Burda Style For people who sew
Description
Perhaps I’m in a sappy mood, but when I pulled this fabric out of my stash, the motif reminded me of love letters! I made this over the weekend using the Sencha Blouse pattern from the Colette Patterns (www.colettepatterns.com) line. The fabric has a bit of a fun back story… It originally began life as a rather shapeless early 1990s dress I spotted at a rummage sale on the $0.25 table. It was big, boxy and generally too 90s “romantic grunge” for my taste. But the fabric was pretty fantastic–it reminded me of those lovely novelty prints from the 40s! I figured there was enough in the skirt to make a blouse, so for a quarter, it came home with me. Fast forward about two years, and I “rediscovered” it in the back of my closet. (Goes to show you just how organized I am… lol!) Blouses were on my list of things to make for spring, so the fabric plus the super-simple style of the Sencha pattern seemed like a good fit. I love the buttons down the back–don’t you?! I decided to be crazy again and do bound buttonholes. I am seriously the world’s slowest seamstress when it comes to making them, but I love the end result.
Material Notes
rayon
Difficulty
Novice
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Feb 11, 2010, 10.06 PMby anna agyekum
oh i spotted this pattern you have done it beautifully!
Feb 10, 2010, 05.47 AMby Ana B
I love this Collette pattern! You’re awesome!! I love your creations and this one is great too. I madea mock try of this blouse because I’m a little on the chunky but funky side and its so cute so I’m getting ready to make a wearable one after a couple of adjustments.
Feb 10, 2010, 12.44 AMby Ashlee Nemo
aw, this fabric is precious… great job updating and upcycling :)
Feb 9, 2010, 10.46 PMby nglalala
Cute! I have this pattern, too. I just need to find the right fabric. Love your version!
Feb 9, 2010, 09.55 PMby zozowahine
Amazing! Well done for having the foresight to snap up the dress! You have done an amazing job and the buttons are perfect.
Feb 9, 2010, 09.03 PMby apfelbluete
I admire your handwork. And you always remain your style. But … what I always wanted to know. you can wear these pieces even in everyday life? Do you do it?
1 Reply
Feb 9, 2010, 09.57 PMby elegantmusings
I do wear just about everything I make on a daily basis! Right now I’m wearing another blouse I made along with a 40s skirt. I dress in a vintage style (including hair and make up) most days. ;)
Feb 9, 2010, 08.17 PMby nettevivante
Wonderful fabric! I bet it suits you very well. ;) I love button down details on the back of blouses. P.S.: And I know your organizing problem very well by experience!…haha…
Feb 9, 2010, 06.31 PMby gatonju
I have that blouse pattern on my to-purchase list. After seeing your rendition, it makes me want to forgo studying and start cranking out blouses. Way to use fabric you already have. Lovely!
Feb 9, 2010, 06.21 PMby heartspromise
Oh, I love this. I was looking at your blog last night and I thought, “She has got to upload this blouse to Burdastyle.” :) Very nicely done and I think you picked a good title for it as well.
2 Replies
Feb 9, 2010, 06.53 PMby elegantmusings
I was tempted to do it yesterday, but Tuesday is my “BurdaStyle day” (I have all my social networking sites organized for checking on specific days of the week ;), so I tried to make myself wait until first thing today! haha!
Feb 10, 2010, 10.39 PMby heartspromise
LOL. I see. Well, I must say you have way more self control than I do. As soon as I finish a project I run through the neighborhood shouting “Check it out!” LOL.
Feb 9, 2010, 06.03 PMby smallone
Hello elegantmusings – you have such a great eye for stuff….love your fabulous upcycle, 90’s cast off becomes retro 40’s beauty :)
Feb 9, 2010, 05.24 PMby beaufabulous
lovely blouse! I love the details and fabric :)
Feb 9, 2010, 04.17 PMby sunnilj9
Its such a fabulous fabric and I love the bound buttonholes! Beautiful work. That bow is just perfect too. Great vintagey feel!
Feb 9, 2010, 03.07 PMby ncn6
I’m working on this pattern now! It makes me very excited to see that yours turned out so well here. Did you do the bound buttonholes by machine or by hand? I’ll probably try bound buttonholes on mine as well, it seems like the right thing to do on such a vintage-y pattern.
1 Reply
Feb 9, 2010, 06.56 PMby elegantmusings
I did mine by machine using the two-patch method shown in “Professional Sewing Technique for Designers” by Julie Cole and Sharon Czachor. Although I just boughta vintage Dritz bound buttonholer jig that I can’t wait to use on my next project! ;)
Feb 9, 2010, 02.59 PMby wzrdreams
What a lovely fabric! This was certainly a perfect pattern for it. I can’t really see the “bound” button holes though. Perhaps an unbuttoned picture would show off your handiwork?
Feb 9, 2010, 02.43 PMby corduroycoat
Lovely! The simple blouse pattern was definitely the right choice for such a fun vintage-y print! What a great find.