Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Burda 7940 - View C Blouse


Burda 7940 View C blouse turned out great for L in a navy blue silk with Fiskars-orange buttons, inspired by a $49 Urban Outfitters top. The pattern called for almost 6 yards (!) of 3/16" wide elastic - I found and used 1/4" instead. I tried the 2 rows of elastic in the arms, but it felt too tight and the sleeves looked too blouson-y on her. You may want to cut the pieces a little bit longer and adjust for comfort. The neckline was supposed to have 4 rows of elastic, but I went with 2 rows in the middle. Sometimes it is difficult to get more than two rows inserted and shirred together without getting torqued and floppy. I still had the channels above and below, which even unused, added dimension and the upper one created a tiny ruffle. Surprisingly it didn't call for any interfacing because the front folds over on to itself. But if you are using a silky or lightweight fabric, you'll want to add a 1 1/4" piece to support the buttons and buttonholes. She loved the sash. I think if she wanted another top from this pattern, I would add a little extra length to the sleeves and have them be more 3/4 length instead of just below the elbow or narrow just a bit and shorten. This could just be her height differential, but you may want to precheck the length, too. L loved the sash - it was the perfect, flattering width and length.