A Stitching Odyssey: Watch This Lace - Karen's publishing fantasy blouse

We all have blog/blogger crushes right? Well, I have several, and one of them is Karen from Did you make that? Unsurprising and predictable I guess, but this woman's talent, witty writing and knack for engaging with the online sewing community really set her apart. I was so excited when Karen invited me to take part in her bound button workshop last August and relieved that I had a special way of paying her back...with some beautiful vintage lace. Luckily for all of us, Karen accepted my Watch This Lace challenge and she came up trumps!

When Marie offered to give me a generous amount of vintage lace, I was thrilled! Much as I love Walthamstow market, any scratchy lace bought there would melt as soon as look at an iron.

All I had to do in return was choose something to make and blog about it here.

I chose Simplicity 5599, a 1982 pattern that had been languishing in my drawer for far too long. If you read my blog at Didyoumakethat, you'll know I made a test make a few weeks ago, blogged about here. Many readers were alarmed that I'd even attempted an 80s pattern, but we agreed it was a success. Time to tweak the make and forge ahead with my lace. (My tweaks were to reduce the width and length of the sleeves, and to shave a smidgen off the shoulder width.)

I chose to use an incredibly fine silk/cotton lawn that had been kindly gifted to me. It was pretty and delicate – perfect to combine with lace. But it quickly became clear that the fabric was way too sheer to use on its own. For the main shell, I'd need to underline. Fortunately I had some cheap cream satin in my stash that would do the job. Oh, slippery satin, how I shake my fist at you!

The underlining wasn't straightforward. I couldn't just baste two layers together, because of the front panels and neckline of the blouse, plus lace insertion. So there was a certain amount of back and forth, sewing of seams, trimming, understitching, flipping pieces over, basting, and some delicate hand stitching on the underlined shoulder seams. A sense of doom settled over me at this stage in the make, but I also had a deadline to meet! Nothing for it but to forge on...

Finally, I got there. Most stages were delicate; the fabric was so fragile. And, of course, there were lace details to add. I inserted lace panels down the centre of the sleeves, and stitched a strip of lace to each of my cuffs. Along with the lace running down the front of the blouse, this felt like enough.

Because I needed to concentrate at almost every step of the make, I found the best tactic was to work in short bursts of time. The moment I felt my patience crumbling I stepped away. Then, one final push before work with a coffee by my side, and the last button was sewn in place!

Despite my doubts during construction, I really like this blouse! I don't feel like an 80s throwback at all. Actually, I feel rather like an Edwardian lady in an EM Forster novel. Maybe a young woman working in publishing (How very daring! She works for a living, you know!) and living in London flats in, ooh, let's say St John's Wood. Perhaps I'm considering which poetry collection* my small publishing house should commission next.

Ah, if only my real-life job in publishing was as glamorous as it sounds. Maybe it was, once upon a time...

Thanks, Marie, for this opportunity to fantasise!

* The poetry I'm actually reading? It's Hard To Be Hip Over Thirty. How appropriate!

I hope Karen's blouse has given you all goosebumps like it has me...how dreamy are the lace insets down the sleeves? 

Being the generous woman she is, Karen's also offering up her copy of the pattern - Simplicity 5599 - to one lucky reader! Leave a comment below if you'd like to be in with a chance of winning and I'll announce the randomly-chosen winner next Friday 25 January. 

Next Sunday, I have a lacey delight from Paunnet that will make your heart sing...for real!