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Bring on the Blouse

Welcome to my stop on Winter Wear Designs' Bring on the Blouse blog tour. Make sure you read through, find out all about the other stops on the tour, and enter a really cool competition.


I love a nice blouse. Switch out your tees for a blouse, and all of a sudden you're ready for something special - lunch out with friends, a day in the office, dinner with someone special, or just the chance to wear something nice, and feel pretty and stylish.


So when Winter Wear Designs put out the call for a blog tour, sewing up either the Classic Shell or Omega Top and Tunic I was super keen.  It was a tough call, but I went for the Omega Top.

This is the first time I've sewn up a pattern by Winter Wear Designs. And I was impressed with all the features of the pattern. Before I printed, I spent some time reading through the notes on adjusting patterns for your body type. They are super detailed, and help to get a great fit with the finished garment. I'm a pear shape, with not much difference between full and over bust, and a sway back. So I took my bust size, and graded out to the next size up for my hips (below the waist point, because that was fine).  I also added a sway back adjustment using the technique on this website which is my current go-to for sway back adjustments.




There is probably enough drape in the back of the top that I didn't really need to do the sway back adjustment, but I'm getting excited about avoiding fabric pooling above my hips, and this was a forgiving pattern to give it a go.



After umm-ing and ahhh-ing over all the options in the Omega I went with a 2" lace insert, standard short sleeve, keyhole back and shirt tail hem. I was toying with the pleated bodice for a while, but glad I went for the lace, as the fabric I chose did not like to hold a crease.



The pattern recommends using fabrics with drape such as rayon, lawn, crepe de chine, chambray etc. I ended up choosing a mystery dark olive-green fabric that I picked up at the op shop some time ago. It's a similar weight and texture to a crepe, but has a slight twill weave. The lace I also found at an op shop - quite a lot of it, still on the plastic holder from the shop. I used a small amount of ribbon for my button loop, because the thought of making double fold bias tape with this fabric was just too much for me to cope with.



I managed to sew up this version using just my sewing machine (my overlocker/serger was in for a service). Having the bodice section lined saved a bit of work. And I used the overcasting stitch on my machine for the side seams and armscyes.



All up, I'm really happy with my new Omega blouse. It's perfect for my normal day-to-day wear, when I want to be able to wear something comfortable, but still look nicely 'put together'.

The pattern is on sale for the tour - down to $7.95, and don't forget to check out the Classic Shell at it's classic price of $5.

Make sure you have a look at all the other stops on the tour, and be inspired for your own blouse.



Competition time - To kick your sewing off right, Boho Fabrics has teamed up with Winter Wear Designs to give away an awesome prize bundle. There's a mystery bundle of fabric from Boho paired up with two sets of the Classic Shell and Omega patterns (one for you and one for a friend - because it is always more fun to share the love!) This prize is open to everyone!!!! International entrants will need to pay shipping for fabric.
Enter Here


Check out each stop on the tour:
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