Pattern: This top started as my muslin for The Maiden Blouse by Stitch Witch patterns when I tested the pattern back in February.
Materials: The lightweight gingham I used lived a previous life as an apron, which I found at an estate sale for $1! About a year ago, I added "gingham" to my Thrift Store List (anyone else have this list??) and the apron was the first time I found gingham fabric in the wild, so I got excited... and then realized it wasn't really enough fabric to do much with. UNTIL NOW.
Cost: $1 for the fabric, I got the pattern for free in exchange for testing, and the buttons were from my stash. So $1 total.
Timeline: I cut the bodice in February and intended to go back and finish it for months after finishing my striped circus-y Maiden Blouse. Lately I have been REALLY trying to clear out my sewing WIP's, so here we are! Only took 7 months to make this muslin into a wearable top.
Sizing, mods, changes and notes on fitting: LOTS. After fitting my muslin, I had pulled it apart to make changes to the front bodice piece on my final. So when I picked this version back up, I pulled out the darts and completely re-cut the front bodice.
Now, Madeline has included a facing in the final pattern to make a sleeveless version of this blouse, but it uses the other, rounded neckline, not this square, Queen Anne neckline. So instead of using the facing for the sleeveless version, I cut the neckline facing as normal and treated it like a binding, sewing it to the wrong side and then folding it under and stitching it down. This worked pretty well! I think it will hold up and keep the square neckline crisp, despite the light weight of the fabric.
The apron also did not provide enough fabric for the epic sleeves included in the fabric (too bad, they would have been awesome in this floaty fabric), but it DID have two very long ties, which I repurposed into the flutter sleeves. Because I am all about SLEEVES. After basting on the gathered sleeves, I used a basic binding to finish them.
I skipped the boning for this version - the fabric was too light and it was just not what I was going for.
Feelings about this project: This is so so cute - a little bit Picnic Maiden, a little bit Milk Maid. The light fabric is very wearable for this hot hot weather, while still offering drama.
If I make this top again, I WILL interface the back button bands. In both this lightweight version, and my heavier version, the button band pulls in a weird way and needs a little extra stability. I love the detail of the buttons, so I wouldn't want to lose that, but it needs some help.
Now, I DO have a larger check gingham tablecloth that I thrifted shortly after this apron, so... stay tuned for my full gingham look (joking... maybe).