2 shirts - Butterick B5526

I can never get a ready-made blouse/shirt to fit.  It is either too big on the shoulders or too small on the hips.  Trust my pear shape!  So I decided to make one.  I bought this current (not vintage!) Butterick pattern as I thought it is versatile and I can make lots of different shirts from the same pattern.  I was pleased to see that LLadybird likes this pattern too!

This lovely orange butterfly fabric came from my local shop More Sewing.  It's actually quilting fabric, so has a nice weight to it.  It is a lot brighter in real life, and lots of people comment on it when I wear it.   This is view D with princess seams, and lots of top stitiching.  I lined the collar and cuffs with yellow fabric, which makes it look very Spring like.

One clever little touch that Laura at More Sewing suggested was to sew little triangles into the bottom of the side seams to give even more room for my hips!  I love the way they make it look like a  peplum.

This one is View A (without the pockets).  So this one has no darts or princess seams.  I bought this lovely fabric with vintage bathing ladies all over it as a remnant ages ago.  I have seen this fabric made into dresses and tops all over blogland!  This fabric is much softer, so probably more suitable for summer warmer days.

Here's a picture of the extra triangle in the bottom of the side seam, see how I fussy cut it to have a whole lady!

I am so happy to have shirts that fit!  I would like to make one in a drapey silk type of fabric next.

Vintage sewing - Vogue 1772

Hard to believe that 1990s patterns are now classed as vintage!  This one appeared in a batch I purchased for my SewLindyLou Etsy shop, and I put it to one side as I liked the jacket.  It is a DKNY designer pattern for Vogue, a dress and jacket, dated 1996.  Just over 20 years old!

I decided to try and make the jacket.  I chose a light jersey fabric, which in hindsight is perhaps a little too lightweight.  The pattern had been used and was cut to size 18, so I cut mine to that size.  It was far too big!  With some help from Laura at More Sewing we took it in to make it fit.  I decided not to line it, but instead finished off the inside seams with a pretty floral binding.  I bought 3 vintage 1980s buttons to complete the look.

Sadly I have not worn it much.  My idea was to make a light jacket that I could just sling on and off, but this isn't it!  It is too light to wear as a jacket, but quite good as a top on it's own.  It rides up as soon as I move in it and I am forever adjusting it.  Also the sleeves are too wide, which I could rectify by taking them in.  I think it would be great made in a heavier weight fabric like a ponte roma.   I do love the shape and may well try it again.