Back to the Swap: Silk blouse

I did not complete the SWAP in time. Congratulations to both entrants and to the winners. You both did beautful work and raised the bar on photo taking. I  need a nicer setting than my driveway.

I bowed out a few days before the deadline as I realized there was just no way I was going to get everything done in time. I did not, however, stop sewing the SWAP items. I still hope to get them done this year since I bought the patterns and the fabric.

One I did manage to make before the deadline was McCalls 5661 view D. The new skill for this one was buttonholes.

I made it from a creamy raw silk that I bought from Fabricmart last year and it’s become a wardrobe staple for me.

I love the way it’s loose but still follows my curves and I like the way it drapes in general. After my not so successful attempt at using this fabric last year, I’m glad I finally found the right project for it.

The buttonholes turned out alright although with this blouse I probably could have gotten away with non functional buttonholes since these buttons are not necessary for me to put the blouse on or take it off.

I really like the buttons down the back look. I think this is mostly because I can indulge my love for buttons without attempting to make a front closing blouse  fit me properly…something I will attempt to do later as I sew through my SWAP choices.

Oh and the skirt is also from the SWAP. It is  McCalls 5429 view B and it was the first item I actually thought turned out well. I wore it all spring until the heat hit.

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At last a finished product I can wear

So after the last two SWAP items, I was starting to worry that I was going to be unhappy with everything I sewed for this SWAP but I finished the skirt and ‘m pretty happy with the way it turned out.

The skirt is McCalls 5429 view B.

I love working with denim. It doesn’t slip and side out of my hands or off the sewing table and it holds its shape pretty well.

The new technique I incorporated into this skirt was the flat-felled seam.

I poked around online to make sure I knew what I was supposed to be doing and then I made sure I had plenty of water in my iron. I had side seams and eight inserts to stitch in place so this skirt gave me lots of practice with the technique.

Since I wanted to make sure that the seams fell on the outside of the inserts, I checked the raw edges carefully.

I then trimmed down to the seam the edge that will be on the inside.

Then I folded the longer side in half enclosing the trimmed edge inside it.I pressed the seam in place.

It took a lot of steam.

Then I stitched each flat felled seam down with double seams of topstitching in gold. There were 16 seams in  the end.

I’m quite proud of the way they look on the inside.

And here’s the outside of the skirt.

I’ve already worn it a few times and I love the way it swishes