Mini Wardrobe - Piece 1 - Ottobre Buttondown Blouse

It has been a busy month and I have just come back from camping for a few days with my family.  It was lovely but it does mean I won't complete my entry in time for the Mini-Wardrobe Contest on Pattern Review.  However I will still show you my pieces as I get them done.

My first piece is the Ottobre Buttondown blouse 02-2013-3.

I made this with a beautiful piece of pedestal fabric that I have not been able to cut into in the 3 years I have owned it.  Finally my sewing confidence is at the level to use this piece.  It is a woven bamboo with a beautiful texture woven in.  It frayed easily so I did do french seams on the side seams but otherwise it was beautiful to work with.

As my fabric was so precious I did muslin this top first and the only pattern change I made was to shorten it at the waist about 2 inches.  Design-wise the changes I made was to sew it with a double yoke following the instructions in the Readers Digest Guide to Sewing (page 410) and to not sew a button or buttonhole onto the collar stand.  I would never do this button up and I think with all the thicknesses of fabric there I may be setting myself up for heartache to sew a buttonhole in that position.

The pattern is drafted beautifully and I think this resulted in the best collar and stand I have ever sewn.  I even managed to do it all by machine - no hand sewing!  I am sorry I have not got a close-up photo but the top is in the wash now.

Conclusion - love this blouse - the review is here.

Ciao!  back with the cardigan soon!

Tessuti - Our Fave Top

I know I am supposed to be sewing for the Mini Wardrobe Contest, but got momentarily distracted to sew another top.  The Tessuti - Our Fave Top - a free download.

This top is not my usual style.  I usually favour more fitted clothing but I keep seeing this top about and decided it was time to try something different.

This is a simple top to make - two pieces - sew seams, hem all openings.   The part that takes the longest is taping all the A4 sheets of paper together. 

... and the biggest surprise is I really like it.  It is a great piece to showcase a bold necklace.

It also is so comfy and easy to wear...

And, yes Sharon, it is wide at the hemline...

Ciao!  Hopefully I can start showing my mini wardrobe pieces soon....

Linnea top and Scooter pants... Ottobre 02-2010

Scooter pants!  I would have to make these pants just for the name of them!!  They are from Ottobre 02-2010 and are pattern no. 2.  They pair these pants with the Linnea top (No. 1) and I have done exactly the same...

From the Ottobre 02-2010 magazine

 I did make a muslin of these pants and removed some excess fabric from the front crotch.  If you can see it, this is the alteration on the pattern tissue.

I think I may still need to scoop (?? never sure of the terminology) it a bit more.  I think there is still a bit of puffiness there.  Any tips??  Here is the pics on me..

and the back... excuse the bra strap (why doesn't the photographer never notice these things??)

A detail picture of the front showing the tabs and the yoke.

I like these pants and the top and think I will wear them a lot.  I will try pinning the front seam in a bit more (or maybe I should baste instead of pin!!) and see if that helps with the excess fabric.

Next up I am sewing for the mini wardrobe contest on pattern review.  The pieces I have chosen work in with these two pieces so I am really hoping I can build myself a cohesive wardrobe.

The plan ...

Like everyone who enters this contest I am not sure if I will make the deadline as I have a week's holiday planned toward the end of the month, but I will give it my best shot. 

Ciao!  the contest has started and I need to get to my cutting table!