Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Redemption

 I had to redeem myself after the Tigra mishap.  So I made one more version of Simplicity 2601.  I love this little blouse pattern.  The shape is so nice.  Makes me feel like I have a little waist- even on days when I know I don't ;)


I did several alterations on this version based on my other two versions.  I did a square shoulder adjustment and lowered the back neckline 1/2".  I took in the midfriff 1/2" on each side, tapering the bodice and peplum sections to match.  I added an extra button, although on this particular version I forgot to extend the underlap.  Oh well.  And I slashed and spread the cap sleeve about an inch to accommodate my, erm, bulging biceps.


This blouse was a laborious bit of sewing.  Yes, it's Liberty tana lawn (ooh la la!).  I wish I could afford to buy yardage but sadly, I can't.  I'm on a strict fabric diet at the moment.  This was all salvaged from a dress I found at a thrift store.  Not just any thrift store, but the "by-the-pound" thrift store.  That's where thrift store clothing goes to die.  When stuff doesn't sell or doesn't even make it in to the regular thrift store, it gets sent to the "by-the-pound" store.  Everything is thrown in huge bins and yes, it's sold by the pound. A dollar a pound.  It's actually a little gross.  Makes you feel like you need to take a shower after you've been sorting through some of the bins.  I don't go there very often, but I was glad when I spotted a dress made from Liberty.  I'm guessing it didn't even cost me a full dollar.  It has to be old because I haven't seen this colorway in the Wiltshire print before.   It's mainly orange on a blue background.


As a result of it being salvaged from an existing garment, there are a few weird seams throughout.  But I'm not fussed about it.  Since the fabric is so fancy-schmancy, I made sure the insides are just as nice as the outsides.  French seams where possible and all the other raw edges are bound, including the sleeve seams which I hardly ever worry about.   The buttons are faux mother of pearl.  I may switch them out for nicer ones someday.  Or not.


Please excuse all the wrinkles in these photos.  I finished it last night at about ten and then wore it to work today straight away. 
I skipped the interfacing.  I figured the heavier weight polka dot shirting I used for the under collar and midriff facing would stiffen those pieces up a bit.  But my collar flips up a bit at the edges- methinks because there is no interfacing there.  What is the true purpose of interfacing anyway?  Can anyone enlighten me?  I tend to skip it wherever possible, but maybe I shouldn't.  I avoid the white, cardboard-y stuff and stick with fusible tricot when I do use it.  Any good resources for buying good quality interfacing?


As for other matters of business...



Yep, I'm joining the fun.  May is an extremely busy month for me at work.  I'm frantically trying to finish up lessons, plan art shows, do end-of-year assessments, etc.  I know I'm not upping the ante this time around, but I'll be happy if I make it through the month wearing one me-made a day.  My challenge is going to be in photographing, specificaly posing.  No repeat poses this month.  I can only stare at the ground one time.  We'll see how silly this gets :)

One more thing: Hooray for PicMonkey!



19 comments:

  1. Oh, I like your top. It's a really flattering shape on you. I have a thrifted re-purposed blouse in this print too but in another colourway. I wear it all the time and feel so pretty in it. This colourway looks awesome with your shoes.

    I have a length of bias binding in this colourway. It was given to me by my mother-in-law. She bought it many many many years ago. She loved liberty but wasn't able to afford to actually buy anything more than a couple of metres of different patterned bias binding. Many years went by and she didn't use them. She ended up sending them to me last month.

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    1. I was thinking the dress I found looked late 80's/early 90's. Do you think that could be right? The dress was handmade. I tried making it wearable but it just wasn't possible. So chopped up and redone was the way to go.

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  2. Super cute - and Liberty too! Oooooh, fancy!

    I used to be of the "interfacing - who needs it?" persuasion as well. No longer. I think when I made my first coat I realized it was a necessity to provide structure and shaping. The more I use interfacing, the more I tend to like my project results. I don't like to use the icky cardboard stuff at the craft stores though - best resources I have found:

    Fashion Sewing Supply: https://fashionsewingsupply.com/
    -I recently purchased their sample pack and some tricot and weft interfacing. I think this is probably regarded at the THE best interfacing resource in the internet. They will be my go-to place in the future - they even have crazy stuff like fusible hair canvas! And their interfacing is 60" wide for the most part - unlike certain other sources that are only 20-36" wide. Even with sales/coupons, the Sewing Supply wins on quality, and the width difference actually makes the price comprable to the cheap stuff.

