Replica

I have had a blouse from Boden that I have worn and worn. It went with all my handmade patterned skirts and I loved the shape but sadly is has a spagetti bolognese mark on the front, a little hole in the back and the underarms were no longer white. 
What's a girl to do?

I unpicked half of it and found out several things I had not noticed while wearing it for four years. It had french seams, it had pin tucks in the arms, a little gathered section a the back neck and the hems on the arms were constructed with tape. Interesting.

I ironed the pieces flat after unpicking all the pin tucks and french seams. I marked in felt pen any information I might find useful then made a paper pattern transferring the markings.

I have never made a muslin of any garment, I usually fit as I go but this seemed a bit more risque - I didn't quite trust my own pattern drafting skills, after all I had never done this before. I used an old duvet cover because the cotton had roughly the same weight as my chosen fabric.

Then I made it with the fabric I bought at the NEC last autumn for £6 but I only used about 0.6m of it. I had already pre-washed it - I know get me...

Highest praise indeed came from Bloke when he said, 'What are you doing to your blouse?' I said, 'I made it.' he countered I hadn't because he remembered ironing that one with pleats in the front lots of times. There, I fooled him with my replica.

 

Just what I wanted but for a fraction of the price. I also have a fabulous go-to pattern now too. One in the wardrobe, one out.

If you want to get into sewing or 'back' into sewing there is a year long FREE set of tutorials on the Foldline sewing website. Here is the link. The first session is on reading a pattern and types of fabric to choose.

Happy sewing! Jo xxxx