Has It Been A Year? Still Here. Still Sewing

Well, Hello!  I'm still around, and, yes, it's time to get back to blogging.  To begin with I'm not overwhelmingly fatigued anymore (stupid thyroid).  I have been sewing the past year - just not blogging about it.  I have also kept up with others blogs and enjoyed all the great stuff I've seen you making.

The first thing I made this year was Simplicity 2339 Amazing Fit blouse.  My first try was in a rather loud flowered cotton print.  The fit was perfect; the fabric was not.  Second go was the one in the photo out of peridot green rayon challis.  The challis feels wonderful and drapey but won't behave for the photos - it wrinkles and shifts.

I cut a size 12 C cup and made no changes to the pattern except in the side seams.  The pattern uses 1 inch seam allowances on the side and sleeve seams so you can have a little room for adjustment.  I found I needed to start at 1 inch at the underarm and move to 3/4" at the lower waist and hips.  Because I had made this shirt before and knew this, I adjusted and made French seams in this one.  The sleeves might be a tad long for standing for a photo but not when I'm in action.  Plus, I rarely wear my sleeves down - I always roll them up.  I omitted the waist darts on the front and back because I wanted a looser flowing shirt.  I've seen a lot of these in the stores lately but they're mostly polyester - give me rayon over polyester any day.

The back fits too.  I can move my arms quite freely without any pulling across the upper back or front.  Yes, they're a couple of wrinkles in the photo - they come and go as I move.

I like this pattern!  So much so that the gap of button front shirts in my wardrobe will probably be filled within a few months. (I've already started the next one).  Speaking of buttons I went shopping for green shirt buttons and couldn't find any that weren't too bright.  I ended up using grayish mother of pearl buttons from my pearl button stash. 

French Seams

Ok, I'll show the loud failure:

Don't ask me why.  I don't know.  I don't wear prints unless they're subdued or on a skirt but I did this.  I put it on and looked like I belonged in the Partridge family.  I didn't bother to put cuffs or buttons on it.  Still, I hate waste and will salvage it.  I think I'll just cut the sleeves and make it short sleeve  -- then there would be less print.  It does fits beautifully.