The Jodhpur Collection – Paisley print Lottie blouse
Or alternatively titled, ‘When B met X, and C met Y’. And none of them where on the pattern pieces!
So this is the Lottie blouse pattern from Sew Simple, that was free with this month’s Love Sewing. It is relatively easy to make, but again it’s a matter of being easy as long as you know a bit about what you are doing.
Firstly, I adjusted the sleeves. All of the pictures made the sleeves look quite wide at the cuff; rather too wide I thought to conveniently put a jacket or cardie over the blouse when the temperature drops, or I just need to be wearing a jacket. So I took a basic block blouse pattern, matched up the under arm positioning of the sleeves and followed the pattern for the sleeve shape from there down. As far as I can tell, having only briefly tried on the blouse, this has worked.
I’m pleased with the self made bias binding, created on the ironing board with the binding maker. Then I folded it round the bare edge, tacked it in place and top stitched it on the right side, being sure to catch in the reverse side all of the way round.
I attached the tie as I would a collar. In other words, I stitched one side of the open section to the blouse back, and then hand stitched the other side on the inside, to the tie / blouse back. I think that is neater than the recommended top stitching the tie and then stitching through both layers to the blouse.
But where to stop and stat stitching the tie? The tie instructions talk about leaving gap between B and C, but does not indicate the precise location of B and C. I measured the distance between B and C by placing the tie between the points where I had stitched the bias binding. Then you stitch the tie between X and Y. But are X and Y the same as B and C, and if not where are they? Please can I have some dots, triangles and notches! Similarly the sleeve setting could have done with at least back and front notches and a shoulder sleeve dot. Either both sleeves are symmetrical, which they shouldn’t be, or I guessed right first time. This is basic stuff.
Anyway, after a brief rant, I have to say that I am quite pleased with how I stitched the tie. It seems to hang quite well! Some of the pictures show it tied in an untidy bow. There isn’t quite enough length for a bow. It looks better neatly wrapped around and ‘dangling’ as photographed.
The fabric was bought in Jodhpur, India, and I have had several plans for how to use it. It’s slightly lighter weight than my other Indian cottons, and suit this pattern quite well. I will either wear this a lot, or not much at all. For once, it’s too warm to wear it at the moment, and let’s hope it stays that way for a while, whilst I roll out all of those summer tops that I have produced in the last two – three years!
One comment on “The Jodhpur Collection – Paisley print Lottie blouse”
Leave a Reply
One Week, One Pattern
Me Made May 2016
Me Made May 2015
Simplicity Competition
Sew Over it Patterns
all my own work by ann 
I love your version of this blouse. Glad it wasn’t only me that had trouble following the instructions x