Carme

As soon as I'd finished this blouse I slipped it on to take a look. The style is very different from anything I've sewn for myself previously. I stood in front of the mirror and stared for a minute. Turned. Stared some more. Then Mike walked in. I asked him what he thought of my new blouse, and he responded that I looked perfectly dressed for a renaissance fair. Not exactly the response I was expecting. I turned back toward the mirror. He was right. We laughed. I took the blouse off and set it aside. Oh, well, I thought. You can't win them all. 

I decided to give it a chance, after all, Carme did take a little bit of effort to complete with her pintucks and placket, abundant edge stitching, sleeve ties, collar and cuffs. She deserved a spin around the block. I tucked the blouse into my black Hollyburn skirt and stood in front of the mirror. I felt nothing. I had Mike snap a few photos for the blog. When I reviewed them that evening after work, I had the same BLAH reaction. It just wasn't working. 

The photos of my Carme/Hollyburn combo were uninspiring to the point I decided I needed a do-over. I rolled up my sleeves, undid a few buttons and let my hem hang out. Just like that, it clicked. Suddenly, Carme made sense. And, I really liked like her. In fact, I think we'll be spending a lot of time together this fall as layers become a key component of my daily attire. Will I make this blouse again. Maybe. Probably. Someday. 

This was my first experience working from a Pauline Alice pattern. I chose to purchase the PDF version. The pattern pieces went together exactly as they should. Everything lined-up, and it was fairly quick and easy to assemble. I used the body measurement charts provided to determine which sizes to cut. For my shape, I needed to grade between three sizes from the bust to the hip (38-42). It seemed like a lot, but it was an easy blend, and I feel like I have an even amount of wearing ease throughout the garment as a result of the grade. 

The instructions and illustrations provided with the pattern were very nicely drafted and clearly explained. I followed the instructions, mostly. I did use French seams on my side, shoulder and sleeve seams; I do this as a rule. Paired with the finishing techniques in the pattern, I think the end result is very professional and holds up to wear and tear. The fabric is estate sale stash. It's a semi-sheer embroidered cotton. 

Nathalie has a lovely post on how she modified her Carme blouse to accommodate her bump. I'm excited for our next project together, Roxanne. The weather has shifted here and all I can think about is FALL. So, I'll definitely be making mine suitable for cool weather wearing! I'm dreaming about fall textiles, how about you? 

P.S.- Do you live in New York? On a whim, Liz and I have decided to take a day trip and have been making plans via Twitter to meet-up with some lovely sewing bloggers while we're there on October 4.