I am so excited to be back blogging, and a little nervous too, but doesn't it feel great to be moving forwards at last
The Simplicity 8593 vintage blouse collection.
A Jaycotts post
The Fabric is an Organic Cotton fabric by Cloud9
Everything used in this post is from Jaycotts Jaycotts web site and I will give links as I write the post. For any queries or to place an order do not hesitate to contact them direct.
I didn't quite know where to start so I was very grateful to Christi for Choosing the fabric and pattern for me. I would not have chosen this pattern actually but I absolutely love it, so Thank you Christi . I think it is good to be put outside of our comfort zone.
The pattern is a Vintage pattern , and it is an actual pattern worn in the 40s resized for modern figures
The beautiful soft organic cotton is by Cloud9 and is a sheer delight to work with and to wear.
The fabric I used is from a selection of Organic Cotton available at jaycotts Organic Cotton by Cloud9
Other Organic Cotton fabrics are available Organic Cotton Fabric
So why choose organic cotton? Quote,
"Compared to other materials on the market, organic cotton is one of the most environmentally friendly options, as it does not have a harsh manufacturing process. The production of organic cotton fabric uses less energy, releases fewer greenhouse gases and due to the improved soil quality, uses significantly less water"
I feel very strongly that we should be considering the environment more and in particular I am concerned about the amount of discarded cheap fashion which we send to landfill
If you are taking time to make yourself a beautiful garment, especially from an eco-friendly fabric you can tailor it to your exact size and make it suit your personal style . You are then less likely to dispose of the garment, it will be with you for years.
On the other hand , cheap clothes do not look good for very long and you may think that you are doing good by donating it to a charity shop. But, did you know that most of what we donate to charity shops ends up on landfill anyway as it cannot all be sold.
Organic cotton is also incredibly soft to the skin as well as the environment.
I researched this pattern and it is very typical of garments made and worn in the 1940s. The sleeve ruffle is actually lace on the pattern instructions which would have seen to be too frivolous for Britain - if indeed you could get hold of lace, restrictions were very strict in this country. The style of the pattern however is very typical of the era. Restrictions were so bad at one point that this style would have not had a back at all, just the front and ties were made and worn under a jacket!
I chose View E . The other views are simpler, but none are difficult and are suitable for all levels of skill
On this photograph, the darts look as though they are upside down, but they are actually pleats. Work them just the same as darts
When transferring pattern markings to your fabric I like to use tailors tacks . Tacking thread is the best as it stays in until you pull it out. Tacking Thread
The exception is that I use a disappearing marker pen to mark the wrong sides of my fabric, I do it within a seam allowance in case it does not come out. This Self Vanishing Marker Pen Stays for around 24 hours
I used Iron on Light Interfacing on the front and back facings to add structure and body to the neckline.
I used my disapearing pen and a ruler to mark the centre front and the stitching lines
The back of the blouse has ties which fasten at the front underneath the front section. They will not actually be seen so if you do not want to make them yourself then use ribbon .otherwise you will find this Prym Turning Set incredibly useful
I enjoyed making this top. There are a lot of pattern pieces for the view I chose (E) and as I have never made this type of design before I needed to refer to the instructions constantly. I found it easier to highlight the parts relevant to the view I was making
The back wraps around and ties at the centre front. However I found that the knot made the blouse front look lumpy so I adjusted the length of the ties to enable me to fasten them at the side.
I do feel that ribbon would be smoothe, but I would still adjust the lengths and fasten them at the side.
I also used poppers instead of a button and buttonhole Press studs
You can use sew in or no sew poppers whichever you prefer
The one thing that I personally wanted to change was the bow on the back
However it was easily solved by wrapping the ties around the back, crossing them over and bringing them round to knot at the front
You may need to make the ties slightly longer if you choose to do this too
I am delighted with how this top has turned out, it is very wearable,
Comfortable and smart
I like the fluttery sleeves on this view but I also like view C Which has a tie neckline
Shown worn seated
This garment is very suitable for wheelchair users but I would definitely extend the ties to fasten them in front to avoid having an uncomfortable bow digging into your back
If you struggle with the poppers or buttons on the sides of some views, then machine stitch underneath the sleeve for an inch with the front crossed over the back. This does not affect how easy this is to get on and off
Thank you Jaycotts for the gifted items . I am sew very happy to be back
For information on any of the products shown on this post contact Jaycotts on 01244 394099
With very best wishes
Angela
sewangelicthreads
Please do mention me when you contact Jaycotts
happy sewing!
To read the post on Jaycotts website go to Jaycotts Blog
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