Blouse

Hello friends!

A dear school chum of mine recently came by with an interesting request.
She held up a well-loved blouse (replete with signs of wear) and asked if I could duplicate it.

WHO AM I TO REFUSE SUCH A CHALLENGE???

OF COURSE I SHALL TAKE IT ON.

And, in the process, discovered what a well made blouse it was, originally. It took simply aaaages to pull apart at the seams!

Garment Data:
- Type: Modern blouse
- Date made: Summer 2014
- Pattern: The original blouse I was to mimic
- Fabric/Materials: a cotton+ stretch poplin
- Trim: none/self fabric
- Time to finish: 9.5 hours, including dis-assembly, tracing, pattern making, cutting, and assembly

Tracing parts after they've been disassembled. I traced them onto brown paper, and eventually used marker to note seam allowances, pleats, grainlines, etc., as well as which piece it was.

 

The blouse starting to come together. It consists of 1 back piece and 2 pieces for each side of the front, at this point, with the sleeves, cuffs, and 4-piece collar added later.

 

Every seam on the blouse was flat-felled! Completely brilliant - impossible to take apart! Also means that once I put it back together, the new blouse has a very finished look and is probably smooth and comfy to wear.

 

The inside, before the sleeves. Doesn't actually look that different from the outside, due to the flat-felled seams.

 

The shaping pleats/tucks on the back, pre-ironing. Interestingly, a design feature of the original blouse was that the pleats/tucks were visible on the outside back of the blouse.

 

Attaching the collar. It has rounded points, and is sewn in 4 pieces, 2 for the collar itself, and 2 for the collar band, plus some interfacing for stiffening.

 

Completed blouse, sans buttons...

...and with buttons:

 

And the hidden lower button placket:

Hope my friend enjoys!!!

Most sincerely yours,
~ Sarah