Here follows the first of my birthday presents launched (& a few others used too!) The Eliza M Pussy Galore Bow blouse.

Overall impression of the Eliza M Pussy Galore bow blouse: super cute & worth persevering with.

I love the style & the cut – there are deep darts both front & back that has created almost a peplum effect when un-tucked (not my style, but I am showing a variety of wearing options in the interest of science & no, I do not usually wear white shoes with teal tights, honest)

Its sleeves are extremely loveable with gathered cuffs & sleeve cap  – designed in areas of intense gathers which I have a fondness for I must admit. After looking through my variety of bow neck blouses/ dresses* I must admit to being concerned that the neckline would be too high to suit me, but thankfully I am over that, & wearing it doesn’t strangle me either. It feels very comfortable.

So my reflections on the pattern, since I see that Eliza M has a large range, with mostly dresses, but some really cute separates as well (now being stocked by Jaycotts even). You buy the pattern in the size that you want – which is quite a retrograde step for us modern day sewsters when we are used to multi sized patterns (should our bust & waist/hips not match regular shapes), however, this pattern does hark back to vintage & that needs to be remembered.

The packaging is pretty, A4 ish in size, the golden frame leads us in to what is a very simple product: patterns ready to cut out with only one cutting line (see, there are benefits to buying single sizes!), one sheet of A4 instructions – words on one side & annotated diagrams on the other.

I do like annotated diagrams & will always go there first. Saying that though, I’d suggest that the instructions are on the economical side (even the wordier version) & if you haven’t ever made a bow/tie neck before I’d go so far to say there is not enough detail about how to do it. I have made a couple in the past, & got making this one up wrong. I could dredge my memory bank to rectify, but I didn’t get enough help from this pattern. But in the spirit of a vintage reproduction maybe it’s remaining true to the era it drew inspiration from, I wouldn’t want to knock it.

I was pleased that the sleeves were inserted flat (probably not a vintage method?), however next time I would think twice about when I added the sleeve cuff, as it would be neater to attach it as a band rather than it also having an ugly side seam in it.

In my last post I told how I’d taken a few extra steps (a duplicate seam to insert the sleeve & I stay stitched the neckline).  I also added interfacing to the facing, something I am loathe to do without wherever there are buttons & buttonholes.

The fabric wasn’t the easiest to play around with, in fact I think it was messing with me – trying to match notches was a waste of time (& sleeve notches didn’t always tally sleeve to blouse I found). I also hated that this fabric does have a right & wrong side (a slightly different finish ) but trying to identify it at night under artificial light was too difficult – I should have marked it when cutting – or sewn it all up in one go like I usually do & then you can remember whether you cut out with right sides together or not.
But on a huge plus, wait for it, minimum iron. Score! This will get a lot of use as a result, I promise you.

Somehow I messed up the front neckline – possibly trying to adhere to the notches too inflexibly. This meant that I had extra ease in the bodice when attaching the collar, resulting in it not sitting very well in the upper chest area. But, hey ho, it’s wearable & the fabric & dots & bow mask all that ! This is a very wearable muslin, I will persevere to get it right next time having learnt a few lessons this time.  (But in case you didn’t hear me “I do love it!!”)

Do you like the buttons?  They sprung out at me from my birthday box of sewing delights.  All fake: plastic pretending to be gilt & plastic masquerading as mother of pearl, but cute all the same!  Also from this box, a new gadget which I found easier to use for spacing buttonholes than a regular 6″ seam gauge.

I’ve also recently been given a metric one by the lovely Maria Denmark, so have one for all eventualities.  It’s fun having new toys to think about how to try out

*By the way, in my discussion of the bow neck patterns I have, how could I forget that I also have Victory Patterns Hazel dress & Simplicity 2154?!  Some of you guys have a better memory of my makes than I have!!

And second by the way, some really interesting comments in the last post about what steps people take above & beyond what the instructions tell you to…fascinating!  I will keep going back to it I tell you to try some of these out.  (Putting sleeves in flat & “bagging” interfacing are two I will instantly try to do (more) of)