Miss Celie

Vogue 8120: Blue Silk Dupioni Blouse

My mom is always lamenting that she can never find nice blouses for a reasonable price at the mall.

So, I brought material from home down to Florida with me. After a run to Joann’s we picked out this Vogue  8120 blouse pattern (they were on sale this week).

I figured making her a blouse was a fair trade off for all the stuff I’ve lifted on this trip (digital camera, vintage pink pyrex casserole, off set spatula, slippers, potato masher….).

Instead of a muslin we did a quick pin fit. Man, I wish I could pin fit myself! What a time saver!  I took two inches of width out the back,  made a two inch swayback adjustment for her and added two inches at the front waist.

The silk is a black and blue crossweave from Fabric Mart. This silk frays badly and needs to be underlined for structural reinforcement. I’ve had garments from this type of material before that have ripped just from looking at it. This underlining gives it a beefier feel. Kind of like an unstructured jacket.

And, because I have no serger or zig zag machine in Florida, I was forced to sew French seams. I say ‘forced’ because in 20 years of sewing I’ve not made a single functional French seam.

Christina was so troubled by this that when I invited myself to her place in Seattle two years ago she literally sat me down to show me how they are made. It’s a pretty way to finish the seams. I even did them around the arm hole.

I used fabric selvedge along the biasy edges of the bodice. This gave me something to ease the fullness onto and keeps it from stretching out.

I made small ties on the inside to tie on the left.

And, my mom had this brooch since their time in Korea and added it to the top.

My mom asked if I was going to make her something every time I visited. I didn’t respond.

Here’s my dad inspecting my work. Honestly, I’m not sure he realized I actually knew how to sew, LOL. He told me ‘good job’. I suspect I’ll have to make something for him next.

I also bought another pattern for a skirt. But, I feel the need to sit around the pool on my last day here and do nothing. I hear it’s raining at home and there was a tornado warning. Plus, I had the asinine idea of leaving here at 7:00 a.m. so I could be at work around 10:00 on Monday. Which of course means I have to get up at 4:30. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

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95 comments

  2. Wow! How lovely! You did a great job 🙂
    I know what you mean about coming home from Mom’s with kitchen stuff. I thought I was the only one that did that …

  3. Wow! Your mom and the blouse look stunning! Thank you for the photos of the inside works of the blouse. Once I learned how to do do French seams, I loved the process; it’s really quite easy, just time consuming compared to the serger. I’ve used them to avoid threading the serger!

  4. Oh! I wanted to add: whenever my daughter visits she leaves with a ton of stuff, some of which I’ve pressed on her. It’s a great exchange for the way it makes me feel!

  5. Re leaving tomorrow morning ~ think of it this way, you do get another full day at the pool today! And the blouse is beautiful! Love the pin your Mom added to it!

  7. The blouse looks stunning on your mother. I didn’t look closely at the picture of your father, but I think you get your lovely smile from your beautiful mother.

  9. OMG – your mother looks fantastic! She is so chic and the top is so chic and together it’s like chic overload! My mother would freak from happiness if I made her something that fancy and complicated-looking.

  10. Wow! What a beautiful mom! And the blouse is simply stunning on her! I love thinking that your dad didn’t realise you could sew!

  12. That’s a really beautiful blouse and your Mom looks beautiful in it! Last time my daughter came home I sewed something for her but couldn’t make her take the kitchen stuff I wanted to offload. Your Mom’s a winner on both counts!

  13. Those early morning flights always seem like a good idea.

    Your mom looks beautiful. The blouse is lovely too!

  14. Stunning! And yes, you should make at least one parent something on each visit – you can tell your work is truly appreciated by them.

  16. What a beautiful blouse! Those french seams really make the inside lovely as well.

  21. Its beautiful and it totally fits your Mom – physically and stylistically (I’m guessing, from the pictures.)

  22. Your mother looks lovely in her new blouse. I am going to go buy that pattern as soon as I am done here!

    And, yes, you have to sew your mom something every time you visit and your dad too. he, he. But seriously, I lost my mom last summer (she was much older than your mom, rest easy) and after everyone left I stayed in her house for a couple of weeks to dispose of most of her clothing, etc. You cannot imagine the amount of comfort it gave me every time I found something I had made for my mommie. She appreciated my work so much!

