The archives: Japanese knit reprise

Yup. I loved that Japanese striped knit so much that I had to buy more of it. The second time I got it in a solid color, though still with textured stripes.

Lacking in imagination I made again the same turtleneck. This time, though, I didn't have enough fabric (I wonder why?). I was forced to make do with the fabric I had so I made two changes: the neck facing I made with the red-black striped fabric, and I cut the neck piece a bit off shape.

The first change wasn't a big deal, you cannot see the facing when I'm wearing the top. But the second change had serious consequences. I know that now, but not then... And for this one I had finally discovered invisible zippers! Unfortunately invisible zippers on knits was a bigger challenge than I could master and the back is a bit, let's say "wavy".


Anyway, I still wore this top quite a lot. Come to think of it, I vaguely remember that there was also a knit skirt, in the red-black stripe fabric. I remember it was a mini skirt, which quite unsettled my mom and of course this made me only like it more. Yeah, it had a high waist and a waist facing instead of a waistband. That was a very flattering style on me, and I wore it lots! Ah, that is probably why I made this top as well, to allow some variety since with the striped top it looked like a dress.

Oh, yes, I also remember that I would sometimes wear the top over the skirt, and other times I would wear the skirt over the top. This latter emphasized a small waist and made the top blouse a bit from the high waist up, giving it another silhouette, and both were very flattering on my pear-shape body. The skirt is now long gone, of course.

Wow, funny that I could remember that!

The archives: Japanese knit turtleneck

Ca. 1988. I loved this fabric. I bought it at Liverpool, big department store in the D.F. back when it still sold fabric and merceria. The label said it was from Japan, and that sounded so exotic, so high tech! The fabric itself has a very nice hand, it is stretchy but holds its shape very well. Plus I love stripes.

I used a pattern from Prima, a pattern magazine very much like Burda. A very simple mock turtleneck, no darts in front, all the shaping came from the side and center back seam. It also has a zipper, but I didn't know invisible zippers existed back then, so it doesn't look pretty.

The shape was very flattering on me and I wore it to death. I am wearing this top in my yearbook photos for my senior year in college. So even after 5 or 6 years I still thought it was one of my best pieces!


Incredibly after all that wear, and the corresponding cycles in the washer and dryer, it still looks passable. Though not great, and hence I'm retiring it. All this years I couldn't bear to let it go, but making this page allows me to say goodbye. I'll give it to the charity shop, and who knows, maybe someone else will also get much joy out of it.