Pattern: Butterick B6857
(Also pictured: Jeans B6840, Pants V1665 and B6851, Self-drafted tube skirt)

Fabric: Telio Topaz Hatchi Stretch Knit in Teal Green and in Royal Blue, from (now defunct) Fabric(dot)com.
Stretch black French terry and slubbed silver, black and gray sweater knit from the (now defunct) FIDM Scholarship Store, Los Angeles.

A Symphony of Sleeves:
View A is a bishop-sleeved top. For a fuller, more dramatic sleeve you can slash and spread the sleeve pattern piece, as pictured in the video below. I doubled the amount of fullness at the cuff.
View A is also a great way to use your button stash because it has buttons along both shoulders. For the royal blue top and the silver tops, I found some fun vintage buttons in black and silver, which I applied on both shoulders. Don’t have enough buttons? Don’t worry: I only had 4 teal green buttons, so I eliminated the overlap on the other shoulder. I replaced it with a simple shoulder seam.

Button Bonanza:
To highlight really special buttons, opt for View B. It is a tunic style with a dramatic, asymmetrical draped collar and narrow sleeves. This dramatic collar was the perfect place to showcase mother-of-pearl ginkgo leaf buttons I bought at an American Sewing Guild conference years ago!

Custom Fitting:
B6857 is easy to tissue fit and alter. In addition to altering the sleeves and necklines of these sweaters, I made my usual pattern alterations: bodice shortened, high round back, forward shoulder, full bust, sway back, and uneven shoulders. A high round back coupled with the sway back alteration requires a curved center back seam, so all the tops have one. Custom fit means my shoulder seams fall properly, my necklines are comfortable, and the body falls wrinkle-free to a flattering length.

Knit Know-How:
Fitting and sewing knits can be a challenge. In addition to tissue fitting my patterns, I make lots of samples from my scraps. I test needle, thread, and stitch combinations until I find the best combination for each knit fabric. (Yes, each one is different!) Making buttonholes in knit fabrics is particularly challenging. For the silver sweater knit fabric, I used a plain white jersey for the facings, which I interfaced with Palmer/Pletsch Perfect Fuse Sheer Interfacing. This provided a (relatively) stable foundation for machine buttonholes. For View A, I interfaced the self-fabric neckline/shoulder facing with Perfect Fuse; I did not interface the collar, as the interfacing affected the drape. I made buttonholes in the shoulder only, not on the collar. For more tips for fitting and sewing knits, visit our blog.

Versatility Redefined:
These sweaters are the ultimate chameleons. Dress them down with jeans or pants for daytime chic, or whip up a tube skirt (like I did for the blue and silver versions) for a dressier date night vibe. The possibilities are endless!

Ready to unlock the magic of the Butterick B6857? Head over to our classes page and register for private tee shirt fit & sew classes. You'll learn valuable techniques and tips to transform this pattern into your wardrobe staple. Don't miss out on this opportunity to elevate your sewing skills and unleash your creativity!