A Polka-dot blouse

My last sewing project is a red and white polka-dot blouse. I use to wear blouses with skirts and jeans very often over spring and summer. I find them practical and perfect both during day and evening.

I got the idea for this model by some garments with flounces I have in my wardrobe (and that I wear a lot) and after a brief research online. The blouse is made up of two vertical cuts in which flounces are inserted, a scoop neckline on the front and a back keyhole with covered button closure. Neckline, armholes and back keyhole are finished inside with a single facing up. I designed the pattern on my own.

I used a beautiful silk satin that my lovely friends gave me for my birthday. If you want to make a maker happy, give her (or him) fabrics! 🙂

Silk satin is very difficult to cut and sew: it’s slippery and it frays easily. To avoid problems, I cut the fabric with the paper’s trick: I put some tissue-paper under the fabric and I pinned both of them together with the paper-pattern. In this way the fabric is stable and doesn’t slip while you’re cutting. Furthermore I paid a lot of attention while I was sewing it up in order to prevent it from fraying. In spite of these cautions, I have to admit that it wasn’t exactly easy to sew and I had to be very patient. Anyway it was worth it in the end, because I like how it came out!

Moreover I found quite difficult finishing the flounce hem. Eventually, after attempting a lot, the easier and faster way was to sew a rolled hem up with serger. Real find! In few minutes I finished the flounce’s hem up in a very professional and neat way. I think I’ll use this stitch a lot from now on, above all with slippery fabrics, as silk.

So here it is:

Few days to MeMadeMay 2016…I’m sure that I’ll wear this blouse a lot over May and summer months. My 2016 MeMadeMay pledges are wearing more memade garments and experimenting with new outfits putting together memade garment with old ones I have in my wardorbe.

And about “be proud of what you make!”, check this post by Sasha-SecondoPiano out. It’s about the Fashion Revolution and there you can find a gallery of makers and bloggers from all over the world that explain why they sew their own clothing instead of buying them. Sewing is a sustainable and even fun alternative to fast fashion. I also suggest you to watch “The True Cost” documentary (you can find it on Netflix).

Happy MeMadeMay!