The Top Issue

Just stopped by to say hi!

I have been having a big crush on Instagram lately and have been neglecting my poor blogg. I still like to write blogpost and connect with you guys, and I shall try to make it up to you. In the meantime I'll show you what I have been up to top-wise in the last few month. Without futher ado I present to you the Sewbluedresses Top Issue:


Cotton silk pleated t-shirt

This is the The Pleated T-shirt by Salme Patterns made in a lovely cotton-silk blend I bought from a new danish on-line fabric shop called Fabricminds. Oh how I love this shop already. They carry a nice selection of designer and high end fabrics. Enough to feed all your dreams. They ship to Denmark, Norway and Sweeden but do contact them for shipping information if you live elsewhere. I made the top a year ago as a wearable muslin in a viscose of some sort, but this fabric is an entirely different league (no, I do not get sponsered by Fabricminds - but is very much open to the idea:))


Archer in the garden

Another favorite pattern of mine - and my go-to pattern for classic, oversize shirt is the Archer Shirt from Grainline Studio . I've made this pattern 3 times before and knew it would be right for this drapy viscose fabric (and yes it is a homemade selfdrafted lace cami under the shirt). This is possibly the best viscose fabric I've bought and I knew I had to use every last scrap of it - therefore I used the rest for this:

Burda blouse for hot weather

I knew I wanted a v-neck so I browsed through my old Burdastyle Magazines. I found a tuniq in the plus size section of the march edition from 2013. I cut the pattern shorter, lifted the v-neck by 3 cm and took it in a bit at the sides. It's an oversize blouse so I wasn't too concerned about fit. I only had enough of the expensive designer viscose for the front so I bought some plain viscose from Stof og Stil - and what a remarkable difference in quality. I'm sure the front of the blouse will hold up beautifully, but not too sure about the back...

Closet workhorse Archer in white

This is yet another version of the Archer pattern from Grainline Studio. This time made in gorgeous white Liberty fabric I bought of Ebay. I've actually never owned a classic white shirt so it was about time. I made it back in may and have used it a lot since.

Simplicity 1366: duck egg blue sandwashed silk

This is yet another version of my beloved Simplicity 1366. I've made it two times before and it's a good basic pattern to show off nice fabric. I like to use simple patterns when I use difficult (expensive) fabrics. This is sandwashed silk from Stof og Stil. It's a lovely quality and wasn't too shifty to cut into. I made sure to do all the right things. Staystich, french seams etc. As a simple design feature I cut a back slit late one night - which by mistake ended up in the front.. This hasn't prevented me from using this blouse a lot - but next time I'm cutting slits I'll make sure they go on the right side.

Simplicity 1366: the cheap version

This doesn't come near the silk simplicity 1366. It's a (cheap) viscose twill from Stof og Stil. I really like the pattern and the colours but the fabric just feel too cheap. I have only been wearing this a couple of times since I made it, so I guess that the price pr. time a garment gets worn can be high - eventhough the fabric initially was cheap. (good excuse to buy better fabric from now!).

Afternoon Blouse

This is the Afternoon Blouse pattern by Jennifer Lauren Vintage I'm not really that into vintage patterns, but I really like this shape. I've made it twice so far and maybe I'll make one more in plain black. For this version I used viscose crepe from Stof og Stil . I like the texture of this fabric and plan to use aaaall the colours available.

Plantain scoop neck tee

I have a few tried and true knit t-shirt patterns that works everytime for me. This is the (free) Plantain t-shirt from Deer and Doe. I like the scoop neck and the slighly flared style. Makes good room for them hips:). The fabric is a nice viscose jersey from Stofdepotet. I have been hoarding this fabric and have been saving every little scrap to use for details in t-shirts and so on.

Pineapple Plantain

This is another Plantain
This time with short sleeves. I used this really cool pineapple fabric from Aime Comme Marie bought at Metermeter. I think the print looks really cool, but I'm so disappointed in the quality of the fabric. I'm not too sure it will hold op in the wash for more than a few times. I washed the fabric before cutting into it and it already looks a bit frumpy (and so do I, when I think of the price..)

Lace cami

I love lace - it ads a bit of everyday luxury. This is a stretch lace bought locally at Rita Stoffer (no website). It stretches beautifully and feels wonderful. I used and old tanktop to make the pattern. It's a fast make and will surely not be the last lacetop I make.


Alice Top

The fabric shop Tessuti from Australia also sell their own pdf patterns. I downloaded the Alice Top from their website. The patterned fabric is thrifted silk crepe de chine from a dress and the solid is of unknown content from stash. I'm however not to sure this style suits me, but will give it a go this summer.


Sutton Blouse by True Bias

The last one - and then I'll shut up - promise! - is the Sutton Blouse by True Bias. Kelli from True Bias is the genious behind The Hudson Pants. The Sutton Blouse is for drapy fabrics and feature a yoke, v-neck and a flowy sillouette. I made this using a subtle leopard jaquard weave white viscose from Citystoffer. Citystoffer only offers a small part of their fabrics online, but do pay them a visit if you are in Aarhus. They have a great selection of dressweight fabrics. The Sutton Blouse came together easily, but you have to make sure, you are precise, when finishing the v-neck. It's a great blouse for warm weather, but can also be used with a cardi, when the weather cools down again.

