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Monday 17 August 2015

A peasant blouse in Scotland


When I was packing for our holiday in Scotland I kept a close eye on the BBC weather forecast. When rain, more rain and 16 C was predicted I quickly unpacked all skirts and dresses and added more jeans, long sleeved tops and cardigans. The weather forecast didn't bother us, it's always part of the experience when visiting Scotland!
A few days before we left I found some time to finish a peasant blouse, made from a patterned viscose fabric bought earlier this summer. The pattern I used was Knipmode KM1405-26.


The fabric is very lightweight, doesn't wrinkle and can be folded into a tiny square, win-win-win when packing for a flight! I used French seams, added a center front seam (had to, because of the print error in the fabric) and changed the keyhole opening into a triangle.


There was no time to make a muslin, not to mention the questionable use of doing so from an economic point of view, given my fabric cost a whopping 2 euro.



Not my best look ever for a variety of reasons. Too much length above the waist, too much width at shoulders/upper bust/raglan and an overall look, as mr Foxgloves described it, 'like those sack garments you see in sewing books for beginners'. Thank you very much dear, I already noticed.



Something else I have to learn is to look at patterned fabric from a distance. In close-up the fabric is black, white and yellow. I even noticed happy little birds when I was sewing (too) late at night. When I look at the pictures I see a print that's too small for my frame, and a rather dull grey-ish shade.
Enough with the nagging!
I'm sure you all know the benefits of a large garment with an elastic waist when on holiday!


See? When in Rome....After a visit to St Andrews we had fish&chips by the seaside. And onion rings, just because we could. If we had stayed in Scotland any longer that blouse would actually fit me.

We had a wonderful time! Driving left, but not too left, was a challenge. As always. Once we got the hang of it we visited The Trossachs, Loch Lomond, Stirling, Edinburgh, The Highlands and the West Coast. We had bacon, eggs and haggis for breakfast, fresh salmon for lunch, draught cider and ale in the pub and tasted whisky in distilleries. We watched baby seals, climbed castle towers and met a lot of very friendly people.
Talking about friendly people: my Scottish sewing friends on Instagram provided me with a list of fabric shops in Edinburgh and Glasgow. A list I'll keep for future use, as we were running out of time in Edinburgh and did not visit Glasgow this time around. Thanks again, girls, much appreciated!

As close as got to fabric: Tartan weaving in Edinburgh



No fabric, but I did bring the next best thing: patterns! Butterick 4281 (Oxfam, 30p), a sewing magazine with free Simplicity K1418 and of course I could not leave without a lambswool scarf. In plaid. What else ;)




Next up: more holiday sewing. Different pattern, different countries!


12 comments:

  1. Nice backdrop for a peasant blouse! Well done.

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    1. Old bloggers trick. Use a stunning backdrop to distract from the less than stellar outfit ;)

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  2. Beautiful peasant top and beautiful photos of Scotland.

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    1. Now to sort through over 800 pictures and make a photobook! I consider the blouse a wearable muslin as I don't feel like unpicking all French seams. Maybe I'll make another one soon, shorter and smaller at the shoulders.

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  3. Beautiful peasant top and beautiful photos of Scotland.

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  4. I think it looks really good on you.

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  5. I like your fabric. I'm Scottish, although exiled in north of England and appreciated your post and photos. We had some tartan woven for us but no photo alas. I've made up S1418 from Sew magazine for DD3 -.see my review on my blog or PR.

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    1. I remember you mentioned the tartan! I've always had a soft spot for Scotland. Both my husband and my oldest daughter lived in Scotland for a semester (Aberdeen and Stirling universities, 24 years in between) and of course I visited them. I have to catch up on reading blogs, I'll check your S1418 soon!

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  6. Don't you just love helpful comments from husbands? Sometimes things just work for the situation - like your peasant blouse on holiday! Well done! Love the plaid lambswool scarf - and your beautiful photographs. It looks like a wonderful vacation.

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    1. Well, I can't blame him! And you're right, it was comfortable and worked for the situation. By the way, even in my best dress it would have been a hopeless task to look stylish on rainy days with frizzy hair and soaking wet shoes ;)

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  7. I actually like the blouse and am now considering making it myself!

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    1. It was a nice sewing project! I just found a bright blue border print in my stash and am considering to give the pattern another try. Different size and different colour, might work a lot better!

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