Sunday, September 10, 2017

Blossom Blouse - Vogue 1387

This Vogue  Rebecca Taylor pattern is very popular, and there are many makes of both views to be seen on the Internet.




I made view B from red silk crepe printed with cherry blossoms.





The fabric was purchased from an Etsy vendor. I had already picked out the pattern with I googled “cherry blossom print silk” on a whim and found this picture of a ready to wear blouse in the exact same fabric. And look, a great styling idea. Worn over red leather shorts!  Ha ha!




This blouse was also  a popular blouse in the wardrobe dept. of several TV shows. Parks and Rec and a Soap opera.




 I love the print, but silk crepe can be a challenge to work with because it likes to move and shift at the slightest breath of air. This particular blouse pattern has a ¼ inch bias cut strip inserted between the front yoke and bodice pieces.  Maybe cut from a shirting fabric, the bias strip would have stayed the same width while sewing it to the yoke and bodice. But cut from silk crepe, it changed width at  the slightest touch.



With patience,  the help of lightweight fusible interfacing, and lots of hand basting, I was able to insert the band at the proper width. But for any future versions of this top,  I will cut the front yoke using the yoke lining pattern, which includes the width of the ¼ “ strip,  and  omit the strip itself.  I went ahead with the recommended snap fasteners on the front placket and cuffs to avoid making buttonholes in the light weight fabric. I personally hate to sew on snaps. They are awkward to hold in place while sewing, my thread always tangles, and my stitches are messy. I watched Sarah Veblen’s Youtube video   Sewing Snaps onto Garments where she provided tips to deal with the issues I have. She used a blanket stitch to securely sew the snaps to the fabric. I realized I had seen the same technique in a Claire Shaeffer book long ago.   Even though I have been sewing forever, techniques can be forgotten and refreshers are good. The phrase "You can teach an old dog new tricks" sprang to mind.




12 comments:

  1. Lovely blouse!

    I have this pattern on my sewing table, but have not been struck down with fabric inspiration yet. I like your fabric choice!

    Thanks for the link to the snap sewing tutorial.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a gorgeous print and it's just perfect for the style you chose! You rock your new blouse!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Gorgeous and your blouse looks just as good as the expensive original. The other view of the vogue pattern looks useful too and terrific it is so different too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Can I be honest? I like your version better than the $400 RTW version. That front shoulder yoke is very flattering. And red looks wonderful with your coloring!

    I agree with Janine that the 2 very different versions in this pattern make it a worthwhile addition to my already-bulging pattern collection. Both look like they would be flattering on lots of bodies.

    Also, thanks for the link to the snap tutorial! I have passed up patterns that would require either snaps or buttonholes in difficult fabrics for just this reason. And I have a really nice coat that I sort of screwed up with my snap installation. I will be redoing them before wool coat season begins.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow, this blouse came out beautifully and I agree, even better than "the original." Fabulous combo of fabric and pattern.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Gorgeous blouse! I coincidentally ordered this pattern recently so it is great timing to read your review.

    ReplyDelete
  7. It's lovely! I hadn't spotted the little strip on the technical drawing until you pointed it out. It's a nice detail. The fabric's beautiful but it sounds like a real challenge to sew.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had a terrible time with this blouse and it was the bias strip that gave me the most trouble. I even cut the bio strict a second time making sure that it was exactly even in weight and still had trouble. . I even used a solid cotton with a lot of body and it gave me trouble.

      If you left the bais strip out the blouse would have a different look. Using the front yoke pattern for the lining is necessary, but if u leave the bias strip as suggested above, it is a different blouse. That bias strip is a very important feature.

      Delete
  8. very lovely !!! Honestly you look way better than the celebrities wearing this print. You achevieved a perfect fit

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you so much for the details in this review. Very late comment, I know but I have this blouse on the cutting table right now, wondered about the strip attached to the front and decided to google the pattern to see what others did. When your name came up I knew I would find useful information :). I'll follow your remark and use the back of the facing for the front as well. THANK YOU!

    ReplyDelete