After sewing Clare’s bias skirt (see previous post) there was more than enough fabric left to sew her a top.

We chose McCalls M8181. At the time it hadn’t made it to Australia (it takes a couple of months post release in the USA for patterns to get to us for some weird reason) so I bought the pdf download online. I rarely do that with McCalls patterns; they’re not all that user friendly to assemble in comparison to pdf patterns from small independents. Anyway, this is the pattern:

From the pattern page: Misses’ buttoned prairie puff-sleeve peasant top. Hems include cropped, ruffled & pointed. 3/4 sleeves & long sleeves. Top is lined with princess seams & sweetheart neckline. FABRICS: Cotton Blends, Poplin, Broadcloth, Sateen. Lining: Lining Fabrics, Lawn.

We chose view A for Clare. After one look at the pattern pieces, I knew that I would need to muslin the bodice. Out came the stash of old cotton bedsheets that I use for this purpose! I cut size 6 to best suit Clare’s shoulders and upper bust, and graded to size 8 at the waist. But believe me, once I had the bodice muslin on her I made a lot of changes. I removed torso length, mostly from the bodice back, and generally did loads of marking and pinning to improve the overall fit. Let me acknowledge right here and now that it’s definitely not ‘perfect’ across the shoulders – you can see the neckline standing up and away from her body there. I also narrowed the shoulders, and removed some bodice depth above the bust. That meant that I had to lower the armhole a little.  Let me acknowledge right here and now that it’s definitely not ‘perfect’ across the shoulders – you can see the neckline standing up and away from her body there.  I have learned over the years that a fitted bodice definitely reqires a muslin for Clare. I’m no expert at fitting; it is something that takes practice and is probably the most difficult thing about sewing your own clothes.

I didn’t muslin the sleeves but they eased into the bodice without issue. You can see the texture of the fabric a little more in these photos.

This was actually pretty easy to make, in terms of construction. The bodice is fully lined using the same patterns for both outer and lining, and it’s princess seams. You just need to be careful when attaching the lining to the main fabric so that you get the neckline right. I used pink cotton from stash for the lining.

Construction was mostly with the sewing machine. I just used the overlocker to neaten edges where necessary.

The shank buttons are vintage, and were just the right shade of cream to match the fabric.  I haven’t actually seen Clare wear this out yet, but it was made in January and the weather has only just cooled enough for a blouse in this weight of fabric.  But guess what – there is still some fabric left!  I wonder what it might become.