Mood Fabrics' Silk Blouse - Vogue 1387

Fabric and Pattern,  very important parts of constructing a garment, right?  Well, I had the perfect combination of fabric and pattern right in front of me and I kept missing it!  I purchased  Mood Fabrics' red polka dot silk by Donna Karan and I just kept touching it and touching it.  I had purchased Vogue 1387 after seeing Erica's gorgeous sleeveless blouse.  Then I had one of those light bulb moments - the long sleeve blouse from Vogue 1387 and the red silk would be a perfect combination.  This red polka dot silk is sold out but Mood Fabrics has a great silk  selection and more specifically Crepe De Chine (one of the recommended fabrics on the pattern envelope)

 Spinning around does make the front of the blouse stick out!

 The construction on this blouse is a bit tricky, with the curved yoke, bias strip and the pleated front.  I tried to remember to take one step at a time and really read the directions. Do take note of the front yoke piece, the curve for the sleeve and the curve for the yoke are a bit similar so make sure have the yoke in the correct position before sewing.  Yes, ask me how I know this! Here is a close up of the yoke and the bias strip, which is  a nice design feature and it does make it easier to join all these curved pieces.  On the next blouse, I might use the yoke facing piece and eliminate the bias strip.  Using the yoke facing for the front yoke would keep from breaking up a beautiful print with the small bias strip.


 


  I did use a technique called "burrito-style" for a inside clean finish with the yokes and the shoulder seams.  You can search that term and find many tutorials or here is one that will help with this method.     I am so thrilled with my sleeve placket, the first one I have sewn in a very long time.

   Do you see  there are no buttons?  The cuffs and front placket of the blouse use snaps for a closure, something a bit unique  but you could sew buttonholes and attach buttons too.  I liked the simplicity of no buttonholes on this blouse and the gorgeous fabric.

  I added 1" to the sleeves and the body of the blouse, my usual change.   This blouse has a shirttail hem design and the back is just a bit longer than the front.  My red polka dot silk does have a right and wrong side but the difference is minimal so the longer back hem isn't an issue.  A look a the right and wrong side of the fabric for this feature might be something to consider. The back drapes so nicely and this silk fabric is so perfect for the pleats and the cut of the shirt, plus if feels incredible.

A couple of construction notes, the side seams are finished with a serger, as is the armhole seam.  I so admire those garments that are so perfectly finished but I just tend to go to my serger for finishing many seams.  I did not a french seam on the sleeve seam, just in case I wanted to roll up the sleeves, then it would look nice!  I really don't think I will roll the sleeves, not sure how well they will stay rolled with the slippery silk.

 That is it for this beautiful red silk blouse, the snow started to come down and I was just getting cold