I made this blouse and skirt a few weeks ago, and have worn both a fair bit, and I am still in the middle of crocheting the sweater (if a crochet project goes on too long there is always the danger of a change of heart and I will unravel it, so I am hoping to finish it this week)
meanwhile………………
The blouse
Red is a tough colour to photograph. The red blouse was on the euro rail. it was a light jacket/blouse with shoulder pads (and a few stains), and its silk
I laundered it, took it apart and thought to make a blouse which would also work as a base layer for under sweaters. I don’t normally like collars, which was just as well as I barely had enough fabric but got their in the end. I had to peel off the fusible which was on the facing of the original blouse to use as side panels in the front – which worked out fine.
I used a 50s dress pattern as a base for the tucks at the neckline, and I was going to face the neckline but used a simple binding instead, and a zip closure at the back.
The skirt
The day after I got the blouse, I was cutting out the denim dress (2 or 3 posts back) and ran into a spot of bother with the cut, so I went out for a stroll to think it out (rather than cut any further), and I strolled towards the charity shop. This tweed was in with some pillowcases, and about .75 of a metre, and 2euro. When I got home, I put it with the ‘pile’ and it looked so well with the blouse – that I figured I had an instant outfit. I had originally planned a box pleat skirt, but there was just slightly too little fabric.
I used my TNT pattern, vogue 7776, and did the version with the front slit. I pretty much did everything as per the pattern except I did a facing for the waistband (petersham is recommended). I left the hem at 3 inch allowance which is a lovely weight for the tweed. Had I known it would turn out so lovely, I should have considered interlining with organza (its a couture technique I think). Its perfect for a long-life tweed skirt as it helps any potential bagging/sagging issues at the seat, and its perfect for holding the hem.
I had some habatoi mock silk lining in a fun orange shade, but I didnt realise until I went to cut how off grain it was……………. I was a bit shocked. So I cut on grain, one piece at a time and just about fitted it in – the photo above shows it laid out and going with grain. I cut the back on the fold and the 2 fronts just about fitted it in.
I did a top stitich on the skirt but only used sewing thread so its barely noticible, and the only other blip (besides the low quality lining) was there was a tiny hole in the weave (probably due to age) in the back panel which I didn;t notice until I was holding towards the light to inspect the dart. I put a small darn in it, and then ironed on some vilene.
so – an outfit for about a fiver – blouse 1 euro, tweed 2 euro, zips taken from other garments, lining would have been about 2euro……