The new corporate barbie uniform?

Yes, I hope so.  I'm in love with this pattern, and I could wear it every day.  Would everyone at work start talking about me behind my back?  "There's that weird woman who always wears the same shirt..."  No, it's more likely they'd say, "I am sooo jealy; I want those shirts with the fabulous buttonholes!"  Thanks, again, Granny.  I have at least two more fabrics in my stash that I'd like to use this Simplicity #2151 pattern on, so, I WILL be that weird woman....and I don't care.

This shirt is almost an exact replica of the 2011 Party Shirt (see previous post), minus the puffy/gathered party-sleeve.  Instead, this shirt dons a very corporate, straight sleeve with a couple of faux buttonholes on each cuff for added luxury and corporate authority.

I scored the fabric on clearance ($3.99/yard) at fabricmart.com, and it's a silky, stretchy, poly charmeuse with a small geometric (olive) print on an off-white background.  It's wonderful, even if it was a little slippery to sew.  I had to add a "cuff" to the sleeves, despite my alteration of the pattern making the sleeve 2 inches longer.  I have gianormously long arms, I guess.

Stay tuned for more.

2011 Party Shirt!!

Hello, 2011 Party Shirt.  You're shiny, you're new, and you were made just for me! 

 

I made this shirt with Simplicity "Amazing Fit" #2151 (view A) from some shiny, purple, $1.99 acetate from FabricMart.com.  This pattern was kind of "amazing;" it let you choose the pattern that fit your bust/cup size.  The finished shirt looks exactly like the line drawing on the envelope, which I'm super pleased about.  I did do a quick muslin first, and the pattern directions had some tips for fine tuning the fit.  I shortened the body of the shirt a bit, but the only major alteration I made was to lower the neckline about 3 inches--it had to be done.  A party shirt isn't a party shirt unless it shows some cleavage.

It took me about a week to finish, but what I'm most proud of are the buttonholes I made with my great grandmother's Singer Featherweight and a Singer buttonholer attachment I bought off of Ebay for $30.  These buttonholes are GORGEOUS--they are identical to one another and have a tight bead of thread all the way around.  My fear of buttonhole-making is officially over, folks.  Thanks to my Granny's machine, I can make any kind of shirt I want!

I attached these 6 buttons in about 5 minutes with my Bernina Record 830, and a special button-sewing-on foot I bought on Ebay.

Yehaw!  Bring on the parties.