True De-Bow-tion

In terms of fit, I have not been lucky with Hot Patterns. Why do I keep buying from this company? I admit I have been enticed by those pattern envelope illustrations showing "cutting edge" styles. Of all the patterns, Hot Patterns require more modifications/adjustments and I have noticed that I have been more fortunate with New Look patterns. It would be fun and interesting to know which pattern company or companies that you have been having more luck in terms of fit or a combination of fit and style.



Pattern Description
"Sometimes a girl just needs a pretty, dainty blouse to soften her strict tailoring. This is perfect, designed for drape-y fabrics like double georgette, crepe satin, charmeuse, rayon or washed silk. Tie-neck Top has flutter sleeves, darts front & back and deep self tie/collar. Blouse features a shaped hem & front button band. Wear this pretty Blouse with your favorite Jeans and a smart bag for a great everyday outfit, or work a fabulous 40’s look; team it with our Classix Nouveau Pants To Die For, or the cardigan from our Deco Vibe Delano Twinset."

Size
Multi-sized for women. I sewed a "12."




Fabric
Poly satin from Fabric.com. I ordered thinking it was a sort of "stretch satin" and it was the contrary when I took it out of the shipping carton. I cut it on the bias to compensate for the fabric's lack of ease. Maybe it was not a wise decision due to the strange fit and look of the lower back with the gathers.


Directions
I was able to follow them with little problems. I finally figured out the method to attach the front of the bodice to the upper yoke what I refer to as the "sausage" encasement described obsurely in the directions of a HP top that I sewed 8 months ago. The lower back is "scrunched" between the right sides of the upper yoke and its facing. The right side of the upper edge of the front bodice (gathered) is sandwiched between the right side of the upper back yoke, while its wrong side is on the right side of the facing of the upper yoke. Then all 3 layers are stitched together, while keeping the lower back separate. After turning the top inside out, I was glad to see that the seam joining the 3 layers was concealed and that there was no tangled or pieces that went astray.

Favorite Features
*Optional vertical darts in the front and back
*Front tie
*Contoured fit at the sides

Not-so-favorite Features
*I did not find the high neck bow tie flattering on me.

*I used a fabric that did not work well for this style. A lighter weight and drapy fabric would seem more suitable.



*Short upper yoke along with the gathers below do not flatter my back due to puffiness.

*Tie drafted longer than on illustrated model. After much thought, I wish I had shortened the tie.


Modifications
* I experienced difficulty machine gathering the upper edge of the front (below the forward shoulder seam). Then I tried gathering with tiny hand stitches. Wow! I was able to create nice gathers after pulling the thread, but.... they easily extended despite my delicate handling of the fabric. So, I resorted to using a 1/4" wide elastic, and stretching out until the lower edge reached the notch that signalled the end of the gathers. I had to remove the stitches, shorten the elastic less than 1/2", to account for the shorter width of the seam of the upper yoke, past the shoulders. But I noticed little ripples at the shoulders.

* 1/2" hem at the lower edge

* Due to the "batwing" effect of the sleeves, I made a 1" pleat at the lower edge to take in the sleeves. I wonder if the weight of the fabric I was using contributed to the protrusion of the sleeves.

*Made 4 instead of 6 buttonholes.

Conclusion
If I sew this again, I would use a drapier fabric, lengthen the upper back yoke and decrease the length of the lower back. I would also would redraft the lower back to eliminate or reduce the gathers.

This pattern has a lot of potential. With the right fabric and some personal modifications, it would be a lovely addition to anyone's wardrobe.