The Norns are weaving their fabric of fate with swift fingers and a lucid mind (does they weave only on #needleworkmonday?? Are there studies to proof this?). They combine stories like we combine yarn for the perfect sock or colors for an amazing quilt. And in my case, there are two stories which found a miraculous uniting: a sowed a blouse and sewed some seeds or was it the other way round?
Many weeks ago, I tried myself on my first blouse ever. I chose the Mimi blouse from Tilly and the buttons only to encounter some fitting issues (‘some fitting issues’ is my code for ‘the da*** thing fits like sh** and I want to sue the designer, then abduct their family and burn their house). After doctoring with too small sleeves and an over-all ill-fitting body – too boxy, too wide – I gave up. Till last week. After some wonderful hours in the garden, during which I stroked some weeds or herbs, I am not sure about this, I was so relaxed that I wanted to try it again, sewing a blouse with woven fabric. And clever me, tried it with old men’s shirts to spare me the buttonband and the potential destruction of new fabric.
Thought and done (this, my dear readers is a trick… I needed a whole week to sew this blouse, but I will pretend I did it in one evening). I already had a pattern at hand I wanted to use. It is a puff sleeve (naturally) blouse with a Peter Pan collar from an older Burda magazine (6/2016) I bought on Ebay. I cut out the biggest size (44) and snatched one of my old men’s shirt and …. It did not fit. Size 44 was too big to fit on the shirt. Most tutorials I watched about refashion seem to have XXL men’s shirt at hand and only sew for size 36. This did not stop me, no… I simply ignored everything I read about fabric grain and placed my pattern Tetris like on the shirt. Avid reader of my blog knows, I am very good at ignoring wisdom and in fitting patterns on small fabric scraps. But this time I needed reinforcement in form of another scrap of fabric, as I could not get the two parts of the collar out of the old shirt. Fittingly I had this unobtrusive red fabric scrap with hearts in my stash :-D
Everything cut out I started to read the explanations. And I did not understand a word. Honestly. Burda is famous for very short and condensed explanations, but these… The explanations were not short but in a kind of code. I had no idea how the made the collar and the inside of the blouse. But I really wanted to get this done as I already have one half finished blouse in my cupboard (the Mimi). So, I researched YouTube and found an explanation how to sew Pater Pan collar, for a t-shirt, in stretch fabric, without buttonband. At this moment I was convinced this is similar enough to my blouse made of woven fabric and with a buttonband (sorry, I really try to explain my thought process, but sometimes even I do not understand my ideas). From this video I learned that I needed a neck facing to attach with the collar. Heartily I cut into another shirt – remember I had used up all fabric from the last one – and improvised a facing.
I could follow the videos instruction and got the collar attached to the blouse, but (there is always a 'but' in sewing) the collar is too small and too flat. I guess I made a mistake while repurposing the buttonband from the men’s shirt and the flatness… not sure if this is owed to my improvisation with facing and collar. The blouse is again too wide and boxy for my liking, but wearable, kind of.
At the end of this post you may ask why did I start with Fate weaving strings together and so on? Because again I wore my handmade cloth in the new garden. The flowers are lovingly unfazed by my sewing mistakes which lead to weird garments. Both the story of sewing a blouse and the story of planting (broccoli, cucumber and tomatoes) are united.
Addendum
Do you know Astrid Lindgren? I remember her story Mirabell which I loved as a child. There the protagonist learns to grow dolls out of seeds … do you think I could grow clothes from seeds? Or does it only work with seedlings?
Thank you @crosheille for initiating and @muscara, @shanibeer, @marblely for hosting the #needleworkmonday. If you want to see more beautiful projects with yarn, fabric and most of all needles, follow @needleworkmonday. Or even better grab your needles and keyboard and join the #needleworkmonday community.
Ohhh, if you don't have a hive account and want to comment then visit my Wordpressblog Bliss and Blisters and write me there.
Just joined hive and this was the first community I searched for, I see you all, and I'm happy☺️ great work @neumannsalva!!
Welcome to Hive!
Thanks Ma'am ☺️
Amazingly I love how you did it. The blouse fits you.Hahaha relate much in reading how to magazine,I do not understand it either.
This was like a magic fairy story!
I like the blouse, I like this re-purposing of garments and keeping the button band is a great idea and saves so much hassle. The fabric for the collar is perfect!
I also like the style of your jeans - are they straght legged or a different design?
The garden is coming on beautifully, and it looks like you have had the perfect weather for enjoying it.
Ohhh so nice you liked my story and the blouse. Before I tried the refashion I have researched a lot and found so many cool ways to change a shirt... but most work only for smaller sizes or needed a pattern. But one tutorial is still on my to do list although I think you need two shirts and a special pattern, but I really love the style of the blouse
I hope I will have the patience to try it out...
And the jeans: it is an old H&M jeans, my only one which is a bit more sturdy and does not have stretch, so I wear it constantly in the garden as a bramble armour :-DDD
I think it has tapered legs, is low rise and bigger (36/32) Therefore the relaxed fit.
Here she is:
Right now I ordered some jeans, as this one needs a partner, so that I can wash it :-DDD But (I have written this a million times) I find buying jeans very exhausting. Good for me, I finally found some mid or low rise jeans, not the high rise ones which do not fit me (I am too short for them, I could pull them in my size to the chin). I hope that one will fit...
I think I might have to start looking for jeans with no elastane. Environmentally, they are better. I was astonished the last time I bought some - so inexpensive. The first time I bought a pair, I had to save up for them!
Growing clothes from seeds... well... if you would sow flax...
If I then see seven swans above me, I know what’s happening... 😂
I always love reading your posts. Using a pre existing shirt so that the buttons are on already is genius.
The shirt looks great, if its comfortable, it is even a bigger win.
Great job :)
So happy you liked the post!!! Sometimes I think I am deviating too far away from needlework, so it is good to hear you like to read of my stories <3 And yes, the buttonband... it still frightens me a bit, so reusing this part of a shirt worked perfectly for me. I still have one more complicated shirt refashion I want to try out as I loooove the blouse they made from (I think two) old shirts. I already linked the video above in a comment to @shanibeer
That;s a pretty cool looking shirt! I look forward to seeing the post about it.
All posts need a little personality, and yours shines through in your writing :)
You never cease to impress with your creativity
This post has been appreciated and featured in daily quality content rewards. Keep up the good work
Oh wow!!! And I am always flattered and love to hear this (oh noooo, am I vain?) Your support is absolutely awesome and a huge motivation for me (again, oh noooo am I extrinsic motivated?).
I am very thankful and hope more people will visit hive and perhaps even the needlework community <3 <3
Impressive! I love blouses, only when I look for them I can't find them or I can't find a model that convinces me.
Someday I'll make my own blouse, thanks for the inspiration.
Ohhh so nice I could inspire you!! I still want to make a blouse from scratch, but I have so much to learn in sewing. RIght now it is so handy that we all have skills in needlework, as most shops are closed :-) I am looking forward to you sewing as I like all of your amigurumi. I am sure your clothes look amazing too
Despite the problems you ran into, it looks great. That red dotted fabric changes everything. I told you you're a hero, I wouldn't dare to try something like this. Congratulations!
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You are so smart to use a man's shirt to try this blouse again! You gave me a reason to repurpose the ones I have in my stash. Love the collar!
And your garden is looking good. It is so exciting to paint a blank canvas isn't it? And what better way to strut your new blouse than in your brand new garden! :) I love your jeans too!