This outfit is one of those that make me smile while wearing it. I’ve been wanting to make the skirt for a long time and in fact, both the pattern and fabric have been waiting for quite some time in my stash. The blouse pattern was a more recent purchase but, I’ve been keeping an eye for a pattern in this style for some time and in my opinion the patterns are a good match.

Starting with the blouse. I used a Butterick vintage pattern, 5580, that unfortunately does not mention the year it was released, although my guess is around the 50’s, both because of the style and for not being printed. Well, the instructions are printed but the pattern pieces are already cut and have different sizes perforations and notches to guide. It took me a bit to get used to it.

As usual in vintage patterns, this one only had one size available, size 14, 32” bust and that’s exactly what I made. I choose option A, without changes at all.

The instructions suggest to cut the fabric in bias and that is what I have done. As it is a quite fitted blouse it helps the way it is cut. The way it fits is one of the things that made me choose this pattern and to achieve the fit it also has 10 darts. Two diagonals in the chest area and the remaining 8 at the waist, 4 in the front and 4 in the back.

The waist darts are a little unusual to me and I don’t think I’ve ever made a blouse with such kind of darts. I did try to find how this kind of darts are called but failed. If you happen to know it, please do share 😊

The blouse has no buttons and to help with the dress/undress it has a side zipper (I used an invisible one). The armhole is finished with bias binding and to add a bit of colour, I used a self-made bias using a floral fabric. I do adore to add small details even if it is in the garment’s inside.

One of the things I like particularly in this version is the collar although version B also looks really nice… might have to make another version sometime. In order to keep everything in place, I handstitched the collar facing at the neck and shoulder.

The fabric used is a shirting fabric from Mike Tecidos and it worked as expected but a fabric with some drape must work lovely as well.

To go with the blouse, I also made a skirt that was in my “to do list” for such a long time. The Chardon skirt by Deer and Doe.

I made version A in size 36, based on my waist and hip measurements, using a linen/cotton fabric bought some three years ago and although the photos seem to indicate otherwise, I did iron it.

My only change was to shorten the skirt 5 centimetres. The pattern is lovely and I have intension to make more but I intend to use an invisible zipper next time, instead of a regular one. That would be my only change and that is just a matter of preference.

Although it has a few inverted box pleats, it is a fast project and the result is (as my girls like to say) so satisfying. Let’s be honest, it is a pretty skirt and it has pockets.

The instructions recommend finishing the hem with bias binding and that is what I’ve done. This time I did not made the bias, instead I used a bought one that have a satin finishing and a very similar colour but some stripes that make a subtle contrast. I’m happy with the result and used it as well in the facing.

 

This is turning out to be a long post… Summarizing, I am really happy with how both patterns turned out and how well they worked together. I have intention to use them again.