I have been busy sewing again, and used my first ever downloadable pattern. This is the Ethel Ruffle Peplum Blouse from Tiana's Closet. This was a bit of an experiment, as I am still planning to make a blouse from an old embroidered tablecloth, but decided it was best to have a go with another fabric first.
Possibly my favourite thing about the blouse is the fabric, which is an old curtain that came from a friend's mother. I would use it as a tablecover when I used to do craft fairs, and love the fact that it is old, a bit worn and has such soft colours. My new pasttime is looking in charity shops for interesting fabrics.
The peplum blouse was fairly easy to sew. Downloading and sticking together the many sheets of paper took a while, but probably not as long as a trip to the shops. I really like the sleeves on this pattern, which have a lovely shape. Although I like a long sleeve the elastic cuffs mean you can push these up if you need. I sewed the side seams of the body and arms with french seams, and then used bias tape to enclose the peplum seam on the inside so it would not fray. The blouse just slips on over the head, so no need for zips or fastenings.
Very happy with the result, and I am now thinking do I go for the tablecloth blouse, or perhaps a skirt that will compliment this blouse. Perhaps faded denim. So many decisions to make.
