Combining sloper and pattern

While the weather here in The Netherlands gives the impression we are in another season with lots of wind and rain I finished a sleeveless summer blouse. This is actually my 5th iteration of this style. I have a white linen version, a white embroidered one, a bright colored one, a silk multi colored version and now this navy blue/off white silk.

 

This is a combination of a magazine pattern and sloper. I used my sloper, manipulated the shoulder and armhole dart into the bust dart, and then changed the bust dart to a French dart. That’s all I did to the basic draft. Then I took the Ottobre pattern and used the pattern for the collar. The shape of the collar is close to the shape of a lapel collar. I only had to shorten the length of the Ottobre collar. I had to do the pattern draft again because though I’m sure I have the old pattern somewhere, I could not find it when I needed it. It was easier to make the pattern again than keep trying to find it.

The Ottobre pattern I used, #4 from issue 2/2006.

A detail of the side where you see the French dart.

Sewing this is easy, it’s not a jacket so you sew the collar, sandwich it between front and facing and stitch it. I cut the under collar on the bias and made it a bit smaller than the upper collar to get a smooth collar that has a nice fold over the roll line. The fabric is slippery and frays easily too. Therefor I starched it a lot (with a spray starch) before cutting it, using the experience I had with my previous silk blouse. It helped so much to sew it, the layers did not shift any more and the fraying was minimal. Important too because I used French seams, you don’t want the threads coming out of those seams. 

I’m quite sure I’ll get a lot of wear out of this blouse, as I have had from the others too. It’s also so easy to combine with a cardigan on a cooler day.

Isn’t it nice how some fabrics can be a souvenir with memories of where you bought it. The blue/white silk of this new version I bought recently at the fabric market in Utrecht at a meetup with sewing friends (and a special friend from Canada too!) The multicolored version on the left below is a Paris souvenir from the trip there last year, the one on the right was bought with a sewing friend at the fabric market in Goes here in The Netherlands. All fond memories.