Vintage Simplicity 4238........... Ta-dah!

Oh, I just can't believe it....blimey I sound like Victor Meldrew!

But seriously...I am pretty blown away by my achievement and I have to say a HUGE thank you straight off to....

Jen over at My Make Do and Mend Year for the nudge into actually getting started on clothes making with her challenge #mmaw2015 (Make Me a Wardrobe 2015) which I signed up for back in January.

And also to....

Jane over at Handmade Jane whose blog I discovered whilst on holiday last year and who has inspired my handmade journey and greatly influenced my first EVER Sewn by me Me-Make....woohoo!

Thank you both so much from the bottom of this skippy-hoppy-happy heart!

I bought Simplicity 4238 from a lovely lady in the US and was so happy, excited and terrified when the pattern arrived.

I popped to our local fabric shop to snaffle up 1.5m of gingham to hack at.....don't want to ruin my lovely lawn and if it all worked out then I would have a fab gingham blouse to wear!

I did have a bit of a mare with the collar which I told you about here and the solution very soon after which I retold here.

Up to the collar was fine, after the collar was fine and the comforting words of Jane to say that she had had the same trouble with the collar made me feel more confident (well, it wasn't just me!!)

Once made I did make a few adjustments to the fit:

1.  It sat too low....my darts were too low.... My solution was to lift the blouse at the shoulders.  I cheated by graduating the shoulder seam out rather than fiddling with the collar.  When I make the next on I shall most definitely take out 1cm back and front on the shoulders. (note to self....remember to change the collar!)

2. it was a bit too baggy round the back.  My solution was to extend the 4 back darts to about bra strap height (13 inches down from the shoulder to be exact!).  On the next one I think I shall sew the side seams as far as the waist with a larger seam allowance to bring it in a little....it really didn't need much!

3. It was a bit gape-y around the midriff.  My solution was to search wildly through the button box to see if I had 1 more of the vintage buttons...phew!  Yes...so I made another button hole!

4. I didn't like the look or the feel of the armhole facings.  My solution was to do what it suggested for the hem and finish with bias binding turned to the inside and top-stitched.

Lovely!

I haven't matched checks and other fussy stuff as this was just a practice run...but I'll tell you what...it's OK and I can bear the odd stray away from the lines...why...because I made it!

Want to see what all the excitement is about?

Come on then.....ready.......

Ta-daaaaaaaaaaaah!........

It was a bit windy so the collar flapped a bit and The Hubs, acting as blog photographer, couldn't quite get what I meant about holding the camera more at waist height and pointing it across at me rather than down....so now I look like I'm bending forward and the blouse is really quite 'waisted'.

Bless him...he's done the same with this one but it does show off the neck darts and the lovely pinched in waist....shame he didn't tell me that the collar was a bit crumpled before he took the photo!  I can see he needs more training!

So there you have it...one Vintage Simplicity 4238 blouse.  A bit rough and ready but a good first blouse and practice piece for more to come!

I'll be back soon to share more of my doings, in the meantime,

Take care, 

Nora

xxxx

And cheerio from Victor!