I’m so conflicted, I really want to love this pattern but have some issues that need to be resolved. Namely in the two days I’ve worn this top more then three people have seen my bra, time to invest in vests?
The Pattern
I quickly snapped up the Anderson Blouse when it was first released with a special offer.
The instructions are sparser then I usually like my instructions and I got confused during the collar and cuff construction but it was still a quick and fun sew.
The Fabric
This was some very cheap (I was told cotton but for £1 a meter really!?!) fabric I got from the man outside Sainsburys in Walthamstow. I love the colour and it was my first fabric shopping trip where I bought no prints, only sensible solids.
This fabric drapes beautifully but is so thin, this is purely a summer top. Unfortunately, when I was cutting out the fabric, I used a few thick pins which left small holes in some of the the fabric D: #sewinghorrorstory
The Fit
This fabric was so cheap I used it for a toile and sewed up a straight, no adjustments, size 10. I usually size up for SOI patterns but reading around, people said this pattern comes out big so I stayed with my measured size. This has some problems, the blouse all at once feels too tight for my shoulders and yet I feel surrounded by too much fabric.
There is so much fabric in the sleeves and I’ve read about some people going a size smaller with this pattern because they wanted it with less fabric but, for me, I think it would be too tight on my shoulders. If I do this top with sleeves again I would also need to shorten the sleeves.
I really didn’t want to hand stitch the front together because I wanted the top to flow around me but you will expose yourself without hand stitching the front together. Even with hand stitching once I sat down and my belly popped out, I think that’s just the gamble you take with a top like this.
Another annoyance was that the gathered shoulders kept on falling backwards and would not properly sit on my shoulders whilst I was walking or with the wind. I felt like I was constantly readjusting myself. I’m not sure what I can do to fix that.
I’ve not given up on this pattern and a sleeveless version is on my list because I’ve gotten so many compliments of this blouse.
Alterations
One detail most people agree on is that the drawstring tie at the end of the blouse adds too much bulk around the waist and is largely unflattering. I also got rid of the drawstring and used two snap fasteners there instead.
Just as I was pondering what kind of tall, thin goodness could possibly get away with wearing this top with the drawstring bottom without looking pregnant. It hit me. This would make an awesome maternity top! When I (eventually) get pregnant this blouse is on the top of my list.
I’ve read people who find this top unflattering but I really like it on them. I think this type of top looks better on then you feel in it. Hefty yet elegant are the words I’ld say I feel in this blouse.
The blouse really doesn’t stand up to an active and windy day. The second time I wore this blouse, with a high waisted skirt, the hand stitching broke and I basically spent the day as a flasher. However, I think I will wear this blouse a lot because it is so comfortable and it looks lovely.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting a whole bunch of lovely sewing ladies (Alexa, Ana, Elena, Nina, Alex, Gabby and more) because of cocowawa crafts GBSB meet up. Watching the Sewing Bee with people as hyped about sewing as me was wonderful. I’m definitely going next week and if you’re in London I would say pop in and see what it’s like.
Happy sewing xx