camas blouse

Another sewing project... This is the Camas Blouse pattern by Thread Theory Designs made with a solid-color Laguna knit by Robert Kaufman and an Art Gallery Fabrics knit print called "Bougainvillea." I was pleasantly surprised to see how well these fabrics pair together; it's really hard to order coordinating colors with online color swatches! Both fabrics are from Hawthorne Threads.

I made a size 8, with only a small modification to make the neckline a bit higher in the front. It's still not quite high enough to skip wearing a cami underneath, so I might bring it up a little more if I make this pattern again. The shirt is very wide/boxy, so it would probably look better in a fabric with more drape. Alternatively, I could bring the sides in a bit at the waist.

I interfaced the outer placket only, using Pellon EK130 knit interfacing. I'm not sure if this helped or hindered the already tricky placket assembly. My anxiety level rose quickly while attaching the stretchy, non-interfaced shirt body to the much more stabilized outer placket. (Dan wisely slunk out of the room when he noticed an increase in my grumbly mumbling.) Next time I might forego the interfacing. I didn’t make buttonholes and instead stitched the buttons through both layers to hold the front shut. The shirt works just fine as a pullover.

I finished this shirt in the fall, but hadn't worn it until our trip to Las Vegas. With it's low neckline and 3/4 sleeves, it's a better top for transitional weather than chilly winter days.