A Collar Confection

This fabric may look familiar - that's because I made myself a dress with what was originally a Pottery Barn sheet set that I found at an estate sale.  Well, I had enough leftover to make something, and I decided that a blouse was the obvious choice - because I couldn't waste any of this fabulous print!

I have been meaning to try a Decades of Style pattern for years, and I thought that the "Collar Confection Blouse" would be a nice choice.

Bound buttonholes would have been an option, however, the background on this fabric is slightly sheer and I was concerned that the extra fabric would show through and look sloppy. 

I have other versions of these vintage buttonholers, but since they are all slightly different, it's always fun to work with something new.  So I went with machine buttonholes and crossed my fingers that they would treat me kindly!

I just love the vintage instruction manuals.  They are quite detailed.

As far as the pattern drafting goes, I was confused by the amount of overlap given for the button sizing; it seems excessive.  There was also an issue with the short curved end of the collar which didn't match up with the bodice front.  It was fixable by fudging the length of the curve, but I am not sure why the piece is shaped like that.  It should also be noted that the hips are very snug compared to the bust and waist sizing.  This is fairly common with this style of shirt that is meant to be tucked into a skirt, but the hip measurement on this is extremely fitted!  So it could have been slightly smoother sailing, but my issues were fixable, and not enough to make me feel disappointed with the final garment.

I do love that collar, and the sleeve treatment is also fabulous.

This cotton is very crisp, so I am thinking about making another version of the design in a drapey rayon to see how that plays.

The only question is, when will I get around to it . . . and what other projects may grab my attention first.