Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Sencha: more than a muslin

Okay, let me say first that I'm not completely done with the Sencha - I have to rummage through the button stash for the exactly right buttons that I have, but just can't quite locate.

I'd say I'm at 90% here, and I'm pretty happy with the result. I think it looks as good bit different than the other versions I've seen online, but that's also because most other versions are made in the recommended silky fabrics and I went for a slightly more substantial cotton. Then again, it was supposed to be a muslin, and my theory was that if it worked in cotton, it could only look better in something with more drape.

But I'm really liking the cotton. Maybe it's because it's red-gold-orange (notice I only change colors when I go for green or brown?) but I also like the casual summer feel of the almost awning-stripe print.

The fabric was a gift from a co-worker, an older attorney in my office whose father recently passed away. She's cleaning out his house, which apparently contains the rubble of the ages, and she brought this into work for me a few weeks ago. It was a curtain, she thinks from the sunroom or kitchen, and going by the depth of color inside the hem, it was once considerably brighter. It's still bright enough for me.

I wasn't sure what I'd do with it, but when I got the idea to muslin the Sencha blouse, I thought it was a perfect use for this fabric - I knew that it would work, at least well enough for a summer top, but I was hoping it would turn out like this - a top that I'm definitely going to wear this summer.

A note on Colette patterns: the sizing is different than BWOF or the Big 4 (I was a 6 in Colette), but the measurements seem very accurate. The instructions are beautifully clear, with nice illustrations. After playing hopscotch with too many pattern instructions, it was nice to open the little booklet included and see the instructions written out completely for all three versions, even though, except for specific details, they are very similar. There's no "see instructions for Blouse 2," or "see nos. 5-7 for Blouse 1." Thank you.

More on construction and the dirty details when I'm finished.

7 comments:

Michelle said...

I just bought this pattern the other day, and am waiting for it to arrive! Your version looks great, and thanks for the info on the sizing!

Little Hunting Creek said...

That's really pretty - I can't believe it was curtains! I just bougnt this pattern too

Nancy said...

I just bought this pattern, too--I haven't started on it yet, but thanks for posting your beautiful top. I have some lovely cotton in my stash that I'm now thinking might work after all...

Rose said...

The top looks great! I agree - It's too nice to be a muslin.

Gretchen the Household Deity said...

Very cute and very you! You'll have to report on how it moves while wearing.

Carolyn (Diary of a Sewing Fanatic) said...

You are right in style! The fashion director for Oprah's magazine says that those spice colors are hot, hot, hot for spring/summer! I love how you reuse fabric...I would never have thought of using that for a top!

Anonymous said...

I'll say it again. I actually prefer this blouse in this kind of fabric. I think it shows of the details better. chiffony fabrics, in my honest, little opinion, just don't do it any justice.