my favorite liesl + co. pattern: maritime knit top

We were stunned by the gorgeous collection of Maritime Knit Tops Susanne posted on Instagram. Talk about a handmade wardrobe staple pattern! When we asked her to write about her favorite Liesl + Co. pattern, it was no surprise which one she chose!

Hi everyone!

My name is Susanne. Masha asked me to talk about my favorite Liesl + Co. pattern and it is my pleasure!

I am German and I have lived with my husband for over 40 years in a small town near the North Sea. The most important thing in my life is my family. I have two sons and one daughter, two daughters-in-law, one son-in-law and six adorable grandchildren (four girls and two boys).

I am a creative person, a retired architect, and I do a lot of knitting, crocheting, sewing, quilting and embroidery, to name a few of my hobbies.

My motivation to sew was that, as a child, I had to wear hand-me-down clothes from my older sister and cousins, which didn’t flatter me. I wanted pretty clothes!  So I started sewing at the age of 11 or 12 on my mother’s old Singer machine. It wasn’t electric and had only a straight stitch, but it worked really well.

Today I am sewing because I do not like fast fashion (that’s another huge topic) and I can express myself much better with me-made clothes than with ready-to-wear (RTW) clothes.

Susanne has made the Maritime Knit Top a handmade wardrobe staple pattern.

Now let’s talk about my favorite Liesl pattern: the Maritime Knit Top.

I love it for many reasons: In general, I like Liesl’s patterns a lot. They are well-drafted. The instructions are great and easy to follow, even for an old german lady with minimum knowledge of the English language.  And they are not too difficult to make, but have a professional look and finish.

I’m always learning a new-to-me technique!

Before choosing the right pattern, I think you should know well your body shape. I am a column: 5’7’’ tall, not curvy, with minimal waist definition, broad shoulders, and long, thin arms. And I’m not the romantic type; I love simple, clear lines. I think the Maritime Top is a good choice for me.

What's a good handmade wardrobe staple pattern? The Maritime Knit Top!

I’ve made eight tops from this pattern already, and more will follow for sure!

I love the neckline: it is a boat neckline, but isn’t so wide that it shows the bra straps. I’ve sewn most of mine with the neck facing included in the pattern, but you can also try a regular neck binding. It works just as well. You can also create different looks by playing with the body and sleeve length and vents.

What's a good handmade wardrobe staple pattern? The Maritime Knit Top!

The Maritime Top is easy to sew, and you don’t need much fabric. I sew it all on a regular sewing machine, as I have no serger or coverstitch machine.

You can wear the Maritime with casual pants, including wide-leg silhouettes, narrow or full skirts and I think it can be dressed up depending on fabric. I usually choose cotton knits, but the one with the dragonflies is viscose/ rayon. 

If you have a piece of fabric in your stash and no idea which pattern to use, give the Maritime a try! I truly have to say it feels like the pattern is made for my body and fits my lifestyle perfectly.

What's a good handmade wardrobe staple pattern? The Maritime Knit Top!

Being creative fills me with peace and joy and can help us during difficult times. Hope you have a little space and time to be creative, too!



 

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9 Comments

  1. Eileen

    I, too, love the Maritime pattern and have made 2 tops. HOWEVER, in contrast to Susanne, the boat neckline does show my bra straps!! Any suggestions are welcome!!

    1. Susanne

      Hi Eileen, I have broad shoulders, so my bra straps are not so close to the neck….
      You can minimize the boatneck at the sides (and adjust the facings!), but the look of the classical boatneck will change.
      Good luck!

  2. Cindy Cooksey

    These are all very nice! They look great on you and look professionally done. You inspire me to try that pattern.

    1. Susanne

      Hi Cindy, thank you so much for your kind compliment! I’m happy to inspire you!!

  3. Susan Terrill

    Susanne, your knit tops are lovely and you are a very active grandmother. I have not tried this pattern but you certainly inspire me to do so. I learned to sew on my mother’s old black Singer, but it did run on electricity.

    1. Susanne

      Thank you, Susan! Yes, I love to sew for my grandchilds, they always wished ‘a dress von Oma’ !

  4. Debbie Magann

    Where can you find this pattern?

  5. Cathie Paski

    This looks so lovely, i will need to get this pattern.

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