Lace Camas Blouse

Presenting the Camas blouse from Thread Theory, which is described as "the unrestricted comfort of a t-shirt and the put together elegance of a blouse". 

This isn't really the kind of blouse I would usually choose, because I prefer a more fitted look.  But what attracted me was the opportunity to use some stretch lace in my stash on the shoulders and yoke.

The pattern is a pdf (yes another one, even though I really do hate all the extra work!).  The yoke was easy to fit and it gives a nice neat finish inside.  I used the black jersey in the inside yoke and lace on the outside.  Because I was using un-lined lace I didn't follow the instructions to hide the shoulder seams in the yoke, because they would have shown through the lace .

I cut a size 12, but found it just too baggy, so I took another 5/8" in at the waist for a more fitted look.  The other major change I made was to raise the neckline by 1" as the original would have been too low for me.

This was a fairly straightforward sew, although the placket is fiddly to fit, being so narrow!  You need to use lots of pins to ease around the curved neck (I used stretch fusible interfacing, which I don't think was necessary, non-stretch would have done the job and been cheaper).

I didn't manage to get a neat finish at the hem edge of the placket, you can see how it has sort of bowed rather unattractively.  It's difficult not to get stretch when you are adding a placket to a stretch fabric. 

Rather than top stitching the placket as per the instructions I stitched in the ditch as I thought the placket was rather narrow to top-stitch (plus I'm not sure how neat I could have got the topstitching on jersey).  I didn't make button-holes, choosing to sew the buttons through both plackets as the blouse easily pulls over my head.

I like the blouse out with jeans.  It can be worn tucked in, but if I'm going to wear it like this then I'll have to remove the two bottom buttons because they are too bumpy tucked in (you can just see this in the first photo).  But here it is to give you an idea.

 

 

I don't think I'll make another Camas, but I love the contrast lace trim and so I will be looking for another pattern which offers this option.  The other thing I loved was the cotton jersey fabric.  It is a really good weight, warm and buttery.  It's lovely quality at £9.75 and I used 1.25m.  The fabric comes from The Cloth House, which is fast becoming one of my favourite on-line shops (for quality fabrics as its not cheap).  They send really good size samples which cost £3.50 for 5, and when you order the fabric you get a tag with washing instructions.  I'll be getting more of this jersey in the cream and the grey.

I've had a hard week at work, so I've really appreciated my sewing down time.  I'm in the middle of a Robson coat and a wool jacket, so slower more challenging projects. 

We have had a little snowfall, though it didn't last, beautiful on the hills though, and I leave you with a little Cumbrian scenery.

 

 

 

If you watched Wolf Hall last week, you may have thought you spotted Rosie!  Couldn't find a photo but the dog in Anne Boleyn  entourage bore more than a passing resemblance (although a neater hair cut).  Have a wonderful week.