    The Sewing Place: http://www.thesewingplace.com/interfacing-c-42.html
    -Before I found Fashion Sewing Supply, I used this place to get hair canvas. They ship quickly and were quite responsive when I had a question about my order. They have a wide range of interfacing, and I also got silk organza for interlining a coat from them as well. And they carry a full range of colors for Bemburg lining, which is quite awesome as well. And they have lots of cool buttons.

    Palmer/Pletch: http://www.palmerpletsch.com/pfuse.htm
    -I have been using this in a lot of my projects (used them before I found Fashion Sewing Supply for my fusible interfacings). I think their product is nice, but they don't have as wide an assortment (like hair canvas) for fancier projects. The Sheer stuff was great for things like woven shirts and such though.

    Personally, I like lightweight weft for woven things, and tricot for knit things. The nice thing about lightweight - if you need it a bit thicker you can always use multiple layers to add support. I mostly use interfacing in things like collars on shirts or in jackets and coats, and in waistbands on skirts and pants too. I used to use muslin as an interfacing, but I seem to get better results with the fusible stuff. Anyway, hope that was helpful!

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    1. I definitely use interfacing for coats and jackets, but most other things I skip. I try and use a stiffer fabric on facings for those things.

      Amazing, amazing list. Thanks!

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  3. the blouse looks lovely and very summery, you'll get a lot of wear out of it. And I actually love the inside view. I hardly bother to make ot look clean. at the moment I'm only pinking seams because I have almost no time for sewing anyways. good luck with the challenge.

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  4. Lovely blouse! This print I think is pretty classic Liberty, I wouldn't be surprised if it were still available. But as you suspect, it definitely was around in the early 90s. Re interfacing, I use a lovely lightweight fusible -- it's like a cotton gauze with the fusible stuff on the back - it's great!

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  5. Gorgeous blouse! And I'm so impressed that the fabric came from a salvageable dress! And Liberty print at that!

    See you around the traps for Me-Made-May!

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  6. Hi, lovely blouse - I have some of that, in the same colour way. My M-i-L gave it to me about 10 years ago, I made a sort of successful top out out it, but most recently used it to make pockets in Portfolio Dress. The fabric is still available, but not in that colour way (which I think is the nicest!)

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  7. I started wanting this pattern badly when I saw your Tigra version and this blouse is truly a masterpiece. I love all the work you put in the inside!

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  8. Beautiful! Great find on the Liberty print! I second the motion for Fashion Sewing Supply's interfacing!

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  9. Such an adorable blouse! Love that you salvaged a dress to make it! :]

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  10. I love it. Perfect pattern for the fabric. What a lovely find, seeing that fabric must have made up fot the yuck factor.
    I used to go to one of those by the pound places. It's amazing what can be found but I often purchased odd things like giant wool caftans because they were so cheap, and so I have stopped going. I hate interfacing too and usually just use fabric scraps.

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  11. Such a pretty blouse!! I love it! It really is a very flattering silhouette. Gotta love that!
    I'm slowly coming around to interfacing. I like to use sew in when I can and when I have it - especially for "fancier" projects. Hair canvas for heavy weight stuff and silk organza for lightweight. But for some things - like the pair of jeans I'm working on right now - I just buy whatever fusible stuff in the appropriate weight that they have at Joanne's. Sometimes I just can't be bothered! But I have figured out that you do need interfacing on certain areas. I think I read somewhere that interfacing IS sewing. I'm definitely noting T. Sedai's awesome list up there for future interfacing needs!!

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  12. I may be crazy, but I really dig your Tigra blouse. But then again, I aspire to be a Drag Queen one day, and I've never met an animal print I didn't like. Too bad we don't wear the same size. :) Thanks for the heads up about PicMonkey. I can't take nice photos to save my life, and I was so sad when they shut down Picnik. It was the only thing that made my photos semi blog worthy. Great job on this blouse too, but don't give up on all the animals. :)

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  13. Wow, what a find! That fabric is absolutely stunning. My Mum has a blouse made from that exact same colourway, from fabric she bought during my parents trip to Europe in the late 70's... they visited the London Liberty store and she bought some for a souvenir! I'm sure your new blouse will give you just as much love back...

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  14. Oh wow, Liberty fabric at the 2nd hand shop, what a lucky find! The blouse turned out lovely!

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  15. wow, talk about a score! that might be the cheapest liberty fabric of all time! the top is awesome! that print worked really well for the pattern design!

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  16. What a pretty non-Tigra top - & I love that it is so gorgeous inside as well....
    Well done for joining Me Made May - I hope you are enjoying it so far!!!

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