Written by This story will be a rollercoaster, as the blouse is one of my proudest creations, so I will divide it into chapters.
Chapter 1: The Fabric
A few years ago, I fell in love with a particular print that was featured in H&M stores, and I bought quite a few items on sale, thinking that one day I would transform them into something special. First, I bought an oversized shirt, but for the life of me, I couldn’t bear to cut into it, so I’m wearing it as is. I also bought a pair of 4XL trousers, which I downsized, and this dress.
The fabric is a linen blend, but I suspect it might be pure linen. It’s quite crisp and a bit rough to the touch, which suggests it’s pure linen. The pattern is an adorable watercolor floral print that screams summer.
Chapter 2: The Pattern
Being in my experimental phase and having the dress in front of me, I decided to make a sleeveless blouse, unsure of how much fabric I could salvage after seam ripping it. I needed to use the ruffle because it was already made and easy to split in half. As for the panels that make up the blouse, after seeing how much fabric I had left, I decided to go with a simple design, making sure to match the grainline perfectly. It’s a challenge, but playing it smart can be very satisfying.
Of course, I made a mistake and accidentally cut the side panels first without considering that the back panel should be cut on the fold. This mistake was easy to fix, as the print is forgiving, and the back seam isn’t noticeable.
This pattern is great for scrap fabric, and I will definitely use it in the future.
Chapter 3: The Place
Another reason I wanted a sleeveless blouse was to avoid getting tan lines on my arms after walking on the beach in Mallorca. It turned out to be very useful, and I’m glad that this practical reason played a part in the design process.
Anca GV 