  23. Love the color and the style. Nice work and so nice to sew for the family! I’ve made a tradition to sew my sister something for her birthday the last few years.

  25. That looks fabulous (and had it been my mum I would probably have already ‘liberated’ the brooch!)
    I’m sure she would be happy to have you stay any time but if you make her something as nice as that you would be really welcome.
    P.S. If you want to sew in the UK anytime……

  28. beautiful top and you got such a nice fit. I agree, isn’t tissue fitting great? Now that I have a dress form, I do it all the time and it is so much easier. It you ever want to make a dress form, let me know. I saw a very nice one at Couture Camp – on of the other students had made it. It was really sturdy, pinnable and just as nice as my Wolf.
    I’d love to try making one, so give me a hollar.

  29. You did a wonderful job on the blouse for your Mom. She looks teriffic and I’m sure she is very proud of you. How does she stay so beautiful and pulled together in the Florida humidity?!! Amazing! Hope you had a wonderful time.

  30. Wow, your mom looks terrific and so proud of her talented daughter. And you did a wonderful job on this beautiful top. So glad you could enjoy the warm weather and a sewcation.

  31. WOW! That blouse is gorgeous. It looks incredibly high-end and expensive.

    I am very impressed! (And it looks great on her!)

  36. Gorgeous top, I want one! Job well done without a serger, I love that it wears like a jacket, and am adding this pattern to my shopping list! Love the color, too!

  38. OoooMyyyyGooodness Cidell, you did a fabulous job making that blouse. Underlining it was the perfect solution and french seams, wow! I love french seams and make them every chance I get.
    Your mom looks so pleased and happy. I am sure she wasn’t just pleased with the fit but also that it felt nice against her skin.
    And as always, your mom looks so fantastic! Dad too.

  40. You did an amazing job. This is such a beautiful blouse on a beautiful woman. I know your Mom will wear this with great pride.

    * Your dad sounds like my uncle. My cousin left B’more to pursue a fashion designer career. Her dad was like, “You sew?” lol

  41. Your mom and her top are both BEAUTIFUL. Lucky Mom, lucky you! What a wonderful gift to give–your creation is just gorgeous. Well done!

    Lynda in LV

  42. What a gorgeous blouse!! That color looks super on your mom…lovely!

    I’m sorry, but I LOL’d at your ‘brilliant idea’ to be at work by ten…saving a vacation day, no? Sounds like something I’d do…and regret…

    Have a good trip!

  43. Beautiful! Your Mom and the blouse are both stunning! Can you come visit me? 🙂

  45. Fabulous blouse! And I think your dad would LOVE a Negroni shirt from Colette patterns!

  47. great job and the french seams look good as well as your mom in the blouse It seems like you whiped that up in no time at all the fit is great!

  49. Your mum looks stunning in her new blouse, you did a fantastic sewing job on it too, it looks almost as good on the inside!

  50. I’ve seen pictures you’ve posted of your mom before and she always looks so chic and elegant! The blouse is lovely on her, and the brooch is absolutely PERFECT for it. Your finish work is gorgeous as well.

  52. That is one absolutely stunning blouse! I WISH I could sew like that! and your mom looks gorgeous. I just discovered your blog and LOVE it.

  53. Gorgeous! Your hard work shows through in the blouse and your mom seems very happy with it. Yes, it looks like you need to make something for your dad too.

  54. I, too, have trouble finding things at the mall that make me happy. Now THAT would make me VERY happy. That is a truly smokin’ blouse and when you add one hot momma, well, I’m truly impressed with what you’ve done and how much your mother looks like she stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine. (Don’t you think you need to make yourself one too?). I’ve seen that pattern many times but it’s much more smashing made up than in the drawings. I lust.

  57. The blouse is absolutely gorgeous and so well fitted. I love making things for my mom too – moms seem to love whatever we make and are so proud to wear the items.

