Last rayon blouse for a while, I promise.

I know, I know. For some reason I just can't get enough of this 40s blouse pattern. It's just so perfect with the vintage rayon I've managed to acquire.

When you have a pattern sized just right, you tend to want to make as many of that item as you can. No fuss about fit and all is so nice. You can just crank it out?

Any of you all have a pattern like that?

With this version of the blouse I wanted to try the tie bow neckline.

I decided to use my gray flower print because I only had enough for the front bodice. Because of the neckline change, I decided to switch this one up a bit. I omitted the back pleat, added piping down the front center and across the back yoke. I did line the yokes with that feed sack cotton I've been using on all the others.

Because the vintage fabric was so sheer, I decided to apply the cotton interfacing to the fabric instead of the facing pieces.

One reason to do this is so the seam allowance does not protrude beneath the fabric with it's bulk and disturb the line. I didn't need to do that with the other blouses because of the notched collar, but because this one goes all the way up to the neckline, I felt it was best to put in that bit of extra effort.

The piping with the vintage fabric I had to piece because I was seriously running on scraps. I measured out exactly how much was needed and overlocked the SA (seam allowance). Then I just lined everything up and sewed the back yoke to the back bodice.

There is a lot of fabric at that seam: the back bodice, the folded over fabric round the piping cord, the rayon for the yoke and the cotton its faced with. Turned out to be quite a bit of bulk, so I ended up tacking the SA up to the yoke to keep it secure.

With the front of the blouse, I had just as much bulk, but it was the notch near the top that was tricky. I didn't want to extend the piping too far, because then when I tied the bow it would create a gap. Too short and I would not be able to tie the bow and have it lay flat.

I thank Onda for helping me out with all of that.

Once I applied the piping to the front I LOVED the clean look of it. So much so that I didn't want to mire it with button holes. I know! Me not use buttons!? I just couldn't so I added 11 snap fasteners for the closure and one hook and eye for the top of the neckline. Man, I'm never doing that again. Hand sewing that many snap fasteners wore a hole in my finger. I don't use a thimble. I've tried and always feel like I'm loosing control of my grip.

From there I finished the cuffs with fasteners and added the tie collar. I love the look so much. I think its one of the best versions of this blouse I've ever done.

I do have some more blouses to make form the vintage fabric I have, but I think I'll make a blouse with front pleats. I have more than enough patterns in my stash to choose from. I only hope I can get the fit as well as I did on this one.

Finished pictures of the blouse can be seen on NVL.