These are knit top patterns from my stash.

Some top styles keep on working no matter what my size is. Right now I’m bigger than I’ve been for some years. Bigger around the waistline.

Lee-Ann’s top

Lee-Ann’s Top from Silhouette patterns has a sewalong that Peggy did 2 years ago. I found it on YouTube and I really needed it to see how the neckline is sewn on correctly.

This year I bought – splurged – on a couple of pieces of merino knits from Minerva’s Bower in the Blue Mountains. Black and navy pieces to in theory make a knit top for my and Mr. V. He did a stocktake of his merino tops and declared that he doesn’t need me to make one for him.

Lee-Ann’s Top isn’t available from Silhouette Patterns website anymore so that tells you how long ago it was that I bought this pattern in a bundle.

The neckline is a wrap style and it covers the neck area really well.

What motivated me to sew this top a few times is where in the YouTube video, Peggy comments that she can sew this top up quickly. That was a challenge I wanted to take.

Photos to come in the coming weeks on my Instagram account.

McCalls spa essentials 4261

If you look closely at these patterns, they’re good basics for any knit and you don’t need to go to Pilates or yoga to sew these and wear them.

I’ve sewn the 3/4 length sleeve top a few times in moisture wicking fabric for winter gym sessions. If you use the stair climber, you’ll know the beauty of wearing long sleeves.

For my latest version, I used some strip remnant but ran out of fabric for the sleeves. When you see this top on Instagram in September, I played with striped running vertically except on the sleeves.

I’ll let you image how that’s turned out.

New Look 6230

Vneck tops are my fav and this pattern has 2 great raglan style knit tops. Again the sleeve is 3/4 length and I’ve sewn the vneck version in moisture wicking fabric for the gym too.

Hopefully I can sew a couple of new versions, maybe in merino knits before August ends.

They’ll initially pop onto Instagram.

I really like the pencil skirt on this pattern too. That’s for another project.

Post script: After a long consultation with my doctor, I can run again. That’s how I had kept my body shape smaller and I stopped running when I started having knee issues. Even with osteoarthritis, I’m starting to do a light jog.

Cycling and stair climbing are no impact exercise.

No half marathon goals, just enough running to add medium impact exercise to strengthen my bones and help find that elusive waistline. My doctor emphasised that I need to choose an exercise that I like.

I like to run.