Patrones 291 Blouse

Back home and have finished the blouse from the Spanish pattern magazine - Patrones (#291).  I wasn't that keen on this blouse when I first made it as it looked a bit like I had sewn the top and bottom of two separate blouses together .  See the photos from my earlier posts on this and you may see what I mean.  However, washing has done the trick - the fabric has softened up a bit and it all sits better.    

This is a mandarin collar blouse with front bib with curved seam and pleats.   The basic steps for making are set out in my earlier posts.

It has a lot of hanger appeal and looks good on the dress form.  Not quite so great on me but I will be wearing it to work.  It would probably look best on slimmer, less curvy body types (doesn't everything?).  I'm not sure the design lines are the most flattering for a rectangle like me as the curved seam goes horizontally across the mid part of the body and tends to make my waist look wider than it already is.

The top on me - it is a dark, rainy day and this unfortunately was the best pic I could get with the aid a bit of photo lightening.

One Patrones top at high speed

Drum roll.... just (sort of) finished my top from the latest Patrones mag (#291).   Off on a work trip tomorrow and wanted to finish it off before I went.   The sewing was a bit rushed and may tweak this top some more after a few days consideration.   

No more sewing until Sunday.  As I'll be mooching around a hotel for much of the time until then I did momentarily think of taking some fabric and patterns with me for cutting out in the hotel room but thought better of it as -
 a.  Maybe a tad obsessive.
b.  I still remember having to unpack my entire suitcase at the airport counter (oh, the embarrassment!) when I was asked if I was carrying any scissors in my luggage - and confessed to having a pair of nail scissors.   Wonder what they would make of a pair of sewing shears?

Now, the top: 

My limited photography skills aren't quite up to decent photos of a shiny fabric like charmeuse under a light globe so a daylight photo of it worn is yet to come.   

This top is not at all difficult to make.  It is a standard shirt construction, apart from the curved front seam.   Speaking of that seam - it needs something... maybe topstitching... . 

I did take quite a bit off the sides (1.5 cm) and shaped them in a bit over the waist.  The top, made according to the pattern has straight sides and is very boxy.

Patrones No. 291 Model 23

A quick project to hopefully get myself re-motivated - Patrones No. 291 Model 23, traced and cut out last night and ready to go. The fabric is a very dark blue silk charmeuse from my hoard. The style looks relatively simple so far.  Cross my fingers for sewing it up tonight or Saturday.