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Friday, March 15, 2013

A Keeper

You can tell how much I like a project by how quickly I take pictures of it.  It took a month for me to take pictures of yesterday's tee shirt, and another couple weeks to post it.

I finished this one yesterday.


(Please ignore my hair.  It was in a messy bun.  Messy being the operative word.)

This is the Pattern Runway Gorgeous Pussy Bow Blouse, sans bow.  It's described as an "easy fit blouse with bangle-length sleeves" - right up my alley.   It has a sweet little collar with separate stand, and neat little sleeve plackets.  All in all a very feminine, yet comfortable blouse.


I first made my muslin of this blouse just over a year ago.  The fit was pretty good, but a teeny bit snug in the hips and across the back.  Before I started working on this version, I extended the side seam out below the waist to the next size up, and also gave myself a quarter-inch Broad Back Adjustment.  This is the first time I've done the adjustment, although I've known for quite a while I need it (thank you, C2 Rowing) - it really does make a difference.  I could even stand a little more ease in the back, but then I'd have to ease the back shoulder with a gathering stitch.  With this small adjustment, I was able to ease the back shoulder into the front just by pulling the front shoulder more taut as I sewed - easy peasy.


Sadly, the light around here this morning wasn't good enough to give you the understanding of just how gorgeous this fabric is.  This is Robert Kaufman Baby's Breath in Vintage (even the name is fantastic!) from the London Calling Lawn line.  Liberty-esque without the pricetag, IMO!  I fell in love and bought enough to make this very blouse the instant I saw it.  I also bought it in the "Celebration" colorway:


Anyway, here are some close-up pictures so you can see the colors of "Vintage" better.

I love my little lavender buttons!

Edge-stitching courtesy of the blind hem foot!

Rolled hem - that was hard on those curves!

And you want to see my shoes, right?  Bought these years ago from Boden:


They go with both these fabrics!

So, do you guys feel all better now, since you got a smiley face today rather than a pouty one?!

28 comments:

  1. oooh i like it! so cute! and your shoes are totally adorable too!

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  2. So cute. I love a good well fitting button up. Sometimes they can be so hard to find.

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    1. I have a few different patterns, but this one works so well I haven't been able to get myself to trace off any of the others!

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  3. Awesome shirt Gail, and much better with you being all smiles :) I traced this pattern over a month ago and still no make... one of these days.

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    1. This is such a great pattern. I can see myself making many of these.

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  4. So simple and stylish! I have had this pattern for ages and never got round to sticking it together and having a go. I must!

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    1. You ought to! Highly recommended! This one doesn't need a SBA* - in fact, I recently got some new bras with a lot more oomph than usual, and when I tried this top on with one of those, the fit was way off.

      *Not that I'm targeting you, but I think we have similar frames :-)

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  5. Gorgeous! Do you have plans for the brighter colourway as well?

    And those shoes are fabulous! I so want the weather to be nice enough here for me to get some summery shoes out.

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    1. You and me both! I've started on my "spring wardrobe" but can't wear any of these things yet!

      The other colorway will become another of the same blouse. With yellow buttons, if I can find them!

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  6. Your fabric is gorgeous (both colorways)! What a great blouse. It seems like it could be dressed up, but it also looks great with jeans. Your stitching looks so perfect (and I love the shoes)!

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    1. I agree - this colorway in particular goes with a lot of bottoms in my closet. I've been dreaming up lots of outfits!

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  7. Those edge stitches and rolled hem are perfection!

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    1. hehehe - the sections I showed you are! Not all the rolled edges look like that, LOL! I'm hoping nobody is going to get right down by my hips and inspect my hems ;-)

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  8. My copy of the Sewing machine accessories bible arrived this morning .... right there with you on the blind hem foot :) Lovely shirt!

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    1. So glad you got the book! I've found it so useful!

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  9. That fabric is gorgeous--in both colorways! I could see using it in a quilt for sure.

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    1. Isn't is fantastic? I like a lot of the other prints in this line too - may end up with some of them eventually!

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  10. THAT FABRIC!! OMG I am in love! Perfect blouse for it too- so soft and feminine and it looks really comfy- the kind of thing I would end up wearing constantly!
    Beautiful!
    Blogs are such a bad influence though, I really want to buy some of that lawn now! :)

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    1. Ah, this is just your color! And really, when you consider how much Liberty lawn costs, it's a bargain! You should get some ;-) I'd love to see what you would do with this fabric!

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  11. I love this! It's so, so cute!

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  12. Goodness, this is a beautiful shirt. I want one just like it! That other colorway is just perfect too.

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  13. Very cute fabric. I love a good, button down blouse.

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    1. Me too - I think a blouse and skirt is my "uniform!"

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  14. Absolutely lovely! :) I love both floral prints.

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  15. Omg that *fabric* .... Gasp! I probably need to force amnesia on the part of my brain that just saw that, it's gorgeous. Love your blouse! (And the shoes!!)

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    1. Isn't it fab? I'm so looking forward to actually wearing this. Come on, Spring!!

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