Making a Sunshine blouse for the frill of it....

By Victoria As-it-Seams - 13:19


A few weeks ago I had a vision of making a blouse that screamed 'Summer.'

I was thinking of a 1970s, hippy chic Californian vibe that would brighten dull English skies.

And I loved this fine cotton from Art Gallery Fabrics, designed by Pat Bravo from her Summer Love collection, and bought from Laughing House.
It is certainly says 'summer!' 

I also wanted to experiment with blouse patterns. I took the same Burda blouse pattern used for the Common Blouse and 'flipped' it about  -  a lot!

I swapped the back yoke pattern piece and used it for the front yoke, and then used the same pattern piece cut half, to make a back-opening blouse. I also cut the yoke wider, as the Burda pattern is getting small on Missy

I cut a square-ish neckline into the front, used a small amount of interfacing around the neckline, and lined the yoke in cotton voile.


Blue bias binding  was perfect for piping. I think the blue makes the orange really sing. (The binding was bought from the WI stall at our local market for 10 pence! It's an absolute treasure trove)

The neckline is finished with three rows of top-stitching. I was tempted to stitch in blue - but resisted...




The mother-of-pearl buttons are stitched with blue and, again, I made embroidery thread blue button loops , (as used here and here).

 

The sleeves were a real experiment - and a fiddle. I wanted kind-of-floaty bias frills. These are cut on the bias, after a lot of late night faffing about. They are lined in cotton voile. 

They are a lot frillier than I anticipated! I was tempted to unpick them and start again, but couldn't face it. 
The look is a bit more 'Marie Antoinette' than I envisioned! Advice on how to do floaty bias frills most welcome!
Now our grey skies have turned blue and sunny, my sunshine blouse seems to have done its job!

STOP PRESS - Win A Tinny dress pattern! Deadline extended to midnight on Wednesday night GMT, visit I'm a Princess post to enter!


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7 comments

  1. Winniel15 July 2013 at 17:32

    So fun & beautiful! Makes me want to make a piece for my daughter as well :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Victoria As-it-Seams21 July 2013 at 03:29

      Thanks! loved this fabric - if you make one for your daughter I'd love to see some photos!

      Delete
  2. Anonymous16 July 2013 at 01:08

    Very nice! I bought some summerlove fabric collection from the laughing house too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Victoria As-it-Seams21 July 2013 at 03:30

      Hi Audrey, It was so hard to choose from Summer Love - I'm thinking of buying more! Now that summer's here though, I'm spending less time sewing! Might get some for next summer!

      Delete
  3. Pam @Threading My Way27 July 2013 at 03:59

    Your blouse looks like it's come straight from the 70's with the square neckline, the flowing look and the orange floral fabric. I love it!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pam @Threading My Way27 July 2013 at 05:57

      I've featured your blouse today...
      http://www.threadingmyway.com/2013/07/threading-your-way-features_27.html

      Delete
  4. Jenya @ While she was sleeping8 October 2013 at 02:18

    How is it possible I have not see this?? Love it Victoria :) The fabric certainly screams 'SUMMER", and piping is such a beautiful detail :) I really am into piping at the moment :) Well done :)

    ReplyDelete

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Victoria

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