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May 30, 2015

Sonia (Mom) Models the Floral Blouse!



It's Mom's first official photo shoot! (click on pics to supersize)

But first, let me tell you how I finished the blouse.  I took roughly 1-1/2" off the front neckline.



Thinking I'd skip a collar, I added a simple, elegant bias band.



But on my mother, this neckline looked boring and a little stiff, so I removed it and added a standard collar band and collar.  I am so glad I did.  I think it looks very sporty on her.



Cotton floral fabric from Metro Textiles

I added vintage yellow plastic buttons from my stash and, rather than add cuffs, I finished the sleeves with a 1-1/4" topstitched hem at about 3/4 length, which is where she likes her sleeves to fall.





I'm very happy I raised the back neckline.  It fits her nicely and there's no pulling.



Rather than use the sleeve that came with the pattern (Simplicity 2339), I created a sleeve shaped similarly to a two-piece jacket sleeve (with the seam toward the back rather than lining up with the side seam).  This gives her more ease in back where she needs it and less in front where she doesn't.





She wanted a little extra fullness in the back, so I added 1" of width and eased it into the yoke.





She didn't want any shaping so I left out the fish-eye darts in front and back that are part of the pattern.  The blouse is slightly shapeless imo, but hey, she's the client!  And the colors are splendid.



I will continue to refine this pattern so it fits even better next time.  But she's happy, which is always nice when you're sewing for someone else.

Have a great day, everybody!

72 comments:

  1. You Mom looks so cute in the blouse. The colors are perfect for her and it fits her how she likes- well done!

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  2. That's amazing, it's such a nice fit and getting that good fit on a garment that isn't closely fitted is super tricky. She looks very elegant and summery in it.

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    1. That's it exactly. An amazing fit on a loose garment. As always, Peter's work looks expensive.

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  3. Very chic, and the careful fitting was definitely worth it. Lovely!

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  4. I love it! Your mother cannot help being happy in this colorful and well fitting shirt. The best thing is that you now have an almost perfect pattern and the next shirts you make for her will sew up quickly.

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  5. Bravo! The refinements for the back and neck are tremendous. Top work.

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  6. The shirt and your mom are both really lovely. The changes you made to the pattern are so important for most older women, and turn an awkward fit into a comfortable and attractive garment. Your mom is so lucky to have you sew for her!

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  7. Peter, You might find the Joy Bernhardt YoyTube videos on fitting a back curve helpful. She demonstrates a method taught by Cynthia Guffey, which involves slashes across the back of the pattern at 1-inch intervals. You also might consider a forward head adjustment, which involves shortening the front at the shoulder and adding that amount to the back. Sounds backward to me, but it works. Good part is you preserve your collar and sleeve measurements.

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  8. She looks great in her new blouse. I love those colors on her.

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  9. She looks great and the blouse is lovely. I think it looks elegant, not shapeless. I would worry that more shaping with darts would emphasize features otherwise skimmed over. You are a good son!

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  10. She looks fantastic! The colors and fit are great!

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  11. A beautiful blouse for your mom - she looks great! You did a great job on the fit!

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  12. Her smile says it all...you are a good son!!!!

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  13. Beautiful! She looks great in that colorful blouse. I think it fits her quite nicely.

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  14. Pensive Sonia (photo #5)... Your mom is a natural... :)

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    1. Work it girl!

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    2. Eat your heart out Cathy Lane ;)

      Your mum looks fabulous in it.

      Soud.

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  15. Really nice! I'm impressed with the fitting work that you did.

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  16. Tell your Mom she looks beautiful and did a great job modeling. The blouse is perfect. Talented son!

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  17. Fabulous! and what a great model she is!

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  18. I love this blouse. it fits perfect and your mom is radiant in it.Kudos!

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  19. How wonderful that you have your mum and can use your many talents to make her something she is proud to wear :) Now she needs a hat to pick up one/some of those lovely bright cheerful colour/s.

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  20. Your mother looks awesome in her blouse! Well done.

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  21. Your Mom looks wonderful in the shirt. Your pattern adjustments to the back and front .. well, I drool when I look at the way it fits in back. She's right, she needs no darts in this blouse. I like the way it skims her body and allows for easy movement.And I adore the scale and color of the print .Success!

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  22. ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS PETER! Alterations are not the easiest thing to do and what a great job you did with it. It fits your mother perfectly. : )

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  23. She looks fabulous. Great fitting job and the fabric is perfect.

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  24. You did a beautiful job on the blouse. It looks perfect on her!!! She looks great. Lucky lady to have such a wonderful son.

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  25. That blouse looks fantastic on your mom! Really a good color and style for her. :)

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  26. as i recall from earlier photos, some of her rtw tops were not flattering due to lack of the modifications you made on this blouse. She looks trim and sporty. Very nice fit considering her choices on darts. the fabric is lovely and she is too.

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  27. really lovely! your mum looks gorgeous in her new blouse

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  28. I love it. Colors, style and model. I'm glad to see the two options of collar vs trim, I get too lazy to check my options and end up not knowing what I'm dissatisfied about. Good call on the sleeve, I have a few tops in my closet that I won't wear because of the cuff, time to fix that. Darts are good but can be awkward when you do a lot of movement like transferring the cane or handbag or hat to different sides. My more fitted tops go skew and need to be adjusted instead of just falling back into place on their own, not easy when your hands are already full.

