I’m so pleased to be finished with this project, and I got it to come out just the way I wanted. While Talavera was beautiful just as it was written, I made a few modifications to suit my needs. I love the original neckline, but I wanted it to be more open for summer wear. I also wanted a bit more of a sleeve and some extra body length. The yarn is Louet Gems Fingering in Teal and I used barely over 3 hanks of it. 
This pattern is well written and the lace is very enjoyable to knit. The repeat becomes natural after a few times. It wasn’t something I didn’t have to look at well enough to read, but it did become rhythmic and natural, and had rest rows (a solid knit or purl row) between the active rows.
It took me awhile to decide on the neckline. I hemmed and hawed and eventually decided that I would replicate the neckline from Waterlily since that worked well with lace. I began the neckline decreases after the third repeat of the lace pattern on the sleeve. I think a slightly deeper neckline would have also suited me. I could have started the neck after the second repeat as well, but I like the way it turned out nonetheless.
I wanted the sleeves to be a bit wider, so instead of following instructions for sleeve increases, I decided to just cast on enough extra stitches for an extra lace repeat when it was time to add sleeve stitches. My sleeves ended up with 33 stitches across after I followed the neck decreases. I really like the way this part came out.
As for length, I did 13 repeats of the lace pattern before dividing for front and back. After blocking (oh, magical blocking!) this came out to be a 15.5″ length. I think even one repeat longer would have been fine, but this is a nice length to work with a variety of clothing items. 
Best of all, for this photo shoot, Zooey was a fantastic helper. She was a stand in when I needed to focus the shot, and she worked the remote for me for most of the time so I could avoid the remote in hand pictures I often end up with when I take photos alone.
I’m thrilled to have this piece finished! I’ve already cast on a new top for myself, and I’ll post more about that soon!
This looks lovely!!! The color is very nice on you as well 🙂
Thank you! I must be attracted to this color since I’m making a dress for my 1yr old in the same color but a different yarn.
This top really suits you and it looks gorgeous, bravo!
Thanks!
You knit beautiful summer tops!
Thanks! I finally have enough so that I’m not wearing the same few all the time.
Beauty top, Cassy.
I love that you distinguish between ‘active’ and ‘rest’ rows! In my head they’re called ‘focus’ and ‘blind’ rows, and I’ve found that having a reasonable proportion of blind rows makes any pattern manageable.
I like the idea of focus vs. blind rows… Nice way to put it!
Very pretty!
Such a gorgeous top and the colour is phenomenal!!!!
So beautiful! I love the colors!
Dear Zooey, you did an awesome job helping your mom. Please come to my house and teach Reed how to do that. Very useful.
Well done! Looks fantastic!
It looks fab and the colour really suits you 💙
This piece makes me wish I could knit. Beautiful!
fabulous!
that looks fantastic, Cassy! I love your mods, too. it looks quite different than the original pattern, and so flattering!
Wow! Gorgeous. Everything – the color, the mods, the fit. Perfect !
Perfection!
Gorgeous and fits you beautifully!
This is such a lovely piece! Great work and it looks very pretty on you. Snowbell lace is one of my favorite lace patterns.
OH MY, this is lovely! Well done!