SALmah MONtana

I was tempted by this top's simple and clean style and the 2 dotted rating. For me, the 2 dotted became polka dotted...


Pattern Description:
"This blouse with long kimono sleeves demonstrates just how exciting a grey colour can be. It looks extremely seductive when made up in a light-weight batiste and constructed with a long front slit."

Pattern Sizing:
Missses' Burda sizes 36-44. I sewed a "40" and whoa, I could probably float in the air if a fan's air blew towards me!

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes, if I go by just the collar and rolled up kimono or dolman sleeves. My top's bold salmon color replaced the serious "business" aspect with some vivacity. I just cannot wear grey very well. It is simply not my color, serious person that I usually am.

Favorite Features
*Placket opening.
This was very easy to construct. I folded, pressed, and topstitched the facing along the marked center front line (1/4" of raw edge turned under). Then I basted the lower edge of the wearer's right placket over the placket.

*Collar with collar band

*Dolman sleeves


Not-so-favorite Features
* Shirt had excessive ease and length, making it very a la Wee Willie Winkie.

Willie's gown, however, had more flair.

* Although I like the style as shown in the magazine, in reality, it does not cooperate fully with my frame and body type. It probably can be overwhelming and unflattering on somebody like myself who is barely 5'1" in height with a short torso.


*Front of placket needed to be secured for modesty.

*Working with a tricky fabric.


Fabric Used:
It is probably a type of silk-rayon-weave from one of my favorite online stores, EmmaOneSock.com. Because it is somewhat slippery and because it is not tightly woven might have a tendency to run.


Were the instructions easy to follow?
Easy to follow? They were minimal, but normal by Burda WOF standards. I add this pattern to my track record of imperfect or goof-ridden first-time experiences with patterns which include "easy" patterns. I somehow misread them and sewed the side seams of the lower front and back (skirt portion) before attaching to the upper front and back instead of vice-versa. I recommend Burda WOF's order of construction to avoid some minor challenges. Then the sleeve seams and the side seams were supposed to be sewn as one continuous seam.



For construction of the collar and band, Burda refers to pattern #106, a man's shirt, which simply describes what I call the "sandwich" method in which the collar is sandwiched between the two collar band pieces. You can rely on your experience, sewing reference books, or on-line resources. Thanks to the very helpful and talented Sigrid NL, in her recent of review of her lovely shirt, for providing a link to Pam's very helpful tutorial on this method.



Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
* Due to fabric constraints I added a center seam to the lower back piece.

* I elevated the front horizontal seam 3/4". In retrospect, I should have left it alone.

* I took in the side seams about 1/2" for a total decrease of nearly 2" in circumference below the bust.

*I removed AT LEAST 5" from the length.

*I sewed all seams using French seams. I persisted in using French seams despite issues with sewing on the bias coupled with slippery fabric.

*I secured the plackets just above the empire seam by topstitching horizontally 3/4" from their lower edges and in the little square formed, topstitching diagonally connecting opposite corners to from an "X".

*I added two buttonholes on the right front and two "diamond" buttons (finally, I get to use these :-) ) on the left front, to secure the front for modesty.



Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, in terms that it is fairly simple to construct if you do not encounter major fitting issues. However, I would not recommend it to those with figures similar to mine. Burda's two-dot rating became beyond a three-dot for my situation.

Conclusion:
I have found that styles with gathers below the bust and above the empire seam are more flattering. After the changes I made, I am still not sure if I will sew this top again. I have been comtemplating about transforming the front to a full button-down shirt, eliminating the skirt portion.