Simplicity 2614 - Sheer aqua blouse with front tie - Wardrobe contest garment #1

I have loved this pattern since it came out earlier this year. But I kept seeing it in sheer fabrics and had to think about it for awhile to figure out the construction. I made view E with sleeves but opted for a neck tie with angled ends.

The beauty of this blouse is that the back and bottom front are bias cut which allows it to be pulled over the head without the need for a zipper. This fabric has gold threads throughout, and I like the way they meet with opposing angles at the sides. This is one of those patterns which includes pattern pieces for A, B, C and D cups. I made the B.

Here at the back you can see the sleeve gathers well. All the gathers on this top really give it a feminine look, and work very well with the thin fabric I used. I chose to deviate from the pattern by cutting the neck tie on grain and not bias. I thought this would work better with the bias back and allow me to eliminate the back facing. Getting rid of the need for facings was the most challenging part of making this blouse.

See the cute gathers along the shoulders and bustline? I'm wearing a nude cami with built in bra underneath.

Here's the sleeve. The only thing I'd do differently if I make this again is to cut a bigger hem allowance for the sleeve. They only allow 3/8", which is fiddly to sew and doesn't match the hem at the bottom of the top nor my topstitching along the neckline. No one will ever notice that, I'm just being super picky.

Another deviation I did was to take away the center front seam in the top front. What is the point of breaking up the fabric in this area? It takes less work and looks better, IMO.

Okay, SO, here is the inside front and what I did to get around the front facing. I found this almost opaque nylon interfacing at JoAnn's. I sewed it to the front V and treated it like any other facing by clipping, grading the seam, and understitching. Then I turned it to the inside and topstitched, and then trimmed close to the stitching.

At the back neckline I simply turned the seam allowance of the tie to the inside and slip-stitched. I used french seams everywhere except for sleeve and bodice intersection. Here I finished the exposed edges with a zigzag stitch.

French seams at the side and front:

One down, 9 to go. Does anyone have any good name suggestions for this wardrobe? I was thinking "Mint Chocolate Chip", but the colors aren't really mint. They're shades of aqua. I am not very creative about naming things.

I just got this new super cute NewLook pattern yesterday. I love the pockets, sleeves and collar on view C. It's not up on the website yet, but even if it were, I doubt you'd be able to find the latest patterns quickly. Does anyone like the new Simplicity/NewLook website? It seems pretty awful to me. There is no way to copy the pattern envelope and post it to a blog. I have found that if I go to the Patternreview.com website I can copy the picture there.

Rusted Root is being blocked. And next up is McCalls 5523, view A. I'm making it in the tweed fabric for my wardrobe. It should be a quick sew.