Jennifer Lauren Vintage: Afternoon Blouse

Yay! Hot off the press today is the Afternoon Blouse - a brand new PDF pattern from lovely sewing blogger Jennifer Lauren.  I was lucky enough to be a tester for this pattern so I can tell you all about it. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin…

The design of the Afternoon Blouse is based on an original 1950's pattern, cleverly updated to give it a modern edge. Jennifer has also spent a lot of time perfecting the construction and shape of the blouse to make it super easy to fit and sew. In fact it's so easy to sew it can be made in just one afternoon (geddit? the clue's in the name!)  I was asked to pattern test right in the middle of a busy period, and then lost a precious day's sewing because of the teacher's strike in the UK (I had to entertain my children and was twitching towards the sewing machine like a junkie). In the end I did only have one afternoon free to make it, which was a nice challenge as I could test out whether the blouse lived up to its name. Of course it did!

From a sewing and construction viewpoint, the blouse is super easy to sew:

- No darts or tucks

- No zips, buttons or other fastenings, it just slips over your head

- No sleeves to set in (the blouse has one of my favourite vintage features - short kimono sleeves)

- Very few pattern pieces - just a front, back and facings

Hoorah!

Making the blouse should have been one of the quickest sewing projects in the history of the world - if I hadn't been such a half wit. The following is ALL my own fault, I hasten to add, and nothing to do with the pattern. I made such a silly sewing mistake I couldn't believe my own stupidity - gah! After looking at the size charts, I decided that I would cut a size 8 at the shoulders, waist and hips and a size 12 at the bust. The pattern is constructed with grown on sleeves, so blending between the sizes is an easy job. My fatal error was chatting to my mum whilst I was tiling the pattern together. I was so busy gassing away, I clean forgot to grade the bust to a larger size and just cut a size 8 all over. The pattern tiled together so perfectly I decided to cut the blouse out from the fabric there and then, still not graded at the bust. The ridiculous thing is, I didn't even realise my mistake until I actually sewed the blouse together and tried to get it over my head! Having wrestled it on and then off again, I suddenly worked out why it was so tight…. The tragedy is that I didn't have enough fabric to re-cut it so just had to let the side seams and centre front seams out as far as possible. I'd say the bust is now more like a size 10 and is still a little tight, which makes me think my original plan of a size 12 would have been perfect. Grrrr. The fit everywhere else is perfect.

I was particularly pissed off at myself because the fabric I used was so lovely. I chose a red shirting with a slight sheen from Offset Warehouse after my usual trick of seeing it on Dolly Clackett's blog and wanting some of the action. I found shirting to be the perfect fabric for this blouse. It's crisp and holds its shape, but has just enough drape to do justice to the feminine styling. The shirting I used is my perfect shade of red too, I'm very tempted to get some more for another project...

I would say the only slightly tricky bit is sewing the facing to the neckline, but I think if you do as Jennifer advises in the instructions and just take your time, then it's pretty straight forward. The neckline is finished with a decorative i.e. non functioning button - a good opportunity to use any pretty vintage buttons you've been hoarding. I think the decorative neckline is more noticeable if you use a fabric in a solid colour. Having said that, my next version (which will be in the correct size) has a busy pattern, so I'll be interested to see how it looks.

Style-wise I think the Afternoon Blouse will be a really useful addition to my wardrobe. It has the vintage look that always lures me in, and which I've already found goes perfectly with all my high waisted trousers and skirts. It also has a casual, modern look so you can team it with jeans or shorts in the summer. I don't have any photos, but I can confirm, hand on heart that it does look flattering untucked. And believe me, for a blouse to pass my rigorous untucked test, it usually has to be fitted and darted to within an inch of its life.

If you'd like to introduce a bit of vintage flair into your life with minimal effort, then hot foot it over to Jennifer's Etsy Shop where you can purchase the PDF pattern.  I think it's a lovely pattern and I don't think there'll be too long a gap before my next version appears on this here blog! Have a wonderful weekend! x

The Afternoon Blouse pattern was given to me free of charge for pattern testing. All views my own.

Dressing for Yourself Colette Style

Like a lot of my blog posts, this one has been copied inspired by first Tasia's, then Karen's response to a section in the Colette Sewing Handbook.

Despite ordering the book 10 seconds (that's no exaggeration) after it was first announced on the blog back in the summer, it only arrived on my doorstep last week.  And, even worse,  it was left whimpering in the cupboard under the stairs for a whole day, after I'd tossed it there, thinking it was yet another Christmas present for my kids.  Anyway I digress, it's a wonderful, wonderful book and I've been trying to read it slowly and savour it ever since, but it's difficult to do!

In one of the chapters, Sarai discusses how we plan both what we wear and what we decide to make for ourselves. She suggests an exercise of picking out five things that you love to wear and why - which in turn, may give you clues on how to build a wardrobe around the qualities that are important to you.  I found both Tasia's and Karen's choices really interesting, but I was also very intrigued to read comments from their readers.  It's amazing how much of your personality and essence readers can glean from your blog:  how you dress and how you write and what it says about you.  So, completely jumping on the bandwagon, here are my five choices.

