SED Lucy Top | Sewing Pattern Review
I got to test another pattern by Sonia Estep Designs. This time it is the SED Lucy Top.
This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. If you make a purchase after clicking a link I may earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a penny more!
Read my Privacy Policy.
The SED Lucy Top is now on sale for 50% off until Sunday, August 2, 2020. Be sure to grab it at this deal. It goes back to regular price afterwards.
I have had the fortunate opportunity to test a few patterns for Sonia Estep Designs.
Other Sonia Estep Designs
Sewing Pattern Reviews
Be sure to check out these other great sewing patterns!
About the SED Lucy Top
The Lucy Top is is a swing-style, sleeveless top. It features a flattering halter top and is intended for knit fabrics.
This style top is perfect for summer. It’s easy to wear and the swing style is great in hot weather as it does not stick to you. It’s also great for hiding those extra isolation pounds that have been put on due to all the baking and cooking I’ve done!
It also features a high-low design – meaning the front is hemmed higher than the back.
Fabric Suggestions
For this top, you will want fabrics that drape and hang nicely.
As I said, drape is key to this design. The top is intended to be nice and flowy. Fabric without good drape could result in looking tent-like or even maternity-like, which is definitely a look I do not want.
However, if you are expecting, this would be the perfect summer top for you as no adjustments would be needed and you could wear it for most, if not all, of your pregnancy.
Sizing Tips
Perhaps you’re like me and your measurements are all over the place when it comes to sizing. Well, the Lucy is quite easy to fit. Due to the swing style nature of the top, you need only to fit your bust measurement.
My bust and waist measurements were different by one size. In some styles, I would have had to grade out from my bust to my waist measurement, but that was not necessary with this pattern. How nice it was to be able to just sew a pattern as is!
If you have more than a couple of sizes different, you may wish to grade, however it may not necessarily be the total number of sizes. If in doubt, you could do your regular grading and if you think it is too wide, then you can take in the side seams. Be sure to do a test fit before hemming the bottom.
Sewing Pattern Review
This pattern contains only 4 pieces – front bodice (cut on the fold), back bodice, arm binding and neck binding. It is a really quick and easy sew. I whipped up the test fit in an evening.
The back piece is cut as 2 separate pieces. This is not necessary if you don’t have to do any adjustments. I cut mine on the fold. Simply move your pattern piece over so that the edge is off the fabric to account for the seam allowance. This made one less sewing step! This is especially nice if you have a particular pattern on your fabric that you don’t want to break up and/or you don’t want to have to worry about matching.
I did my arm bindings using my binder attachment on my coverstitch which made it easier. I love how the finish it gives. It’s also really easy as I don’t need to worry about matching centre points – you simply just add the binding.
The instructions for the neck binding have you iron it in order to form creases to help you fold it over. I found that the fabrics I used did not iron well – there weren’t really any creases. To remedy this, I drew chalk lines to help me fold it. You could also use a seam allowance gauge to measure the folds and clip. Either way works.
Get my free
sewing project sheet
when you join my newsletter.
SED Lucy Dress Hack
I must admit that as soon as I saw the line drawing of this top, I knew I would extend it into a dress. It simply makes the best little halter swing dress. You can dress it up or dress it down.
In order to make it into a dress, I extended all the pieces by 5.5 inches. As I am only 5’1, this was the perfect amount to make a dress. I cut the pattern apart at the waistline and added the length there. For the side seams, I made a straight line from the under the arm corner, down to the bottom hem. I also lengthened the front so that it was the same length as the back.
Fabric: Chitosante Interlock from Discovery Fabrics
I really love how versatile this pattern is. It makes a great little top that works well with a pair of shorts and can even be used as a swimsuit cover-up. At the same time, it makes a great little dress for a night out.
What to Wear Underneath Lucy
Wondering what undergarments work best with Lucy? Well, a strapless bra is perhaps the most obvious choice. However, some of us would prefer a little more support. So consider a racerback or sports bra.
What I prefer is using these little bra clips which convert a regular bra into a racerback. Now, these aren’t perfect in that they won’t completely hide the straps, however a little double-sided tape attaching the exposed straps to the top works perfectly!
I’m so fortunate to be able to test this pattern for Sonia Estep Designs. She did such a great job with this pattern.
The SED Lucy Top is now on sale for 50% off until Sunday, August 2, 2020. Be sure to grab it at this deal. It goes back to the regular price afterwards.
Other Sewing Pattern Reviews
Here are some other sewing pattern reviews that I have done that you may be interested in.
