![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlIQ_oO_JCZ2Ermj-POwpfTOr7gIrt2imW9aZQiZvMu2kljqPAALGjvTVHtGkcPB-_yPsG4IEdIZYmu_8tEtNZ7nrXXbCuHWdbpl9YD8QBVi9ZM_H5Nadx5YhXyuJVJoktxfKJ9yo578/s400/IMG_7668%2520copy.jpg)
This binding detail was inspired by a top I saw in RTW. If you own a coverstitch machine or serger that can attach a knit binding, this detail would be easy peasy to construct. But even without a special machine, it's not that hard to do.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPIGRG98p3k2COeFP-W27xc746ecy8s9dB10kf2rNKsY3-19OUYfQzvGiI1mcXybpOJTm9QORxj7Cl0lya-1MlAPwxvApan3ZaaNq8eqrnCwdZ0PREiD8wZpth1N9dZkUXPugr8hx0cw/s400/IMG_7683%2520copy.jpg)
I started with a TNT pattern - the Renfew, which I've made here and here. This knit is not very stretchy in the vertical direction, so I sewed in the bust darts. (By the way, I used a version of the Renfrew where I raised the neckline a bit.)
The binding is first attached vertically to the front pieces. In the RTW garment, they then placed the fronts, right sides together, and sewed a scant 1/6th of an inch seam to attach them together. I assembled them a little differently: I abutted the bound edges and whipstitched them, by hand, from the back. Once the fronts are attached to form a single unit, then the shoulder seams are sewn and the neck binding is attached, leaving a gap of about 1".
I used a black rayon/lycra jersey for the binding and I cut the strips 2" wide. I folded them in half, the long way, with both raw edges together, and sewed them to the front with a 1/4" seam. I then wrapped the folded edge around to the back and hand-stitched it in place. This makes a nice, beefy, double binding. If you have a thicker fabric, you might prefer a single binding.
I purchased this fabric last May at Santa Fe Fabrics when visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico. This printed knit is slightly crinkled and has what can only be described as a perforated texture. Very interesting.
Unfortunately I did have one mishap during construction. When serging the armscye seam, I caught the sleeve fabric in the serger blade.
Luckily I had enough fabric to cut another (slightly shorter) sleeve, but I was already thinking of a plan B and C in case that wasn't an option. (Plan B - solid black sleeves. Plan C - some sort of elaborate patch/seaming.)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2EgMVkfYxKIJAaexIDdoI5jr6JMOdZJCJHbyJ0EKFrVSETgSuMEfHNpuS3wWekJpOJJYM4uo4JxdgEI5amzeKVcZR9yTXnnft-ZXQ2I2SUC7NzTXi8RAxlm2d-Z9gN-MvSw9XZz8WSpc/s400/IMG_7680%2520copy.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUaSZVRCVyDM2RePcOECe_bje8pAA-DdfA6S5Eh3LwfeP48TRW1ciAxIveO7iJFfSFW5rSFyrnjH4Y6Cyir8XNMqK5mTnew8Ekv1sZtC5n4toVQ8rJ2iNONfkaBcsXP8CT5c4RulXePjk/s400/IMG_7673%2520copy.jpg)
For the last two days, I've been using my long walks to head to the mall. On Friday I walked to Union Square in downtown SF, and yesterday I walked to my local mall, also in SF. I just love checking out designer RTW and the fall fashions are arriving! Woot! Fall is my favorite time of year, fashion-wise. My mojo is flowing and I wish I had more time to sew!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KKpVPZgAwOaXThGm_ADjmn48VmvlsuLOeFgP2VxOkoMK4nsUG4cv6QDcdLDDuvr7B7H_HcwauYcRsdhLtY4R1QwoZIu1FgdLotqsukNH4xnjhP5HztPw2ZU278a521ci8DE_VD5oZqI/s400/Nordstroms.jpg)
And, just for fun...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRTt4vnjJeEKexalSyeoX061T1toQQRBQO-x8N0kjAHAc3vJZucTFkofcMlbefn_br-zgh58xY365BDnktmB81SlYK0lqrGDm-vv82_aPs5qarAUMUQwuaglWDlMLoLcbGlddySUNIpE/s400/Statue1.jpg)