I decided to make a blouse yesterday, the weather was too inclement for gardening so a sewing day was called for! After a quick perusal through my fabrics I chose a fine cotton with a pretty bird pattern on it. I bought it at Guthrie and Ghani a couple of years ago during one of my trips to Birmingham to see Helen.

I wanted to make an Aster blouse, which is a pattern by Colette, I’ve had it in my stash for a while now, just waiting for the right time to try it. There are three versions of sleeve, long, short or frilly and a choice of tucked or not on the front. As it’s such a fine cotton (put it this way, it’s much lighter than a Liberty tana lawn!) I decided to do untucked but with frilly sleeves, a bit of a brave choice for me as I’m not usually a frilly person, they tend to annoy me! Luckily they’ve come out more loose than frilly!

The first challenge was deciding what size to do, I always find this a bit difficult with Colette patterns, maybe because I tend to come out at a size 8-10, which just doesn’t seem right! I studies the finished size more than the measurements bit and decided on a size 10 at the top, grading out to a 12 for the waist and hips. I have to admit that size-wise it’s come out pretty well.

The blouse went together pretty easily, I learnt a new way of stitching a yoke in which involved stitching all the shoulder and back seams and then turning it out through the arm, much easier and neater than hand sewing either the back or the shoulder lining.

The neck is bound with bias,I didn’t have any suitable ready made so I cut a length of bias and then, as it was so fine, I folded it it half length ways and stitched it a bit like quilting binding, just turned it all the way it and then edge-stitched it.

The only bit I’m not 100% on is the centre front. At first I thought I’d made a mistake as the two sides didn’t come together with a neat V, however having looked at the picture that is how it’s meant to be, with a little straight in the centre.

I french seamed where possible and used a very narrow hem for the sleeves and the main hem. I decided to use vintage mother of pearl buttons for the front, so they don’t entirely match, I chose ones which were the same size with four holes. I quite like having a bit of variety.

This blouse has grown on me in the final stages, it’s very easy to wear, it looks OK either in or out, though I think I prefer it in, it also looks like a blouse I can dress up or down. Of course the weather has suddenly turned distinctly autumnal, so it may not get worn til next summer now!