The easiest blouse I've ever made...
Many years ago (back in the late 1980s) I was for a couple of years, an Avon Lady. I finally gave it up because I began to spend more than I made. But one of the wonderful things I got from Avon was a gorgeous scarf--a silky headscarf with a floral motif and a unicorn in one corner. I've been an avid unicorn collector since the 70s, so of course I got it, and then realized there was no way to wear it in which the unicorn could be shown off--whatever way I folded and tied it, it just didn't work out. I was still pleased with just having it, so I folded it up and put it away. The other day, I had it out and unfolded it and looked at it, and had an epiphany. Besides being a scarf, it was also fabric and it wouldn't take much to turn it into a very nice blouse...
Pics behind the cut
Here's the front on my dress dummy. The unicorn shows up splendidly!
Of course, I needed fabric for the back, and I mentally went through my stash; I only needed a 30"x30" square after all, but nothing I had seemed quite the right texture and hand to go with the scarf--so I took a look at some of my other scarves, also put away, and found a beautiful turquoise print that had been a gift one Christmas. And not only was it the perfect size, but like the other scarf, it had a navy blue border.
So here is the back on my dress dummy:
I pin fitted it to see where the seams needed to be, and then decided to sew by hand, because I wanted the smallest possible seams. I used a backstitch just underneath the rolled hems of the scarves, then turned it, pressed and stitched again to make very tiny French seams (they are about 1/8" inch. I left about 3" open at the bottom of each side. I toyed with opening the center to create a little fold back collar at the neck opening, but decided against that. It took me about an hour to make.
Here I am wearing it this morning, just coming home from church!
Pics behind the cut
Here's the front on my dress dummy. The unicorn shows up splendidly!
Of course, I needed fabric for the back, and I mentally went through my stash; I only needed a 30"x30" square after all, but nothing I had seemed quite the right texture and hand to go with the scarf--so I took a look at some of my other scarves, also put away, and found a beautiful turquoise print that had been a gift one Christmas. And not only was it the perfect size, but like the other scarf, it had a navy blue border.
So here is the back on my dress dummy:
I pin fitted it to see where the seams needed to be, and then decided to sew by hand, because I wanted the smallest possible seams. I used a backstitch just underneath the rolled hems of the scarves, then turned it, pressed and stitched again to make very tiny French seams (they are about 1/8" inch. I left about 3" open at the bottom of each side. I toyed with opening the center to create a little fold back collar at the neck opening, but decided against that. It took me about an hour to make.
Here I am wearing it this morning, just coming home from church!