Paisley, paisley, paisley...and the deepest trench in the world!

Have I told you I love paisley pattern? I think I probably did a while ago when I showed you about this fabric that I'd bought. It's taken a while to finish the top and I also have mixed feelings about it. I have worn it once though so nothing bad happened to it!

Anyway, I used Burda 6984 and made the long sleeved version, adding 2" onto the body length and the sleeve length as per usual. All well and good. I have this thought though, that I really liked this pattern and it would suit me well. But, as you get older, things that suited you in your twenties and thirties, somehow just don't look as good on you now. Do you know what I mean? Well, dear readers, this is one of those patterns. (You can now tell you're in for a bumpy ride with this post!). There's absolutely nothing wrong with the pattern, it's me, or rather, how I look in it.

In terms of fit, the armhole circumference is a little neat and the upper arms are quite fitted on me, that's due to my swimming so that's expected and it's not unwearable or even mildly irritating, thankfully!

If I was making this top again, I'd add a zip to the back opening, where there is a button and loop on the photo below. Perhaps I'd even be adventurous and do my first ever invisible zip! Whoa, there, Nelly!

I also found that the bias binding bands around the wrists were too roomy and so the sleeve 'fell' over my hand. Cue a couple of snap studs to fold the band over on itself and problem sorted. The sleeves hand so much better with the snaps but maybe next time I'd add use the bias binding bands as casings for elastic.

The fabric itself is a 100% fine cotton, probably some type of cotton lawn but it didn't say so on the label. It feels lovely and almost silky and handles well. It drapes well, due to it being so lightweight.

Then we come to the thing that I really don't like! The gathered section at the front neck looks like it's gathered, but in fact it's pleated. And the pleats lead to an inverted pleat in the middle and this just forms a deep trench down your front. Deeply, deeply unflattering! If I ever make this blouse again, I will gather this front section instead of pleating it and see if that's a better alternative to 'deep trench'!

I think that would work. 

This all explains why you haven't got a photo of me wearing it! The colour of the lovely fabric is nearest the red in the photo on the left It really is the most beautiful paisley-est fabric ever and I love it. So that's why I'm keeping it. I've already worn and washed it. I'm using this top for layering in the winter as I do wear a lot of scarves to help keep warm. Yep, you've cottoned on, haven't you? I wear the scarf and it hides the deep trench. Yay! So, all in all, definitely not a runaway success but not a failure either. It's staying in my wardrobe.

There is something that I've noticed that I do, and I was wondering if anyone else does it too. When I finish sewing a garment, I can have a tendency to put it away and then not seem to get round to wearing it, which must surely be part of the reason for making the garment in the first place. It's part of my motivation anyway, so why do I do it? I seem to have a natural reluctance to wear something newly finished but I've started forcing myself to wear it and this seems to help get over that hurdle. The risk with this blouse was in not sorting out the problems, as listed above, and that I'd leave the top sitting about in a 'to do' pile and never finish it. I'm actually pleased with myself for persevering with the problems and wearing the finished top. It's been a bit of a mixed sew, this one! Anyone else had the same experience, or going through the same thing?