to get going and make my Joanie, love yours. So I'm putting mine together now, I've got to the hem, so the construction is done, as far as I know, I've followed the pattern to the T. - I love it, the fit is great too, however, nowhere in the instructions does it say to finish the edge of the facings, just to turn over and sew down the curved line quarter inch, also there's an unfinished seam where the front facing joins the front bodice. Stupidly, I hadn't pre-read the instructions (I'm a do as you goer) so I figured that there would be some kind of magic at the end to encase or finish those bits, it's left me scratching my head as it's going to fray in the wash, did you do anything differently? It's too late for me to do anything to this one now, maybe I missed a step, would love your thoughts. Hugs from East Sussex UK. xx

[@sewmuchsewing]

I completely understand the doer as you goer thing! I never normally read the instructions all the way through before I start either. The finishing method for the curved edge of the facing is, as you say, to turn under and sew down. In hindsight I would have liked to have overlocked the edge before doing this too. But I've seen that method of edge finishing in patterns before and I think its ok. My thoughts on that are that the interfacing that is fused to the facing piece will prevent the edge from fraying. I hope I'm right anyway! I'm going to make another Joanie shortly and I will overlocker the facing before turning under and sewing down. I often find I change the construction method or the styling a little on my second ( and third if it all goes well!).

[@mariareina1423]

@@sewmuchsewing Thank you Katherine, that was sso helpful. I'll do exactly that on my next one too. I think it would be helpful (especially for the shawl neck version) to have some guidance as to where to put the top button so that the bottom of the shawl 'sits' nicely. I stuck it where I kind of thought it should be, but I think it could be better placed (mine of course) Anyhoo, I do absolutely love it, so thank you for the inspo ;) xxxx

[@sewmuchsewing]

@@mariareina1423 I'd suggest you look at Karina from Lifting Pins and Needles tutorial on 'break point' for a collar. Its on her Metra Blazer by Love Notions tutorial. Makes such a nice job of ensuring the collar falls open nicely at a 'natural' point.