& Button Hole Tutorial

It’s been very quiet here on the blog while I took some time to enjoy the tail end of summer, and to plan my fall projects, and creating the new Tutorials section of the website. If you haven’t already checked out the new page I’d love for you to take a look. They are free tutorial videos focused on specific sewing subjects, and if you’re learning how to sew I think you’ll find them helpful.

We’re going to get back into the swing of things today though, with a classic blouse that has a vintage twist.

Fall is just around the corner, and this year I’m feeling very inspired by looks that feel timeless, with a nod or two to the past. More and more these days, I want the pieces I make for myself to be things that can stand the test of time, and be worn and enjoyed for many years to come. This means something different to everyone’s individual esthetic and closet, but for me it means a lot of classic fall prints, in earth tones and neutral colors, made of natural fibers like cotton, linen and wool.

Today’s project fits right into these themes. Let’s start with a look at the fabric.

This cream colored cotton/linen blend is medium weight. I think the texture from the linen fibers gives it interest and makes it feel like it could be vintage, and the cotton fibers make it less prone to wrinkling.

Choosing a pattern for this project was really tough for me, because I strongly debated on how vintage I wanted the look to be. I ultimately decided on using a modern blouse pattern, with the intent of adding some vintage twists to it.

Here is the line drawing for the pattern that I chose.

This one is from a small pattern company called Anna Rose Patterns, whose instructions only seem to be available in French. It was also a digital pattern that I had to print and assemble myself. I don’t speak French, but I wasn’t too worried about the instructions because they came with pictures, and I have enough experience sewing that I don’t rely heavily on instructions anyway.

When I thought about how to make this pattern more vintage feeling, I looked at many different references and decided that I wasn’t going to try and emulate any specific time period with this piece. I just wanted to add some details that gave it a bit more of an old-world feel.

For me that meant giving the blouse sleeves a long, snug cuff, and adding some gathering to the cuff and shoulder so that the sleeves had a bit more volume. Otherwise the rest of the pattern would stay the same.

In my blog post for my classic flannel shirt I cover the cuff making process in great detail, but if you’d like me to do a cuff tutorial video let me know! I followed the same process for creating this cuff, but made it longer than what I used for that pattern.

I also used the same method of finishing the hem of the shirt with homemade bias tape.

Overall this shirt came together really easily. I added some interfacing to the front and neck facing and the cuffs to make sure those details looked clean and crisp. All of the button holes on the cuffs and front placket were made by machine, using the method featured in my newest Machine Button Hole Tutorial Video!

The gathering details throughout this piece were really easy to do with this fabric, which was so nice to work with.

I love how it turned out!

So far it seems to go with literally any style of skirt or pant, tucked in or out, and makes a great base layers for cardigans and blazers.

This fall I’m trying to focus on quality over quantity with my projects, making sure to take the time to enjoy the process as much as the end product. This blouse is a great step in that direction, and has made me feel inspired and motivated to get into my other fall projects.

I hope you’re finding your own way to enjoy the journey to your destination, whatever that may be, and would love to hear what creative projects you have on the go this season. Until next time, happy sewing!

~Amanda

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