  58. You have made your mom an absolutely gorgeous top! You sound like me when I make travel plans. My last trip to Oregon I had a near 6 hour flight, landed at 10:00 pm, hit the road at 11:00 pm for a 4 hour drive south to my sister’s house. It sounded like a good idea at the time too, but I don’t think I will be doing that again. Have a safe trip home!

  61. Your mom is stunning and the top is perfect on her! Great job and yes, you must sew something for both Mom and Dad each time you visit.

  62. Your mother is beautiful. She looks so proud of you. Your sewing is amazing. What a great daughter you are! *Applause*

    I bet your mom (and dad, too, why not?) would be thrilled to have more bespoke items in their closet.

  63. um, i am in LOVE with that shot of your dad studying your work. i think you’ve got yourself a new visit chore. but how could you refuse your glowing mom?

  64. Your parents are so beautiful!!! I always enjoy reading your blog, I am in awwww everytime I visit. Your very talented… and you take such great care in explaining everything… even to us…esp me a beginner…inspired only because I found your blog! Thank you!

  65. What a gorgeous top on your gorgeous mom! She looks AMAZING in her blouse, and it was so sweet of you to sew it for her. Your dad’s adorable, too.

    Thanks for the tips about working with dupioni. I always love the hand of it, but didn’t know how to reinforce. Super helpful tips on underlining!

    Hope you’ve enjoyed your visit!

  66. So beautiful! What a nice present for your Mom–she looks so stylish. What did you use to underline?

    • Hunh. I can’t believe I didn’t mention. I used some white muslin that I had around. Silk organza is what is traditionally used. But, muslin is what I had on hand!

  69. It’s touching to see how often you’ve sewed things for your mother, Cidell. It’s hard to go wrong with a silk too! I need to make something for my mom,..but she’s fussy! I made her a hat and she rejected it out of hand because it wasn’t her color. LOL.

  72. Another fantastic job! You are a fantastic daughter for making this fer yer mom. And of course a marvelous stitcher.

  74. Oh, yeah, I’m sure she’s going to be playing that nothing-nice-at-the-mall card forEVER and rightly so! She is gorgeous, the blouse is amazing, your dad is so cute inspecting it and you are an awesome daughter to make it happen 🙂

  75. What a lovely thing to do, and your Mother looks well chuffed. Understandably too!

  76. I was going to ask about what you used for underlining, but spotted someone else had already done so!

    Your mum looks so chic, absolutely darling! I also love the idea of using a brooch to adorn the blouse closure.

  77. This looks AWESOME on your mom! I love the color and fabric choice, and the insides are divine! What a fantastic daughter you are!

  78. I wish I had seen this before the Vogue pattern sale finished at Joanne’s. I will get it next time for sure. Your work is beautiful–in fact everything about this, including your mother, is beautiful. Very inspiring.

  79. Beautiful! Your mum looks fantastic in it and I bet she will treasure the blouse and be telling everyone her supremely talented daughter made it.

  80. What a flattering style and colour for your Mum. You’ve made a beautiful job of this and those seams are 10 times better than overlocking for such a nice fabric! I’m tempted to get this pattern for myself now!

  81. Beautiful job, beautiful mom — could she or her blouse look more stunning?!? Those French seams (and the fussy underlining) were so worth it! “Good job”, for sure!

  83. Your Mom is very attractive. You did a wonderful job of her blouse. It looks like you purchased it from Saks Fifth or Nordstrom’s. Thanks for sharing with us!

  86. The blouse is so fabulous that i think I’m going to copy it. I have that same silk in a different colour and have been racking my brains as to what to make out of it. But doesn’t it say something about fashion and manufacturing that someone as beautiful and as slim as your mother cannot find nice blouses in the mall? I do wish I had a daughter like you who would sew for me too!

  89. Just wanted to let you know that we like your version of V8120 so much we posted a link to your blog from our Vogue Patterns facebook page. The blouse is lovely!

  91. Wow, that is one gorgeous top!! Thanks for sharing the pic of your very happy mom.

  92. That is a very lovely blouse, and your Mum looks great in it. A perfect fit, too!

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