Dear readers,
This is a story of love at first sight. I saw a keyhole top, and I just needed it. You know that immediate, totally irrational kind of need that means you are going to draft it whether you were already working on something or not? It was that.
So I started drafting. And thing about drafting something you are a little obsessed with: you cannot leave it alone. I kept playing with the front line, shifting it, opening it up, and before I knew it I had a second view, an asymmetric one, even though I had promised myself I would stick to a single view this time. (I rarely do anymore) The worst part is that now I genuinely cannot tell you which one I like best.
So I will let you decide. After a long round of testing with a wonderful group of sewers who helped me get every detail right, let me introduce you to Camille.
Camille is a fitted, fully lined sleeveless top with a shaped bodice, a defined waist and a soft flare toward the high hip. It is designed for woven fabrics and comes in two views built from the same base, with two quite different personalities. View A has a keyhole opening and a center front closure with fabric-covered buttons and loops. View B keeps the silhouette but swaps in asymmetric overlapping fronts secured with ties.
The details I cared about most: the keyhole and the soft tie collar, which make View A feel polished, feminine and a little special, and the asymmetric overlapping fronts of View B, which create a diagonal line and a bit of movement for something more graphic. Both views are shaped with front and back princess seams for a close but comfortable fit.
The top is fully lined and finished by bagging, which means the inside is as clean as the outside, with no exposed seams. The instructions, in English and in French, walk you through every step with illustrations, and the testers' feedback helped me make the trickier moments, like turning the lined top through, genuinely clear.
I made mine in floral, polka dot and denim, all in size 34 with no alterations. Lilli wears View A in the same floral cotton, size 50 at the shoulders graded to 52 at the hips. Pauline models View B in an olive viscose and linen blend, size 44 with a little added length and no shaping at the waist. I love their styling!
On fabric, Camille is happiest in light to medium weight wovens with structure and a little drape: linen, linen blends, cotton poplin, chambray, shirting and similar. The cover sample is made from cotton. Avoid anything too thick. Camille is designed for woven fabrics only.
The pattern is available in sizes 34 to 60, drafted for a height of 5'5" / 1m65, in two size ranges: 34-46 for a B/C cup and 46-60 for a DD cup. For size 46, use the 34-46 range if you are a C cup or below, and the 46-60 range if you are a D cup or above. If your measurements fall at least one full size outside the chart, smaller than 34 or larger than 60, I grade at no extra cost.
When you buy Camille, you instantly get the pattern files in 3 formats: Print-at-home (A4 and US Letter), A0, and Projector. The instructions, in English and in French, include a Cutter's Must, order of operations, and full step-by-step illustrated instructions for both views. Seam allowances are included throughout.
For the first week, Camille is 15% off, no code needed. The discount applies automatically at checkout.
And if you are reading this as a newsletter subscriber: you also get an additional 10% off your entire order with code CAMILLEPARTY. Use the email address you are subscribed with at checkout and the code will work.
I hope Camille gives you a top you'll love as much as I love mine.
Happy sewing,
Delphine