It has been a bit quite here on the blog. I was working on another project and then went on holidays. But now I am back and will try to catch up with my backlog.
There was no June bra as promised. Somehow it did not happen. I already had an idea and pulled out some fabric but then I did not have the right notions. This is what really annoys me with bra making, all those different elastics, hook-and-eyes, rings etc that you need and that never happen to be in my stash in the color I want. As I will hopefully attend a bra pattern making workshop next week I decided to postpone bra making until then.
But now on to the Zamora Blouse. Begin of March, Kennis released a mini wardrobe collection consisting of a turtle neck top, a blouse, a skirt and a jacket. I was happy enough to test the blouse pattern. I like this style with V-neck and bow-tie. I have the Style Arc Tiffany Blouse pattern in my stash for quite some time but never got around to sew it, so I thought I might as well join the Zamora Blouse test sew. It seems that lately I somehow manage to finish a project only when there is a deadline.
Fabric:
The fabric is a cotton shirting with tiny black stripes. It was a left over from my button up that I sewed in 2014. As this fabric is great for a classic shirt it is a bit too stiff for this style. I think more drapey fabrics will be much more suitable for the Zamora blouse.
Alterations:
I sewed a size 2 A cup tapering to a size 4 at the hips. When I tried the blouse on I was not happy at all with the darts. For the A cup size the front darts start just below where the pleats open. In my opinion this does not really work. Also the back darts where not at the right place for my body. Kennis suggested to leave the darts out and that is what I did as I liked the loose fit. Other testers did not have this issue so this is special for my body shape and not an issue with the pattern.
Construction Notes:
As I made the blouse a few months ago I do no longer remember the details of the construction. The instructions were clear as usual for Itch-to-Stitch patterns. The only part that was a bit tricky was the attachment of the collar/tie at the front. Else it is just the same as for any other blouse/shirt pattern.
Conclusion:
The V-neck is too low for my personal preference. The bow adds a little bit in height, but not enough for me to feel comfortable. This can however be solved easily for the next version. The other issue I do not like too much about the blouse is how the collar lies against the neck. It does not lie flat but makes some wrinkles. This might be due to the stiff fabric. However, with some changes and figuring out where to place the darts this pattern will work for me.
Disclaimer: I got the pattern for free in exchange for testing it. All opinions are my own. This post uses affiliate links.
I’m so envious of you having access to that bra drafting workshop! Thank you for the heads up about the dart issue in Zamora blouse. I would also make an A cup, and I think I’d run into the same problem. I like the blouse :). Have a nice summer!
I really hope that the workshop will not be canceled. I already wanted to attend in April but there were not enough participants, can you believe that? I am crazy enough to drive 500km for it…Happy summer to you too (here it is cold and rainy 🙁 )