Very dear readers, I need your help. I am sure that a lot of you have a job, children, and a lot of obligations. How do you make time for sewing?
Enough with the complaining, and let's get to work! If you remember well, I have been in a blouse sewing frenzy since Me-Made March started. Today, it is time to uncover the last installment of the blouse trilogy. I used a pattern from Burdastyle magazine (4/2010). This is a blouse that has a flounce detail around the neckline. I used a polka dot flowy fabric that comes from my grand-ma's stash. Pink and grey. I also used grey bias.
The pattern was very straightforward and the bust darts were at perfect height. Although, I have made a few changes.
(a) Of course, I upgraded the whole thing... As every Burda non-plus size pattern, it grades only to a 44 and I obviously need way much more.
(b) I cut a second yoke to line the inside.
(c) I lengthened it (5 centimeters) to make it long enough to wear on top of trousers/jeans.
(d) I used bias all around the neckline, armholes, and the flounce.
(e) I have sewn in 2 hooks and eyes to hold the cleavage in place (it goes down down down!)
(f) I have deepened the back darts, to adjust the sway-back.
I am very happy that it works great with cardigans, and also with vests. It also work equally good with skirts and jeans. It is long enough for jeans and is also pretty when in it tucked in a skirt.
I also wanted a blouse that would take me through summer. And, indeed, it is light enough to keep you fresh. I can assure you that because we wanted to take pictures outside and it was 8 degrees or so (Celsius). Brrrr, I still shiver when I think about it.
And that's it!
What do you think?
Any tips about how to incorporate sewing in busy days?
Totally adorable and I like that clor on you very much. Great job. I have trouble squeezing sewing in to. I find that sundays are the best days for me to put some time in. I consider it therapy. And as therapy, it is above doing the dishes....
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely blouse...love the material you chose. Now its lighter in the mornings i have started getting up 30 minutes earlier which gives me about 20 minutes sewing time (once i am awake enough) its suprising how much i can manage to get done in those 20 minutes...in an evening i will spend time getting ready for the next morning, pining things together, or ironing interfacing on..etc.
ReplyDeleteWell done in passing your exam.
ooooooooh such a win of a blouse. i love it when a garment looks plays chameleon based on what you pair it with!
ReplyDeleteas for me & sewing time... i just cut back on cleaning & cooking. it works nicely!
It's gorgeous with your rose colored skirt. Really pretty!
ReplyDeleteLately I've been struggling to find time to sew. I have to take a night during the week and ignore all my other duties.
What a fabulous blouse, I really like it.
ReplyDeleteHow do I fit sewing in? Well that's what weekends are for unfortunately. I tend to spend Fridays sewing, saturday for housework, groceries, laundry, etc, then sewing if there is time, knitting if there isn't, and Sunday I sew again. Good luck finding time to fit it in. g
ooooh soo cute! i love the new blouse...it has all my fave things: pink, polka dots and grey! congrats on your dutch exam, it seems like a difficult language.
ReplyDeleteThe blouse looks great on you, I like it with the blue cardigan. I am with oonaballoona regards sewing time. Cleaning and cooking are done to minimal amounts here.
ReplyDeleteYou are seriously awesome. I love how you don't seem daunted by any project. I wanted to let you know I'm passing on the Liebster Award. Its for up and coming bloggers with less than 100 followers and a lot of heart.
ReplyDeletehttp://peanutbuttermacrame.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-award-yall.html
You look adorable in that blouse, especially in the picture with the skirt and cardigan!
ReplyDeleteI have very little time for sewing, too. I have a small child, so - no weekends for me! :) I can do what I like only in the evenings, 20 - 23pm. And it´s not only sewing, I paint too, so I have to divide my time between more hobbies. And sometimes one wants to watch movies with the husband! It just takes me a long time to finish something...
Hi Laurwyn, I nominated you on my blog... take a look if you want! Just wanted to let you know I enjoy your blog very much. If you already got nominated in the past of don´t want to take a part, that´s ok I guess! :)
ReplyDeleteHey gorgeous! I'm late with the comment but just wanted to say how lovely that blouse is - especially with the colour of that cardigan. Best of luck with the new job :)
ReplyDelete~Alana
I just started reading your blog and I really like it! You've gained tremendous skill in your sewing in just a year.
ReplyDeleteNow how do you find time for sewing in a busy life? I have several suggestions for you;they are things that I do often and many times in combination.
1) Make appointments with yourself to sew and mark it on yer calendar (or however you keep track of your appts.) And keep those appts. as if you were going to the doctor for lifesaving treatment.
2)have several projects (but not too many) going at any one time. That way, if you've only got a half hour, you've got something you could complete on at least one of your projects.
(to be continued...)
3) sew with a plan. Know what you need to make for yourself (or just want to make). This way you optimize your sewing time. You can still do frivolous sewing - but build it into your plan.
ReplyDelete4) sew the same thing in different fabrics - either repeatedly or in series. This can be a huge timesaver. Once you've got a pattern that fits/you like/is "tried-n-true", then you can either make it several times in different fabrics repeatedly (i.e. a blouse, a blouse, a blouse)or in series (i.e. using the above example cut out the blouse several times by stacking your fabrics, then do all the shoulders, do all the sleeves, etc.) You already know how it goes together, and doing the same process on all of the blouses in series means that you complete several blouses at once in far less time.
(to be cont'd again...)
5)Realize you cannot do everything. If something enters your schedule & takes up time, something else either suffers or has to go. When I had this epiphany for myself back in 1996, I decided that watching tv was my greatest "timesuck", so I stopped watching it almost completely. It isn't that I hate it or have some moral crusade against it, but I know myself: if I sit down to watch for a few minutes, most likely hours later I will still be sitting there. And that was before I had a computer or Netflix! I am going to have to come up with strong rules for my 'puter very soon as well........
ReplyDeleteGood luck and congratulations on your Dutch exam and new job!
Helen
I remember seeing this pattern in Burda and not really thinking much of it but I really love the way you've styled it, now I can see the potential of the pattern! Well done, it looks lovely!
ReplyDelete