I finished up a super quick little sewing project and wanted to share! This top is from Simplicity 1867, from 1946. I made style 5. This blouse was meant to be made with a single fabric with a lace edgeing for the ruffles, but I had both of these yardages in my stash, and both of them were not enough to be something on their own, but together they worked! I didn’t have enough fabric to do this project properly. The blouse should have been larger and the sleeve ruffles and bottom ruffle were not supposed to be hemmed- but it somehow worked! I admit I did a little cheating with cutting- some pieces cut on the grain, some on cross grain- and the back was cut from two pieces instead of one on the fold- but hey! It kind of works! The ruffles of the sleeve were supposed to have about four inches more of gathers on each side, and the bottom ruffle was pieced, but it was kind of fun to squeak this out of my fabric. Of course, rick rack makes everything better ;)
I think it’s funny that this blouse is called a “poncho blouse” on the envelope, but the description is rather accurate. It pulls on over the head and two ties come around the front and tie at the waist to cinch in the back, then the two long ties tie at the back to make a bow.
I’m shortwaisted so shortened the pattern pieces of the front and back one inch each, but in reality they could do with at least another half inch to an inch of length taken out of them- it does fit a bit more blousey on me than on the dress form!
It’s a fun little pattern, and it’s kind of kooky. I probably will make more of these if I end up having more yardage I love but don’t have much of!
Brittany-Va-voomVintage
July 6, 2012 at 6:47 pm (12 years ago)I -love- this blouse!! It’s so cute and anything to use up small amounts of a cute print is a good thing. I may see if I can draft something similar. :)
Stephanie
July 6, 2012 at 7:56 pm (12 years ago)So cute! You always have the cutest fabrics! Really, I think I need more novelty prints in my life.
Laura Mae
July 6, 2012 at 10:44 pm (12 years ago)I love your fabric choices – they work perfectly for the style. And it is always excellent to have a great pattern that does not use much yardage!
Corinne
July 7, 2012 at 3:57 am (12 years ago)I think what you have done with this blouse is amazing. It is not just vintage in style but also in fabrication. Fabrics were rather expensive in a sense and you have made great use of what you had. It is so darn cute, and totally wearable for today, great work!
Lauren
July 7, 2012 at 8:57 am (12 years ago)Whoops! I was just waking up and checking comments, and Debi- I accidentally deleted yours! But I wanted to thank you for the comment and apologize for my non-thinking sleepy fingers being too fast on the mouse trigger!
Sean MacKenzie
July 7, 2012 at 10:52 am (12 years ago)That is beautiful. Great job! Now make one for me…LOL!
athene
July 9, 2012 at 9:34 am (12 years ago)You really are so wonderful at mixing prints and colors. It’s that artist’s eye…