Little thoughts

Little thoughts: need more sleep! :)

Monday, January 2, 2012

Taffy blouse

There seems to be a sweetie theme to today's posts!  I thought I'd try my hand at the Taffy blouse from the Colette Sewing Handbook as I need more me made tops and thought a quick project would be good as haven't sewn any clothes for myself in quite some time.  Well, I started off with the idea that I'd photograph everything as I went with a view of possibly doing a sew along sometime in the future and taking the handbook's advice with starting mise on piece:

All the essentials, cup of tea, book, tracing paper, fabric, pencil, cutting implements and weights and pins and on the bench the cutting mat

Action shot of pattern being traced

And this is when I had to change the fabric from the yellow one in the top photo to the purple one shown here being cut out
 I had to change the fabric as I didn't have quite enough for the pattern, boo hiss, so I've used this purple voile I picked up on the London meet up in May.  Well, it's about time it got used for something!

Me looking a little pensive as not sure I like this top.
 This is the top so far, I haven't finished it as need about 10 million metres of bias binding which I don't have.  I'm contemplating making my own from the left over fabric but it's just too late in the day to do that now.  I did think of using some lovely purple satin bias I have ready made but there's just not enough of it.  The sleeves just eat up the binding and you need it for the neckline as well.  I've omitted the waist ties as they weren't on my waist and wasn't happy with them anyway as thought they looked to skinny and puny.
Side on view.
 This is a pull on top, there are no fastenings and I'm wondering whether this is a mistake for me as I need something to define my waist.  Maybe I will put some waist ties in after all on my waistline instead of the one on the pattern, which would be much more sensible and which I should have checked in the first place.  Silly me.

Back view of top.

Now I'd love to put some darts in and make it sit nicely but then I'm going to have to open up the side seam and put in a zip to get in and out and while I'm at it I may as well put some darts in the front as well and get a really fitted top.  Then however, it would be a completely different top and there's the slight problem of the fabric not being the most robust and it doesn't like being unpicked once sewn as nearly had some very large holes after having to unpick a dart miss sewn.  Urgh.

I do like the sleeves though, they're really pretty, I'm just not certain this is the right shape top for me.  I'll have a think on it and see what jumps out at me!

20 comments:

  1. Brilliant for a days work!! Especially love the sleeves :-)

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  2. I love these colors on you, I am getting ready to make my Taffy. My concern is having too much fabric in the back. So I will have to play with the pattern and hopefully not change the outcome to much. It does look lovely, but I see your concerns.

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  3. What a fabulous fabric choice. The color really flatters you too. Good thing to know about the bias binding! I have loads in only a handful of colors. I'll make sure to get fabric that matches those.

    Nice start to the year!

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  4. Thanks Sarah! Spent a lot of time fighting Fizz off the fabric!

    Thank you Brandy! Good luck with making yours, Oonaballoona made a much better version of this than mine, so take a look at her blog for more inspiration.

    Thanks Mela! Yeah, the sleeves take up a whole load so make sure you have a couple of packets if you're not making your own.

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  5. Sounds a really nice colour choice! Probably what you need for the waiste is a rather stylish quilted sash ... the kind that's an hypothetical idea on my To Do list for 2012! .... don't panic though, it's pretty much top of the list, I can't wait to try and make it, assuming the concept is sound (I'm puzzling over whether the size needed to accommodate buttons, button holes and quilt squares might make it a bit larger size than I'd anticipated, but I won't know for sure until I start some test squares!)

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  6. Haha! Nice plug Giles! Yeah, been thinking about a sash. Will go rummaging in my ribbon stash...

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  7. I think the color and neckline/sleeve combo is lovely on you. Since you are looking for more definition, have you considered a belt? not a self-fabric sort of a thing, but pretty fashion sort (rather than the utilitarian, keep things up sort)

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  8. Lovely top!! Perhaps a sash around the waist?

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  9. Thanks Allison, Trish, a belt does seem the way to go! I'll see what I can find and then try them all out! Thanks!

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  10. Mimi... that lovely...I'm also making a taffy blouse.....

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  11. oh it looks brilliant! this is my favourite from the book, have I mentioned I now have it too?!
    Happy New Year to you.

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  12. Thanks Rachel, can't wait to see yours!

    Thank you Charlotte! hehe! You may have mentioned it once or twice! ;)

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  13. Mimi it's lovely- there is something really flattering about the sleeves, neckline and fabric choice. How about a soft obi style belt- that could cinch in your waist as much or little ( for the illusion) as you like. Pretty pretty pretty!! Look forward to seeing it bound!

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  14. Mrs SB I think you're onto a winner! I'm thinking some nice purple satin or maybe matt purple to make an obi belt with...ooooh! The possibilities!

    I'm feeling much better about the top now, thanks guys!

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  15. Such pretty fabric! I have similar issues with loose fitting tops and was going to suggest a belt, but I love Scruffybadger's idea of an obi belt/sash. Maybe in slightly darker purple. Nice one!

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  16. Thanks Alessa! Yeah, was thinking a darker plum might be nice.

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  17. I echo the obi belt suggestion. It looks really nice anyway though. You don't mess about do you? When you say you are going to try out a pattern you do it! I love that. I am scrabbling through my underbed storage boxes looking for potential taffy fabric. Just got a few other things to finish first. xx

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  18. I agree with all that has been said above - the colours are great on you, and the neckline/sleeve combo is great. In fact, you have convinced me to give it a shot, even though it isn't really my style of thing. My copy of the book is in transit, thanks to the post-Christmas sales. Nice job!

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  19. Deb, I really wanted to make something for me so I went to it! hehe! Hope you find something nice. It does eat fabric as it's cut on the bias.

    Thanks Mary. Hope you give it a go too! Finger's crossed Mr Postman gets it to you quickly!

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  20. The color is super pretty on you! I agree with Scruffybadger - an obi belt would look wonderful with this, and definitely in the darker plum! Well done, though - your sleeves look divine!

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