Sewing Vloggers

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Smocked Silk Blouse Completed!


Yippee! First I want to say, I love this pattern, Simplicity 4122. It has a fit I like that kind of emphasizes my "petite-ness" and it offers lots of opportunity for embellishment with that wonderful yoke. Speaking of that yoke, I did not do a muslin for this. Of course the time I don't I come up with a fit issue. My back neck to waist is very slender and the back yoke really needs some width taken out to fit me better. I will definitely make this again and have written notes on the pattern re that adjustment.

The fabric is a very light silk crepe de chine purchased eons ago, maybe at Fabric Fix, maybe even Levine's in Manchester, NH. To smock the yoke it needed to be beefed up. So, I backed it with FusiKnit. Luv that stuff! It pleated beautifully with nice little plump pleats after that. If you scroll down you will see how I pleated this in an earlier post. The pleats were than fanned out and blocked to fit the yoke pattern. I faced the yoke area with cotton batiste from the stash, embroidering the edge with a machine featherstitch.

Once the yoke issues were dealt with it was really pretty simple from there. I did race thru and forgot to attach the piping into the yoke but I think that was for the better now that it's done. I immediately thought of some raw edge ruffling as I had seen on some high end blouses recently but proceeded to try all sorts of alternatives. Using anything raw edge was just contra all my sewing rules. But I also had this recent revelation that I am dressing a little matronly lately so I decided to go for it. The raw edge ruffle was ripped from the fabric and then backed with FusiKnit.

I am really pleased with the finished result and am thinking of making a green twill pencil skirt to go with it. I think that will make a nice summer look to wear around. I do wish I had started this in April to enter into the Pattern Review silk blouse contest but had to toss up whether to do this or a bag. I am going for the bag for the contest. More on that later...Oh, the best picture of the blouse was the one with my head cut off. What can I say???

7 comments:

  1. Wow, this is beautiful! This is the kind of garment I would pull off the rack and touch and examine. What a fabulous job you've done. I'm sure you'll get lots of comments on PR about it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Golly Gee Wilikers! It is beautiful!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well was this ever worth the wait!!! Stunning blouse and a great job!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nice job, bunny! It's wonderful, and I do like the raw edge gathered trim! I'm glad to hear you're entering the handbag contest, you're a sure contender!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Beautiful top!! It is so unique and chic!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is really lovely. I love the smocked yoke. What a creative way to incorporate smocking into an adult garment. I wish I'd thought of this!

    Shannon F

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is just beautiful! I love the print, the fabric and your workmanship is superb. I'm sure you'll be wearing the blouse a lot!

    ReplyDelete

Engaging commentary:

Had to Refurbish This One!

    About  6 or 7 years ago , during the dawn of the Zipper Trend,  I bought one of my rare retail items. It was a blush pink and black bord...