Burda Silk Blouse 04/2011 #105

Date: Author: Category: Stash Smash Tags: , , , , , , ,

I always like to have a few cotton shirtings laying around in my stash so I can whip up a shirt when the occasion arises. This particular fabric, a stretch cotton poplin from The Remnant Warehouse, has been in my fabric chest since December 2016! So it was about time I sewed it up.

A woman stands against a garden fence. She wears a white button up shirt and black coated jeans.

The pattern I used is a trusty old faithful: Burda Silk Blouse 04/2011 #105.

A woman stands against a garden fence. She wears a white button up shirt, black coated jeans and leopard print flats..

I’ve made this silk blouse pattern before a few times, but have recently started to wonder if my numerous adjustments for a broad back would be unnecessary if I simply sized up from a 40 to a 42. Sometimes you don’t want to be proven right, and I was – meaning I could have saved a lot of time and effort in the past trying to get a size 40 bodice to fit my rugby player shoulders! The size 42 doesn’t quite correlate to my measurements, but sometimes sewing is more art than science, I find.

A woman stands against a garden fence. She wears a white button up shirt, black coated jeans and leopard print flats..

I had intended to make this shirt up without major style adjustments, but when the time came to attach the cuffs, they looked ridiculous. They were very long and hung down over my hands, with the split creating a kind of Fantastico the Creepy Magician vibe. Of course, this was completely obvious in the pattern photo, but I must have been distracted by this lady cleaning her (tropical?) pool** in a silk blouse to notice.

A woman cleans a pool wearing an inappropriately fancy silk blouse.

So I created a lot of work for myself and shortened the sleeves, before inserting a tower placket (IN THE ROUND) and a narrower cuff. This was way too much trouble for what it was worth, and in retrospect, I could have put a smaller, seamed cuff on as per Sewing in Athens and called it a day. Her solution is more sympathetic to the style, too.

Pattern piece for a shirt placket.

I have no idea what scale that grid is, but the tall side is 1.5cm wide with additional 6mm turnunder, and I just folded the shorter side under itself until it was about 8-10mm wide. The seam allowances in the middle are all 6mm, and I divide this in two pieces as per Off the Cuff.

Shirt cuff and placket.

I enjoyed sewing this shirt, and always need more white shirts in my wardrobe. Plus I used up some fabric which had been in the back of my mind for far too long! (For practical fabric at least. The precious unique fabrics we hoard have an indefinite shelf life in my opinion!)

A woman stands against a garden fence. She wears a white button up shirt and black coated jeans.

Read more on Chronically Siobhan.

 

 

 

Stash Smash Project Points
Meters Used 2m 10 points
Stash Time 11 months 10 points
Preciousness: I really like this fabric so I’ll use a pattern I trust 20 points
POINTS TOTAL:
 40 points

10 thoughts on “Burda Silk Blouse 04/2011 #105”

  3. Love your shirt too! I never sew with white fabric which makes no sense at all considering any white garment I’ve ever worn has really suited me. It’s the only (non) colour that makes me look more colourful than my pale face does normally. In fact one of my favourite garments is a RTW white cotton santeen Gap shirt that fits me perfectly and looks just great. But when I’m in fabric buying mode I get distracted by all those pretty colours and skip over white completely 🙂 I’m going to TRY and remedy that!

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  4. Looks like a very good shirt. I have been attempting this kind of pattern myself recently and it has taken absolutely ages – all those button holes collar etc. This looks really well made. I may have to buy this pattern. Looks a very good everyday top pattern – for work. Well done!

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