A Vogue Blouse That I Love So Much, I Made TWO!

In my last post, I talked about being out of summer clothes, and feeling desperate for some new togs!
Well I made three new blouses, a small start to a summer wardrobe.
 I saw this Vogue pattern reviewed three times on Pattern Review. One reviewer had made it out of home dec fabric lenghtened it and left off the buttons to make it a smashing Spring coat.
 Two other reviewers made the blouse. I was sold, I had to have this blouse. I broke my rule and paid retail  $25.00 US for this baby. Well $22.50 with my  Friends of PR  discount. I had it shipped down by my mail service, which means  that by the time the pattern crossed the border, traveled down the Baja, went to Cabo San Lucas, then back up to La Paz and to my  front door, I paid over $30.00.

I usually  use Lutterloh patterns for all of my sewing. But this blouse fulfilled two of my demands for my new wardrobe:

1.            It must be stylish
2.            It must be fitted

And I had no idea how to duplicate the fluted collar. I read that there  were EIGHTEEN darts in this blouse. And that properly marking them was crucial.
The pictures on the pattern envelope do not come anywhere near showing how gorgeous this blouse is.
 I read the pattern instructions, and thought that I must be crazy. The instructions called for tailor tacks to mark the darts, remember EIGHTEEN darts. And it also says to HAND TACK the facing at the seam where it joins the blouse.
Hand Sewing is something I avoid whenever I can. I hate it. I try as often as possible to sew my buttons on by machine.
Well I had cut the first blouse out of a black gauze with a silver thread shot through it, and the facing was in the same fabric but in pink. 
Some of my enthusiasm was starting to wane. I looked at the black fabric, and my marking pens, and my hand sewing needles and thread, and  quietly closed the door on my sewing room and took a dip in the pool.

This is a Sandra Betzina Today’s fit pattern designed for Vogue. I visited Sandra’s website purchased and watched  the video.   She showed a few finished versions of this spectacular blouse, and she showed how to make it. She used a marking pen! She never mentioned hand sewing or tailor tacks! I felt like a weight was lifted from my soul.

And here is the black gauze version. It needs the covered buttons sewn on. I will do that in the morning, when I am fresh. We are having some guests for an early  Sunday supper and I want to wear it. The gauze is light and airy and stretchy, no Lycra, just the way the fabris behaves.
 It is not as sheer as it appears on the hanger, the sun was starting to rise when I took this picture and was shining through.

 I made self-covered buttons for this one, and will show it off in my next blog post.
 So Sandra who is an eccentric San Franciscan, is a wonderful designer, seamstress, and presenter. Every time she presents a pattern, she says, “I Love it!” Her enthusiasm and passion shine through.
 I had so much fun making this blouse, that I made a second.

The pink floral is the first one that I completed. the flower in my hair is a gift from my friend Debra Fairweather. She said it was for me to wear when I took pictures of my garments for my blog.
Everywhere I went today, I received compliments . People that Imet as we did our Saturday errands all over town said
 ” You look gorgeous,.”  ” I like your flower.” “Your blouse is beautiful.”
I felt beautiful.
 My Beloved said I am beautiful and  that this was a smashing outfit.

 Even tough it has raglan sleeves, the neckline darts help to shape them. There are long fitting darts in the front, and back and  each sleeve hem has two darts. It was really very easy to make, and a lot  of fun.Sandra points out that the facing is the key to getting the fluted neck made properly. She says to block interface, which means interface a chunk of fabric, then cut the facing.

The darts are marked on the  right side of the facing and the wrong side of the blouse then matched up and sewn. Truly easy. But outstanding results.

Here you can see the facing with some of the markings.

 I purchased this fabric several years ago at JoAnn’s in Thousand Oaks. I always had in mind to make a nicely shaped and fitted blouse.
I lamost cut it  several times, but something told me that the pattern I was going to use was just not really perfect enough for this lovely fabric.

Many years ago, before I even had this fabric, my daughter gave me the earrings I am wearing.

And during our Chrustnas visit to my daughter in Dallas, in December 2012, I found the sandals I am wearing.  We always make forays to Designer Shoe Wearhouse, where we can find sandals even in the dead of winter.
 I showed them to my daughter, and she immediately remembered the earrings she had given me years before.
 Here  are the accessories that I wore today:

Naturally when people complimented my blouse and flower in the hair, I also said:
 “Look at my earrings.” the responses was always, “How pretty and perfect for that blouse.”
 then I would say, “Now look at my sandals.”
Everyone thought that I must have made them.

Notice my buttons, please…
 Back in the last century, just before we decamped for Mexico, I had my 50th birthday party. A black tie affair.  Everyone was asked to bring a button that  reminded them of me. Some people brought  political buttons. Some brought just one button. Some gave me five or six buttons so I could complete a garment.
 These pink Bakelite buttons were a gift from my hairdresser. His mother went through her collection and chose these for me. Aren’t they  the final detail in a very personal outfit?
Just because I love the look, and had so much funs sewing and wearing this blouse, here are a few more snaps.