Just a blouse with a black skirt and gold cardigan.

I needed a blouse. Just a simple blouse.

The search was on!

…and then off.   I am not much of a shopper.

Blouses without shoulders….,                                                  See-through blouses…,                                                                                  Blouses with elastic waists……,                                                         and even blouses with wings!

I just wanted a simple blouse!

About 15 minutes later, I realized I had wandered into a fabric store – with a coupon in my hand!

A printed polyester fabric caught my eye (this and about a dozen other fabrics – but thankfully, at times I can count on some small measure of self-control!)

The fabric had good colors.  Neutral background.  Some black – to coordinate with the many black suit jackets.  Some purple (to coordinate with just the coolest purple earrings).  Machine washable.

The design was a horizontal stripe, but turned 90 degrees would become vertical.

Inexplicably, and against all the laws of physics, the bolt jumped off the wall and landed – unaided – in my cart.

Off to gaze longingly at pattern books.  Many patterns were considered.  None were purchased.  I felt The Pattern Stash could provide.

It did.  This now-discontinued Vogue pattern:  8392 – (without the Copa-Cabana sleeves!)

I had sewn it previously from a sheer lightweight silk – and apparently after it completed its useful life, I decided to save the blouse as a muslin – which was folded nicely inside the pattern envelope!

Cutting out the blouse was a bit tricky as I only had the  front and back pattern pieces. The sleeve of the silk blouse/muslin had to serve as the sleeve pattern piece.

I also cut neckline facings – good old fashion facings.  Not a bias binding.  A real 2+ inch wide facing – complete with interfacing and requiring understitching!  Anyone remember those?

After sewing the blouse, I pulled it over my head and discovered it was HUGE!  So much for the saved silk blouse serving its purpose as a muslin!

A bit of resizing.

Just a blouse in a poor quality self-photo with a beige linen wrap skirt.

The finished blouse!

I love the wide neckline and the pleats!  Bending over can be accomplished with no gapping!!!