The weather is starting to change here in Maryland and now I’m on a quest to sew warm and Autumnal makes. So when Love Notions released the line drawings for a women’s knit Henley pattern, I jumped at the chance to test it before it’s release. I usually think of Henleys as stuffy men’s tops, but the feminine touches on this typically masculine garment are what drew me to this unique style. I am so happy with the two cute and stylish tops that I made with this pattern.
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Pattern Details
The Breckenridge is a top, tunic, and dress length pattern designed for knit fabrics with at least 40 percent. It has a curved v-front neckline with sewn-on buttons and sleeve options. You can sew it with short sleeves, long sleeves with rolled button-tabs or long sleeves with cuffs. It is available in sizes XS-5X with finished bust measurements of 34 inches to 60.5 inches and finished hip of 37 to 62 inches. There are bodice pattern pieces for both a standard as well a full bust.
Sewing
The construction of this pattern is pretty straightforward. There are clear descriptions and diagrams to guide you along the way. The only tricky part is the neckband application. Fortunately, there is a link to a tutorial within the pattern that walks you through its construction. The front buttons are decorative, making creating buttonholes in this area unnecessary. However, the sleeve tabs do require a buttonhole for each tab. You may also consider using snaps as a button alternative or go for the cuffed version instead. The sleeves are sewn in flat and the look is completed with a curved bottom hem.
I sewed two versions of this top. The first top was a straight size medium with a shortened bodice by one inch on the front and back pieces. I used a navy blue cotton jersey as my primary fabric and white cotton jersey for the neckband, sleeves and sleeve tabs. I hemmed the bottom with a zig-zag stitch.
The second version was made with a flowy yet sturdy ITY knit from Fabric Mart Fabrics. I sewed a size small at the bust and graded out to a medium for the waist and hip along with shortening the bodice. I finished the hem with a blind hem on my serger for a banded look.
Styling
There are so many ways to rock these stylish tops. They are great for jazzing up any casual look. For the printed version, I decided to wear my favorite faux leather pants and Steve Madden combat boots. I love the edgy feel of this combo.
I paired the blue and white version with a relaxed pair of jeans from Not Your Daughter’s Jeans. These are the most comfortable ready-to-wear pair that I own. I rocked this outfit with my plain white leather sneakers from Sperry. I love a great pair of white sneaks without a lot of design or details. They go with everything!
Final Thoughts
This is a wonderful pattern with a ton of options that you’ll love. It great for solids, prints, and color-blocking (The Love Notions Rockford Raglan is another color-blocking gem). I definitely want to make the dress version in a sweater knit soon.
This pattern is currently on sale for $3 off of the regular $12 price through October 26, 2020. Be sure to head over to Love Notions to pick it up during the sale.
Love Notions Breckenridge Pattern (Affiliate Link)
Until next time,
Happy Sewing,
Crystal
I'd love to know what you think!