McCalls 8062 Vintage 50s Blouse

It's that time of year!

I put up a string of photos on Instagram of different vintage patterns that are pretty much the same pattern. Partly because I had bought all of them with the same intent of a low yardage blouse, and partly because I really would like to come up with a new blouse, and early 50s vintage is where my mind travels.

click on the photos to make them bigger.

It says novelty cotton right in that list! (it also says corduroy)

Have you ever had a corduroy blouse? 

I'm not saying it doesn't work, but it has to be a really nice corduroy.

for those who like a side zipper, this will squeak out under a yard with facings.

mail order blouse, no number. These instructions and the Japanese pattern books are going to get a post of their own soon

I don't have a waist anymore though. That will be apparent shortly.

April 2016

I traced the vintage McCalls features onto the newer McCall's to speed up the resizing process. I decided to go with the sleeveless version because I really liked the squared off armsceye shape.

It has no bust darts. Since I have no bust, this usually works for me. It seems to be that it should be cut on the bias to get away with that dart free effect, but it's not.

Square!

And of course, I decided to go plaid.

I did not write on the original: this is a copy of the cover.

One way to guarantee the plaid matches all the way around it to cut out the pattern as one piece from front edge to front edge, make long darts resembling the side seams and wherever you take darts. 

I went downstairs before work to take this photo, and while it lacks much information as a photo, I can assure you that the pattern piece lacks just as much. I cannot photograph pencil lines that are not there: I winged it. That it would be wrong to leave out this information as a full report of this make, that is certain. And that the visible back dart (right corner) is in a better place than the one I put in.

This technique allows me to use the selvage and these markings and tags from this Javanese sarong yardage (from Value Village - someone had dumped piles of these great plaids). This 'unbroken' section of plaid weave is a feature of many of these sarong; it's woven that way, not tucked or stitched. It just fits with open sections to spare before the shoulders. 

In my next life, I will get the plaid to match on the shoulder seams as well!

Getting to this took about a week.

And I did the 'fat thread in the bobbin' bottom up topstitching

and the facing folds over so it all matches all the way around

And this is where it stopped. I did the buttonholes and sewed the first button, and then, before I could get to the body fisheye darts, I stopped.

And this is how it hung on the rack since June 2016.

Sewed the first button and then hung the rest on a safety pin.

I had made the damn buttonholes!

I think I ran out of Vintage Pattern month and Summer.

So, in honor of July as Vintage Pattern Pledge Month, I put the darts in and here we are.

Uh oh. Clipped the dart before I tried it on.

Took all of two minutes.

Should have taken longer.

You know, I've posted less flattering photos of myself on this site. So the part where I'm pointing out how those darts in the back are too low and too deep and I cut INTO THEM so I'm stuck with the shirt pooching up on my backside?

Yeah, that.

We really do not have many neutral backgrounds in this house.

But still. I like it. The fabric is crisp and lightweight, but not transparent.

I like it as a plaid as well. I'll open up the darts and mend the slashes.  

Wonky topstitching a speciality!

I am getting bagging in the high chest/armpit. This may be a feature more than a bug, as the rest of it fits as well as a box shaped woman can expect. The armscye fit the chubsters just fine, and I don't want to open them up any deeper as exposure is not something I'm hoping for.

But check this out

I bought this solely for the instructions

Shoulder pleats! This might help deal with the bagging.

And I have a lot more plaid!

And one more week of the month!

And a night free without family obligations!

Words to live by