I Did It!

Last summer I made BWOF 04/2006 #126 but with a great deal of difficulty. I was thoroughly confused by BWOF's collar-collar band-lapel treatment. I tried it a second time and was totally defeated by that same collar & lapel. The carcass of that blouse is still hanging in the back of the sewing room closet taunting me. Every time I went to the closet, I shook my fist and I vowed "One day I will try again and I will make that blouse." Well, that day came. I tried again and I did it! I studied the directions for this blouse intently. I really needed visual aids with my directions and I really wished BWOF provided them. But, since they didn't, I made my own visual aids. I made several copies of the diagram of pattern pieces and highlighted the appropriate seams to illustrate what seams needed to be sewn together. Once I conceptualized on paper the way the pieces fit together, I made a muslin to work out the problem in 3D. Careful marking of the muslin was another key to solving the problem. I was able to mark up the muslin without mercy and it really helped.

Here's the before - a permanent UFO:









Here's the after - a well used muslin:









I'm going to keep both the UFO and the muslin as a reminder of my conquest over BWOF. I can't wait to get this blouse made in real fabric. And, I can't believe I used to think muslins were a waste of time.