Sutton Blouse - Mood Fabrics' SIlk Chiffon Panel

  Spring?  Well, here in the Missouri  it comes and goes, in fact, Mother Nature is being quite stingy with the nice days.  There is a saying here, if you don't like the weather today in Missouri wait a few days and it will be totally different.  My plan is to be a step ahead of Mother Nature and to be ready for spring.  I ordered this gorgeous Mood Fabrics' famous designer blue/gray striped geometric silk chiffon panel last month with plans of a flowy top.





This fabric is no longer available but no fear, feast your eyes upon these beautiful Mood Fabrics' silk chiffon choices or if you want  more of the panel look, Mood Fabrics' has a great selection of panels.

    I went with True Bias Sutton Top (purchased at indiesew.com)  for the fabric and I was very pleased with the pattern-fabric match.  The silk chiffon has wonderful drape which is perfect for this pattern.  The instructions do tell you the fit is oversized and I wanted a flowy shirt but not too large.  After reviewing the size chart and finished measurements I went with a size 8.  I wasn't sure about how many panels to order, so I went with three.  If you look closely at the description on the panels, it will tell you the width and the repeat.

  

  I took a close look at my yardage before I cut out any of the pieces, I thought the front triangle shape would be a great placement for my waistline.  This was the only area I worked on matching and for a limited repeat I am quite pleased with the front seam.

 All the seams are finished with a french seam and True Bias has a great sewalong for this blouse.  I found the chiffon to be delicate to sew but I really enjoyed the entire process, working a bit on this top each evening.  My regular machine was in for repairs and cleaning, so I borrowed my daughter's machine.  This took a bit of practice on scraps just to adjust to a new machine but the first thing I did was to change the needle to a size 70.   The easiest way to get the all the detail photos of the blouse was on my dress form.  Take a look at the yoke, side slits, the bit longer back hem and the pleat.  This fabric is so stunning and really is such a rich color.

 


 A couple other tips, make sure your scissors are sharp when trimming the seams for the french seams, I had to try a couple of pairs to get a nice smooth cut.  Which means I need to get some scissors sharpened, right?  Also, I like to measure against the pattern for the top of the side slit, then measure my fabric, place a pin and then my slits are equal.

One thing winter brings is static electricity....  My silk/chiffon was sticking to my camisole like you wouldn't believe.  First set of pictures there were not a one I could use.  I quickly used a dryer sheet on my top and it was a bit better.  That is part of the reason for so many on the dressform this time.  Another reason for spring to come.

  I know this blouse will be well-loved this spring and  summer and the silk chiffon will be wonderful to wear during the hot and humid days of summer.

Disclosure - I receive a monthly fabric allowance from Mood Fabrics to make a garment.  This garment is blogged at Mood Sewing Network first and then I will blog here about this garment.