Did You Miss Me?

Heavens, it has been a while, hasn’t it??  Thing is, when you don’t write these post for a while you quickly get out of the habit of doing so, and kinda forget how to write!  I have lots to show, and very few photos!  But last week I made a thing, and I even managed to get the other half to take some pictures for me – miracles!!

So, what’s the lucky garment?  Well, it’s a blouse.  I have only used this pattern once before, it’s a Burda pattern – as you may well have guessed, based on my history!  I made this first blouse (way before I had even heard of blogs) in silk satin in a gorgeous wine colour.  (See it worn in this post)  I loved it, but soon it was too small and I relegated it to the “unwearable” box in the loft.  This summer it came out and I decided that, as I didn’t wear it anymore, I’d see if it could be recut and refashioned into something else.  It sat in that pile until last month, when I ironed it before cutting.  Then I put it on, just to see…  And it fits again!!  Woohoo.  I love how it feels, the batwings and floppy collar.  After the second wear while I was organising the summer fabrics to go back into the boxes for the winter, I came across a piece of cotton voile I’d bought from Fabric Godmother about 5 years ago.  A brainwave hit and I thought, I finally know what pattern to use for this fabric!  The same one that I’d used for the silk blouse, 118 from October 2008.

Unfortunately it’s too old a pattern to be found on the database on the BurdaStyle website, and the magazine with the instructions and line drawings is in a box in the loft, so I cannot show you any details!  But thanks to helpful commenters, and the Russian Burda website, here’s a link!  It’s a simple pattern, the back is cut on the fold, sleeves are kimono style/batwings, so they’re grown on.  You do need to make sure that the fabric is wide enough for the pattern, the back is ok, but the front has grown on button stand and facing, so it’s wider overall.  The sleeve is gathered into a wide cuff and finishes at the three quarter mark.  There are no darts for shaping, but it’s not a billowing, shapeless style.  The collar is just the stand part, and the front has fullness that is gathered into the collar.  It makes for a soft, draping top that’s easy to wear.  I used fine sheer polyester fusible interfacing on the buttonstands, cuffs and collar, and French seams throughout.

I’ll have to get to Birmingham for photos of other projects, or get daughter no2 back home!  And while we’re photographing her new clothes, she can do mine for me!  I’ve had a great weekend sewing, cut out 4 projects, of which 3 are complete and one is waiting for bias binding – but it’s in silk and I’m having a day off from fancy fabrics…

We went to Cornwall at the end of September – and got thoroughly rained on – and I took lots of patterns with me to trace in the evenings.  I made good progress and only didn’t manage to trace the Lander pants.  I have stuff for me & stuff for each of the girls traced and now ready to toile, including the Tosti Utility Jacket, finally!!!  It WILL be made this year!

Author: Anne W

I love fabric, and sewing. And I could do nothing else but sew, all day, every day, if I could! View all posts by Anne W