Project: Advance 5455 (1950), blouse

Readers,

The sewing space is 90 percent done, — The sewing space is 90 percent done.

It sure feels good to be back in my freshly painted and much better organized sewing space with the pegboard back up on the wall, where I can see my tools. I missed this place!

When I uploaded the top photo to the media library of this blog, my caption was shortened from “sewing space” to “sewing spa.” How apt!

This is a stretch woven, which stands away from the body a little.

Yesterday I pulled the Advance blouse project that I’d started some weeks back and soon was engrossed in finishing it.

It was gratifying to move from step to step with success. I made facings to finish the armholes, sewed buttonholes and attached the buttons, and hemmed. No complications for once.

I like the idea of wearing the collar up, but some well-meaning person would probably turn it down for me. More shaping at the waist would improve the fit.

Readers, you might think that after sewing a coat, a jacket and an anorak, I would not be fazed by a little old blouse. But I’m always surprised when things go without a hitch. I make no assumptions. Mishaps lurk around every corner.

I swear these buttons were just waiting to be paired with this fabric.

Just before lunch I finished the blouse. Then the question arose: how would I get pictures of me modeling it?

Jack’s gone, visiting family for several days. My photographer-sister, Cynthia, is 764 miles away in Columbus, Ohio. I could ask a neighbor to take a couple of shots …nah, I didn’t want to impose.

I like the way the collar brings the eye up. (Oh look--a squirrel!) — I like the way the collar brings the eye up. (Oh look–a squirrel!)

It was time to learn how to take pictures of myself using my tripod (a gift from Cynthia–thanks!) and the timer on my camera.

Again luck was with me. The camera manual had simple instructions that worked the first time through. Within minutes I was simpering my way through a photo shoot on our deck.

The fit of this blouse isn’t perfect. The bust dart should move up, and there should be some more shaping at the waist. The armhole should be a little smaller. But that’s the point of a wearable test: to fine-tune the fit. I plan to go to the next sewing salon at Treadle Yard Goods to get help perfecting this pattern.

Here's the blouse with with a full skirt and a bolero jacket. The button-embellished pocket would be fun. — Here’s the blouse with a full skirt and a bolero jacket. It would be fun to choose buttons to embellish those pocket flaps.

Although this blouse falls short of perfect, it’s been so much fun to finish a summer garment on a beautiful summer day, and even learn to take pictures of myself into the bargain.

And it’s been especially fun to be back–

–in the sewing spa.