So, that's it! I guess I have enough tops for the time being (who am I kidding - never enough!). I'll make a childrens issue soon - and maybe a dress version..

Have you made any sundresses yet? I'm always pondering if I'll bother to make a sundress here in the danish climate, since there's rarely (and sadly) any occation to wear it, but this year I think I'll make one since we are going to France on holiday! I'm so excited - better make a sundress with enough room in the stomach area since both cheese and fabricshopping is on the to-do-list:) Have you got any favorite sundress pattern and can you recommend any good fabric shops in Paris?


Happy sewing

Mette

The Afternoon Blouse - Jennifer Lauren Vintage

Jeg elsker at sy kjoler - og jeg elsker også at gå i dem, men jeg må tilstå, at jeg mest er til jeans. Dette burde logisk medføre, at jeg også prioriterede, at sy fine bluser, så jeans også kan gå til arbejdsbrug. Dette har dog ikke altid været tilfældet - men jeg øver mig. Jeg syede denne
for nylig, som jeg bruger rigtig meget, men en hvid skjorte er helt uundværlig til sommerbrug. Jeg stødte på Jennifer Laurens blog for lang tid siden og for nylig har hun udgivet et meget enkelt skjortemønster - perfekt til en hvid klassisk skjorte. The Afternoon Blouse er et enkelt skjortemønster med kimonoærmer og en v-udskæring med knaplukning. Her nydes min afternoon i et sjældent øjeblik i solvognen:

Skjorten er syet i hvid broderie anglaise. Jeg valgte en let hvid voile til belægning i halsen, da der her skulle anvendes vlieseline - der ellers ville kunne ses igennem broderie anglaisen. Skjorten er fin uden på jeans, men kan også sagtens bruges sammen med en stram nederdel.

Jeg syede først rundt om alle mønsterdele med overlockeren og syede herefter blusen sammen. Halskanten kræver lidt præcision, men er ikke svær. Det er dog vigtigt, at være opmærksom på ikke at strække i stoffet, da det så vil give sig og bule. Det er vigtigt at følge instruktionen om at "staystitche" - dvs. sy en syning tæt på kanten, som alene er med til at sikre, at stoffet ikke giver sig.

Navnet "The Afternoon Blouse" henfører muligvis til, at denne bluse kan sys på en eftermiddag. Jeg tror det tog mig ca. 2 timer at sy den. Der burde derfor ikke være flere undskyldninger for at mangle sommerbluser. Jeg overvejer, om jeg skal sy endnu en i lyseblå voile, jeg har liggende - eller vil det komme til at ligne en læges operationsskjorte for meget? På den anden side kan man jo så altid forestille sig, at man medvirker i ER eller Greys Hvide Verden:)

Denne selfie er et forsøg på at vise halsudskæringen på blusen - jeg får faktisk lidt lyst til lakrids, når jeg kigger på billedet.. Jeg vil dog lige understrege, at halskanten ikke buler i virkeligheden, som i ser på billedet her, men at det alene er en "selfie-effekt".

Alt i alt vil jeg anbefale mønstret. Det er et enkelt begynder-skjortemønster, som er hurtigt syet og rigtig behageligt at have på. Mønstret indeholder god vejledning, så alle kan være med.


Til sidst får I lige en lille teaser i forhold til, hvad jeg arbejder på i øjeblikket:

Det er Grainline Studios klassiske skjortemønster Archer "med det hele". Dvs med krave, manchetter, knapper etc. Der er rigtig mange processer i denne, men jeg tager det stille og roligt og jeg nyder det! Lige nu mangler jeg kun at sy knapperne i, så den kommer snart på bloggen.

For mig skal syning helst være en blanding af hurtige "fix" og de længerevarende projekter, som i virkeligheden er det, der bliver brugt mest efterfølgende. Tidligere kunne jeg ikke blive færdig hurtigt nok, men når jeg ser tilbage er det klart det tøj, der er brugt mere energi og lagt mest frustration kærlighed i, der også bliver brugt. Eksempelvis mine Marapyttajakker
Hvordan arbejder du bedst?

Stof: Broderie anglaise fra Stofdepotet
Mønster: The Afternoon Blouse fra Jennifer Lauren Vintage


Kærlig hilsen Mette


English recap

This is The Afternoon Blouse by Jennifer Lauren.. I have followed Jennifer's blog for quite some time and I couldn't resist, when she launched this simple, but beautifull take on a summershirt. The pictures above show me enjoying life in the garden in my new white shirt while watching the kids (and trying to keep the shirt white:)). The pattern sews up easily - but take your time, when you get to the collar and be sure to follow the instruction about staystitching the collarpieces - it stretches easily.
I can see this shirt sewn up i many other colours - or maybe patterned fabric as well, if you would like a more vintage vibe. I have this light blue cotton voile in my stash - will it work, or will I look like a doctor on the way to the operating room?

The last picture is a sneakpeak on my next make. It's the Archer Shirt by Grainline Studios. I know everyone and their mother has made this pattern, but what can I say? I'm a slow starter. However I'm really excited about this pattern and the professional finish you get, vhen you follow Jens instructions. More on that in my next post. I still need to sew on those buttons.

Happy Sewing

Mette