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  29. Doesn't she look radiant. I love the fabric choice its so fresh, and such a great fit. I especially like the sleeve length. That's it now you've done such a good job she won't want to look at rtw clothing again.

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  30. Cute as a button- and I agree with a previous comment: some colourful hats would be lovely!

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  31. It really looks great. You did a good job.

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  32. love it, the colours are gorgeous on her and i really like the way it sits on her shoulders - perfect

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  33. Wonderful shirt, looks great on you Mom. Love the fabric, really suits her. Think this will be the first of many

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  34. The shirt looks lovely on your beautiful mom! :) Great job!

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  35. What a lovely post, Peter! Your mom looks beautiful in her beautiful new shirt :)

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  36. Your mum looks fantastic!

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  37. She looks beautiful in this! A great choice of fabric. I think older ladies deserve more colors in their life & wardrobe. It looks like leaving the fisher darts hasn't affect the appeal of this shirt - it doesn't look too full. Good work good son!

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  38. It is lovely. I like your sleeve idea. I'd love to learn more about that... Your mom looks amazing in it.

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  39. This may be her first photo shoot but I'm looking forward to many more. Your mom looks fantastic in her new custom fitted blouse. The style, fit, and print are perfect and so complementary. Well done Peter and Sonia!

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  40. Just beautiful! The colors in that fabric make her come alive. Who wouldn't be smiling.

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  41. This is lovely. It looks wonderful on her, and the fit is just spot on. Great job!

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  42. Well done. I love te fabric and the fit is fabulous. Your mother is a fantastic model.

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  43. The blouse is lovely on your Mom and the fit is very good. Fitting the mature woman can be tricky but you definitely rose to the challenge.

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  44. Oh she looks so happy & gorgeous! I love the sleeves that length too!

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  45. The blouse is lovely and the fit is great! I love the simple sleeves and the happy smile. A mitzvah!

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  46. Peter, you did a wonderful job fitting that top for your mom. It seems to fit her perfectly, and I love the pattern matching. Maybe she will let you make her a darted version if you find something with a little spandex in it (stretch poplin or sateen). It looks great on her and I love the photo shoot!

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  47. Lovely! The first picture of your mom by herself, looking off to the side, is just stunning!

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  48. When I fìrst saw the fabric Peter, I thought the pattern would swamp your Mum bùt I was so wrong! Your mum looks wonderfully elegant! Stunning!

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  49. Thank you, Peter! I have a few blouses to make for my own mother, who has a more pronounced curve to her back than your mom's... and this is TREMENDOUSLY helpful.

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  50. Great fit over the shoulders and with the sleeves. The straight bottom hem is a bit boxy yet I usually make them as well because I'm terrible making curved hems like on men's button ups. Consider voile that isn't see through as a future fabric option. It's so light and fresh on hot summer days.

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  51. That's it, you've done it again. Now I need to go spend money on fabric to make my Mom a shirt.
    (Thank you, a lot of your projects have inspired me to try sewing different things.)

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  52. I wasn't so sure of the fabric print on a complex blouse pattern .So the breezy styling works great with this cheerful print. Your Mother looks really nice in this. So cool and comfortable for summer.
    Gail G.

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  53. Nice job! The smile says it all.

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  54. Love the blouse. The print, colors and fit all look so good on her. Especially love the first photo with her hat--great shot!

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  55. Looks great and the fit is spot on! As women get older, they need more color near their face (don't ask me how I know) and that print is just right.

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  56. Your Mom is adorable!! The blouse looks lovely on her and the colors are very flattering. We are constantly steering my 93 year old mother away from buying "beige" clothes. The print was a great choice.

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  57. Your Mom look lovely in the Blouse.I dont think that the fabric Pattern is to young for her .She looks really like Summmer.I hope you all will have many Hours itogther n the Sun ,with Coffee and Cocktails.You do a pretty awesome Job on her !!
    Greetings from Germany
    Kerstin

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  58. The shirt and your Mother look fantastic. Who wouldn't feel great in that pattern and colors. You did a wonderful job as always. You might get a horde of geriatric groupies clamoring for the MPB "looks great on me blouse"

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  59. Your mother looks chic and happy and expensive in that shirt; you've done a beautiful job getting it fitting so well. I like the colours and they suit your mother well. Cheers, Anne-Marie

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  60. Your posts of you and your mum always make me (literally) smile! The fabric you chose suits her beautifully, and matches her smile perfectly. Well done.

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  61. Looks fantastic and the fit is fabulous!

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  62. Your mom looks fantastic in her new blouse! Nice going!

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  63. Wow! Your Mom's blouse came out so wonderfully flattering! You did a great job fitting the shoulders and neck. Next time I'd try adding a tiny bit of length to the front and transferring it into the bust dart (or creating one with the extra length) just to make the front hang straight down. But it looks fabulous notwithstanding!

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  64. Oh wow, this is a slam dunk! She looks great!

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  65. All the fitting adjustments make this blouse look very upscale. I like it without the darts, as others have mentioned the lovely way it skims her body. The colors are great for your mom and she's a super model! Congrats!

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  66. Your Mom looks fabulous in the shirt! Nice job.

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