19 May 2013

Actually sewing!!! (Alma blouse part 1/2)



At last, I decided to sew something!
As I wanted some 'instant satisfaction' I went for a cheap project, with no muslin! I choose the Sewaholic Alma blouse which has intrigued me for a long time. This time, since the fabric was for free, I didn't want to spend time with making a muslin. In the past made several Sewaholic dresses and the fit was always right. For a casual fit I choose to make size 8 bust and tapered it to size 6 at the waist and hips. Just like I vid with my Lonsdale dress.

I've bought the supplies above: green thread, a red zipper, green bias band and two pretty gold-and-green buttons and used a christmas-y colored table cloth which I've had for about 10 years but have never used:



The fabric is 55% cotton and 45% rayon and feels light and soft. Washed and ironed it hot and unpicked the seams. The size was 1.4x1.4 m. Not bad at all! Unfortunately, it was still just too little to make the long sleeved version which requires 1.9 m. Matching the plaid makes it impossible to use every inch of the fabric well. I have a plaid blouse with roll-up tabs on the sleeves which I like, so I decided to make a 'fake' long sleeved version, by eliminating the cuffs but keeping the full length of the sleeves.

 

I've cut single layers as usual.
I am missing part of my sewing stuff, so I must do it without my pins (again). I just used ordinary sewing needles since I do have 2 boxes of those on hand.
I didn't feel like making the facings for the neckline so I used the green bias tape to finish the neckline.

1. Achieve the perfect shape by stretching and steaming the bias tape in a curved line:






2. Pin or baste bias tape to neckline (right side to right side):




3. Stitch en trim seam allowance, then clip:


4. Finish lower edge of bias tape, and here is what it looks like on the inside:


5. For  a perfect row of top stitching I used my sewing machine's top stitch guide foot (also called a 'stitch-n-ditch' foot) with the needle placed to the left. Easy!
   
to be continued...

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