Vogue 7903 with ruffles

I did manage a little sewing for myself over the weekend, but the photographs were a problem. Not only was my photographer busy entertaining, but the weather was most unco-operative. The weather today was terrific, except for the half hour window in which I was not at work, and could have worn the blouse outside in daylight.
So here is yet another shot of my verandah wall, decorated with the lastest version of V7903.

 

The fabric is a shirting from Gorgeous Fabrics. Unfortunately I did not read the fabric description properly, and somehow ended up with a stretch cotton woven, something I am trying to purge from my fabric collection, due to past failures. This fabric did not convince me to restore cotton woven with lycra to my favourite list. It was hard to press, and wrinkles as soon as I look at it. It also wanted to stretch under the needle whenever I was aiming for precision, but maybe I should blame this on operator error! Despite this fabric wrestling (self inflicted), I am happy with the blouse.

Front modifications
1. I added a seperate button band, as per the instructions in David Page Coffin's Shirtmaking book.
2. I needed the button band to divide my ruffle additions. The ruffles are 3cm wide, cut on the bias, and finished with a rolled hem on the overlocker. The central ruffles are over nearly the full length of the front band, but I did not like the effect of the full length ruffle on the more lateral set. The original version of the outside ruffles gave a pouter pigeon effect, and were much improved when I shortened them to finish well above the bust line.
3. I again used a version of the action back pleat. For this blouse I added an embroidery stitch from my machine, instead of a reinforcing satin stitch, to the top of the pleat.

 

4. This time I made a full length sleeve, which I simply lengthened from the short sleeve, tapering slightly then pleating into a barrel cuff. I used a cuff from a RTW men's shirt as a pattern, shortened slightly, and the placket is from David Page Coffin's book. The monogram is a built in stitch on my Janome.
I did try out the long sleeve from the V7903 pattern, with some mid biceps level widening, but found it a very uncomforable shape on me in my toile.

 

5.I cut the inner collar stand, the inner button band and the inner cuffs on the bias, as I like the change of direction in the stripes. I was very tempted to use another print for these pieces, but thought the design was already a bit busy with the ruffles and my very last addition - double spaced buttons. I was inspired to use this button placement by this shirt by Karen (obviously Karen is a great name for those who sew, as when I went looking for Karen- who- made the- fabulous-stripey- Valentine- shirt on pattern review so that I could link to the picture, the member search "Karen" runs to 23 pages! I gave up and looked at my bloglines list instead)