Japanese blouse, in a Cookie Book print good enough to eat
By Victoria As-it-Seams - 14:02
A little blouse. In a lovely print. Made from a Japanese pattern. With a touch of piping
This makes me happy.
Am I the only one who spent hours, nay days, gazing at the Cotton and Steel collections online trying to make decisions?
In the end I bought three prints, all very different, and this is the first to be sewn up - and I think it's my favourite. It's Kimberley Kight's Cookie Book collection, Drops in cinnamon. Bought from Miss Matatabi, who currently has this fabric on sale!
I mean, who could resist those spots, those blue buttons and that piped Peter Pan collar? Oh and that crazy, stubborn girl with the darkest gaze...
Missy wanted rainbow buttons - she wants rainbow everything - but I stuck with blue...The pattern is the button-backed puffed sleeve blouse from Akiko Mano's book Linen, Cotton, Wool Kids. Oh how I love this book! I want to sew everything...sadly though I fear Missy will have outgrown the sizes by the time I manage that.
It's two years since I started this blog, and although I've been sewing all my life - since I was Missy's age - it's only in the last couple of years that I have been sewing regularly.And in that time I can feel that my skill has developed. WIth this blouse I made a real effort to try to sew it carefully, not to rush, and it's constructed with French seams everywhere. I left the 'Cotton and Steel' selvedge in place, just behind the placket. Partly to eek out the fabric, and because I liked the look.
I could do with some tips on making sure the collar sits nice and flat. It does have a slight tendency to pop up!
She wore it for a little bike ride on a beautiful spring day by the canals where we live. Spring flowers, boats, a bit of freedom.
I wouldn't have styled this blouse with the floral leggings, but hey, I won with the blue buttons, so I have to give way somewhere to my strong willed Missy.
Now. What's next in my Akiko Mano, Linen Cotton Kids journey? Hm... more decisions...
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13 comments
This is beautiful. I gaze for hours at fabric too so you are not alone! I am so tempted by this book.
ReplyDeleteThank you and glad I'm not alone. Book comes highly recommended - provided you're prepared to devote more hours to fabric gazing and imagining! V x
DeleteThe top is gorgeous (so is the brown eyed model). I am in love with all the things you have listed about it. And hey, let's face it, the feather completes the look ;) My daughter also wants everything rainbow. Must be the 4-5 year old craze? Does understitching collar help? I have only sewn a few of these babies, so am also trying to work out the best way to make it sit flat.
ReplyDeleteYep, the feather was an inspired addition - Missy's own idea. Sadly she only sat still on that wall for a moment otherwise I'd have made her do a whole photo shoot with feather.! Missy would paint our house rainbow if she could - we put a new carpet down a few months ago (beige, of course) and she was disappointed it wasn't rainbow.
DeleteI can't actually remember if I understitched this collar - and it's hanging up in Missy's bedroom while she's just going to sleep so can't check. I think I did .. ummm... It was a funny pattern, no facing, only bias binding over the seam, which probably doesn't help hold the structure of the collar.
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Oh Victoria. That blouse is super beautiful. Love the fabric and the blue piping and buttons are just perfect with it. Plus, how fun to use the selvedge for the placket!
ReplyDeleteRegarding the collar. I had a similar problem with it wanting to slighltly flip up. Solved it by hand-sewing it down (just the part of the collar that faces the blouse). That way it's invisible from the top, but keeps it lying down nicely!
Thanks Annika!
DeleteI am considering stitiching it down, although want to avoid that if possible. Missy wears this over cardigans, and if I can I'd like to be able to have the collar peaking out over the top of a cardigan or jumper... But if all else fails...
V x
Love the top, the piping really works brilliantly! With the collar, did you clip the seams? On a neckline clipping every cm or so will help and understitching.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I did clip the seams, but I guess not enough! Can't remember if I understitched ! There's no facing only bias binding which is a slightly different technique..Next time..
DeleteOh, I love it. The fabric, the piping, the style, her darkest gaze - just gorgeous, all of it. With that type of collar, it can really be a struggle to make it lie flat. Clip, then understitch, then trim, press the living daylights out of it, and then if all else fails smack it really hard with a mallet until that center join lies flat. I did that with the Caroline Party Dress and it worked great! :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI think I probably should have clipped it a bit more, I get scared of clipping too much, but probably be braver! And the pattern doesn't have a facing, only a bias binding finish, which I think doesn't help. And yes a mallet sounds like the perfect solution!
Appreciate you dropping by!
Victoria
Beautiful top! Rainbow buttons would have been fun, but blue buttons are perfect. It looks so sweet.
ReplyDeleteWow! That's beautiful. Love that selvedge idea.
ReplyDeleteAlso, make the under collar a smidge smaller all around, like 1/8" on the edge that connects to the shirt and slightly less than that everywhere else.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for taking the time to comment. I love hearing from you, and try to reply as often as I can, either here or by email. All views, tips, gratefully received...
Victoria