Blouses and my questionable taste in fabrics

Here's what I don't like about sewing: in order for something to fit right, you have to make a ton of adjustments, there's loads of pinning and trying on and you basically sew everything at least three times. At least I do. So far, I made all my muslins from old sheets. But now I ran out of old sheets. So I decided to take a walk on the wild side and make a wearable muslin from my stash fabric. And I do have a stash of fabric. A stash of some of the ugliest prints known to man. I know I liked it when I bought it, so what happened? Has my taste changed that much since last year? 

Anyway, here's a blouse I made completely according to the pattern from Burda. I'm too lazy to check which one, maybe it's this years June edition. 

 

 

My first time making anything with a collar. Obviously I messed up in a couple of steps. The interfacing I used is too flimsy, so the collar doesn't stand up nice and crisp like all good collars do. I failed to match up the ends of the buttonhole placket, so my collar ends don't meet up when I button the shirt all the way through. And I misread a whole section on sewing the bias tape on the neck, turning something on the buttonhole placket this way or the other - the collar is basically a complete mess. But it somehow works.

The sleeves could be a little shorter, but I'm pretty satisfied with how I set them in. This thing also has darts. Those long darts with two points. Scary, I know.

The fabric is practically transparent, some sort of cottony stuff. It wrinkles easily and I'm not too crazy about the print. Questionable fabric choices, indeed.

After finishing my shirt, I felt pretty confident in my shirt making skills, so I made one for my mom. A different pattern, but also from Burda. Don't even ask about the fabric. I don't know why I bought this. My mom likes green, and they didn't have solid colors. It's viscose.

I still need to add buttons.

This pattern had better collar instructions, so this one came out perfectly. Just look at those crisp edges. I guess practice really does make perfect. 

Or does it? Introducing my third regrettable fabric purchase. A yellow Miss Sixty jersey with white flowers print. It was supposed to be my beach dress. In this one I learned that I need to cut my binding strips way shorter than I did here, to make the neckline and the armholes gape less. The original plan was to add elastics to the waist (so that I can wear it with the top slightly over the elastic so that it looks like a two-part dress) But I gave up on that. It's not likely I will ever go out in public in this. I mean - it's yellow. The armholes are too big. The hem is probably a bit askew. And it's very, very yellow.

It is very comfortable though. I've been wearing it around the house and with these ridiculously high temperatures lately it's been a life saver.