1. and 2. Beignet Skirt and Hillbilly Blouse
Beignet Skirt

The Beignet was one of the first things I ever made and probably the garment I've worn most.  Before I started sewing my own clothes I wouldn't have gone within 50 miles of a high waistband, but since the Beignet I've realised how flattering a high waistband is for my body shape.
I also like:

The colour (ahem)
The contrast buttons - they make me so happy just to look at them
The secret polka dot facings and pockets

The fact that it goes with most of my handmade tops, which leads me onto....

Hillbilly Blouse
What do I like?
The vintage fit and shape - it's from a 1950's pattern
The buttons
The fabric, I just can't resist gingham

3. Pendrell Blouses

 First Pendrell

 Second Pendrell

I've made three, two of which I've worn pretty much on a weekly basis since I first made them. The third wasn't so successful as I made the sleeveless version which for me, just didn't work.  I've since added sleeves so hope to get a lot more wear out of it in the warmer weather as the fabric is so lovely.

I especially like:
The flattering princess seams on the pattern
The longer length (interestingly the first one looks better untucked whilst the second one is more flattering tucked in, make of that what you will)
It's a practical blouse but the ruffle sleeves give it slightly more of a dressed up feel.

4. Sailor Trousers

Basically these are the trousers I've been waiting for all my life.  I can't really say much more than that.

5. Parfait Dress
I've only worn this a few times as it's very much a sun dress and I live in the UK (!)  But the Parfait ties together everything I set out to do when I started dressmaking.

It has a flattering fit and a vintage look which I love.  I think that's why I'm drawn to Colette patterns so much, because they help me achieve both these things.  It's also made from the most gorgeous double gauze fabric which is so lovely and cool to wear.  I'm so pleased I matched this particular pattern with this particular fabric.  It's fitted but practical enough for me to run around after the kids and still feel like I'm making an effort.

So there, that's me in a nutshell.  My choice is based on what I've worn the most and what is quintessentially me.  Quite a lot of my handmade garments all work with each other but I like the fact that there are a few wild cards in my wardrobe (not many though!).  I don't think you need to be Einstein to work out the patterns that appear in my handmade clothes, do you?!

That was a great exercise to do, why don't you try it?  Have a great weekend everybody. x

Blue Rose Drawstring Top

After my recent flutter with Japanese pattern books, I felt in need of an old fashioned pattern with instructions and lots of print on the pattern pieces.  My vintage patterns have been winking at me from their shelf for a few weeks, so I thought I’d sew one of them - meet Advance 8589.  

This is from 1958 and I made the straightforward sleeveless top on the right with the drawstring waist.  Lots of lovely detailed instructions (in English) and everything printed on the pattern pieces, even the seam allowances, hoorah. 

I made a muslin and decided it needed a few tiny tweaks:  I took the side seams in by half an inch and the bagging across the back needed taking in by three quarters of an inch.  I have this baggy back problem all the time because of my narrow back and it’s only recently that I’ve discovered a quick solution.  Previously I’d pinned a tuck right down the back, then laboriously flattened out the muslin and re-traced the new pattern piece etc etc.  After flicking through one of my favourite reads - Fit for Real People (which my husband thinks is hilarious because of the front cover), I discovered I could narrow the back width by simply placing the pattern centre back over the edge of the fold. The simplest discoveries make me so happy.  I also lengthened the blouse by an inch.

The neck seemed high, which I am not a fan of (see here for evidence) but because I hadn’t bothered incorporating the neck facing into the muslin (because I’m too lazy) I figured it would go slightly lower once the facing was in place. Wrong. I finished the blouse, but then whilst I was showing it off to my family I started feeling like I was being choked. Even when I took it off, I could still feel pressure round my neck (perhaps I have a weird strangling phobia?) So I carefully unpicked the centre front neck section and re-sewed it slightly lower.  Not much, as I think the style demands a high-ish neck, but just enough to stop me freaking out. 

 

The pattern is very simple and there’s a bit of clever trickery involving half turning the facings inside out, then taking out some basting stitches and cunningly turning them the right way round (or something like that).  Difficult to explain but it does make the inside look super neat doesn’t it?  

I used a printed poplin I picked up in a rare fabric sale at John Lewis.  This has a similar feel to a quilting cotton but is a lighter, silkier weight and doesn’t have the starched stiffness of quilting cotton.  I absolutely love the vintage rose print.

I do like the top (it was the top which drew me to the pattern rather than the suit) but I think it will take a while for me to get used to the drawstring style.  It reminds me of those maternity tops which tie with a drawstring under the bump!  I’m too used to most of my clothes being super fitted.  Worn with my ‘ever faithful, go with everything I own’ high waisted trousers though and I’m a bit more convinced.  

Magic trousers making my legs look 20 ft long (which they're not)

I’ve come to the conclusion that occasionally it’s good to sew something slightly out of your comfort zone.  I’ve got a feeling this top will grow on me…