Finished: Vogue 7636

I had three items in my queue before I added eight pieces of fabric to my small fabric cache during PR Weekend. I plan to sew two of those items before starting on my Chicago Collection.  The third piece is being pushed back for fall sewing.

The first project was Vogue 7636, a Today's Fit by Sandra Betzina blouse, which I believe is out-of-print.  I've had this pattern for quite a while.  I made the long sleeved version, but I didn't like my fabric choice, seldom wore the blouse and forgot about the pattern.  I'm glad a gave it a second look.  I like this version a lot better.

My original plan was to cut the straight hem.  When I tried the blouse on, I thought it was too short.  If I'd made a muslin, I would have known about this situation before it became a problem.  Luckily,  I had enough fabric left to cut just the shirttail bottom and use it as a separate extension.  It was just a matter of adding a seam allowance and sewing it to the bottom of the shirt.  The side and shoulder seams were finished by pressing the allowances to one side and topstitching them down.  I used the same technique to attach the extension so the horizontal seam echos the seam connecting the yoke to the front.  My hope was that it would look like a deliberate design detail and not a mistake.

Added bottom extension

Today's Fit pattern instructions are personally written by Sandra Betzina.  The instructions for the yoke were a little confusing.  Two options were presented: one that involved hand sewing and the other was sewn entirely by machine. I've used the "entirely by machine" method countless times, but the instructions in this pattern still confused me.  The instructions mentioned something about reaching through the shoulder to pin the inner and outer yokes together, but that really wasn't necessary.  I just sandwiched the front and back between the yokes as I usually do.

I particularly liked the in-seam pockets on the front.  The sewing was a little fussy, but the pockets are worth the effort.

In-seam pocket

Betzina's instructions include encasing the seams on the pocket.  Encasing the seams is what made the construction so fussy, but it was a nice touch.

In spite of the extra touches, this blouse went together quickly and easily.  I'm sure I'll be making in again.

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Several times during PR Weekend, I overheard conversations like this:

"Is that Vogue 7636?"
"Yes! And you're wearing McCall 2094, aren't you! I have that pattern, but I haven't made it yet!"

I am amazed that people have the ability to recognize garments and blithely refer to them by pattern company and number!  I usually have no idea of the pattern numbers of the clothes I make.  Is it just me?  When I used Big 4 patterns, I remembered the number only long enough to find it in the drawer.  Case in point, Rose asked me about the top I was wearing and all I could say was "Burda".  She told me that was like being asked what I had for breakfast and answering "eggs".  Were they scrambled, poached, over easy – what? After searching my brain, I did remember that the issue was from 2011, possibly February, or maybe March,  and that I mentioned it in my blog.  Woefully inadequate, I know.  I can't say from now on I'm going to try to remember the names of numbers of the patterns I use.  My post-menopausal brain won't allow that  But, I will be more diligent about putting identification labels in the garments – just in case.