Saturday, May 11, 2019

OOP McCalls 2695 Blouse for Tilly

Don't you love a sewing a favourite pattern again?
I do.
Especially this one.
I love this style so much!
(I fold the dress back to blouse length)
The puff ball sleeve cap, the fitted arms, the wee neck ruffle...
And those lovely seams that allow fitting.
Tilly asked me to make this one very fitted.
I pinned in the seams quite dramatically but left the original arm as it was.
Tildy still has a wee bit of a pot tummy (adorably so) so we shaped but left her ease.
I then stupidly set in a two shorter length zipper and had to unpick and replace it with a longer one, after I had finished the blouse facings and all.
Unpicking the zip was not much fun.
The sleeves are a work of art.
The fabric I used (a linen remnant from Spotlight) looks gorgeous but was horrid to sew. It was loosely woven and frayed badly. I had to neaten all the edges before I handled it.
The fitted blouse looks so beautiful.
The birds details, purchased here, were Tildy's idea.
She felt like it needed a little colour.
The patches iron on but then I machine stitch over the different sections, in matching thread, to keep it in place.
We positioned the birds so they are covered by her 'Sarvi vest' if she wants to wear pastel colours.
Gorgeous knitted vests from Aunty Sarvi.
Against my better judgement I did make the blouse very fitted.
It looked amazing and Tildy loved it but I knew the fabric was too delicate and fragile.
This photo was posed, no Matildas were harmed.
Unfortunately, it didn't survive the playground after netball.
~My Verdict~
Why don't we listen to those little voices in our heads? 'Bad fabric choice for a 10 year old' ... 'You are over fitting that bodice'... 'It will split, split, split....'
Oh well, it happens.
I can fix the blouse and re-inforce the seams with some webbing behind them.
Tildy loves it so I shall make her another in a light denim or chambray.
I do love this look, there is something very unusual about it and I  wanted to recreate it ever since this pin.
Image from Pinterest
Now I need to make the puffy shorts.
~Tildy's Verdict~
I love the puffy sleeves and the little birds, 
the fitted bodice is amazing, I am so, so, so sad that it split though.
I should have listened to mum because she had said that I should save it for going out.
It works perfectly with my blue denim skirt.
I love how the bodice goes in then out again.
It work with every thing and I just love it.
Skirt is O+S Music Class skirt.
That is the beauty of sewing, I can make her another.

Thank you for reading.... xx N


8 comments:

  1. Oh - such a pity. I can imagine your pain. I hope to never feel your pain...

    Really pretty blouse too. I think it will possibly be better in denim Maybe one with some stretch in it?

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    1. I think a light denim (I have 20 odd metres on a roll) and a little less fitting will be perfect.
      Poor little duck, she was so upset. To be honest I am over it (after the zip debacle) but I will fix it.
      Thank you!
      xx N

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  2. Your kids have such senses of their own style, it's really fun to follow along as you sew their wardrobes. I really aspire to create a situation like yours, where my children and I collaborate on what I sew for them and they exercise creativity ... I just can't seem to get there, though. I don't have very many patterns and I always want to keep all the fabric in my stash for myself ... selfish mum.

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    1. Your children are younger Masha, and my littles have watched the older one.
      I have way too many patterns for that to be helpful.
      If you don't mind screen time, Pinterest is a great place to start. We don't really go shopping to see clothes.
      Tilly will 'design' something too, which is always fun.
      (And you are not allowed to use the term 'selfish mum' on MY blog) xxxx
      x N

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  3. Nicole, this blouse is so beautiful! What a sad ending! I am almost as upset as Tildy about this! Definitely make another one, more like the pin, with a bit less fitting and in a better fabric, because the style is DARLING. (Also, it will be perfect with all the dungarees.)

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    1. Thank you Inder.
      It really didn't matter, it is just a top. My photo on instagram was reported, which is crazy, it was set up. It is not the first clothing item my children have wrecked ;)
      I have left the pattern out and will remake it as it is so cute, I knew the fabric was too delicate, I just feel down that particular rabbit hole.
      xx N

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  4. I with everyone else to make another one would be the grandest thing. It suits her perfectly but I do agree it might have been a little too fitted - the back view reminds me of old pictures of little girls of the Victorian era at how even they look very cinched in. I don’t mean to say that this is a bad thing but you know yourself that the little voice was pretty much telling you to hold off on fitting it too much. Oh well, you live and you learn. I just adore those sleeves! What a shame it was ruined but as you say, clothes are meant to be worn!

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