Simplicity 8131

There are bare shouldered tops everywhere this summer.  Off-the shoulder is out of the question for me  but I really fancied a blouse with a cut-out shoulder - enter Simplicity 8131.

Now the first thing I did wrong was to pick a colour of fabric which is too close to flesh tones, and so the cut-away hardly shows (it is there honest ... look closely!).  The fabric wasn't the right choice.  It is cotton voile pique from Guthrie and Ghani, which I bought because I'm a little obsessed with dusky pink.  But although it is lightweight I think this blouse would benefit from even more drape, probably something silky.

The bow can be tied either high at the neck or fitted to the v shape.  I didn't include the strange v shaped hem and also I thought the pattern sleeve length looks neither here nor there so I added 3" to the sleeve length.  I also put an elastic casing in the sleeves rather than the little cuff used in the pattern which I thought would be difficult to fit properly.  I cut a size 14 but had to take the sides in about an 1" on each side .

You can see how the tie works. Small gathers on the shoulders.  This was reasonably straightforward, but you need to make sure you get the edges of neck piece accurately "trapped".



The arm facing is quite clever, as well as rather fiddly.  It has a neat look on the outside.

Here is the inside, again reasonably neat, but one think I don't like is that the sleeve is finished by dual rows of stitching and I thing it looks a little messy.  I don't see why you couldn't finish it by overlocking.

I might make this again next year with a different fabric, if bare shoulders are still "in". 

I might make this again next year with a different fabric, if


I've been having a couple of really lazy weeks watching loads of the Olympics and it has been fantastic.  So proud of Team GB what a performance and just what I needed after feeling ashamed of so much of what was said during the referendum.  Sad to see Phelps' last Olympic race, what an athlete; by himself he has won more medals than Argentina over all the Olympics.  Fantastic to see Mo win again!


Lots more to enjoy this week.