Simplicity 3688...

I have just finished my third hand dyed silk version of this blouse...

I love the pattern - both fit and style - and it is so easy to put together.

Not a very good photo unfortunately.  Both of these blouses were eco-dyed using rose leaves and other foliage - scraps given to me by my local florist!

The blouse at the back is a cowl top based on a free pattern by Hot Patterns , the only modification was the omission of the ribbed band at the waist/hip line.  This blouse is a gift for my neighbour's 40th birthday.

The Simplicity blouse is for me.

Simplicity meets Shibori.

In the last couple of days I Shibori dyed some off-white silk to make the blouse (view A) in Simplicity's 3688, 1940s retro.

I cut out and over-locked all of the pattern pieces in preparation for dyeing. I then used different resists on each section of the garment.

Both sleeves (wrong sides together) were secured around glass marbles with rubber bands. The yoke was stitched with a simple floral motif in three places. Both backs (again, wrong sides together) were stitched with a spiral running stitch at the shoulder, and with rows of horizontal running stitch along the lower back. The lower front was stitched in the same way as the lower backs. Upon completion of the running stitch the are all gathered as tightly as possible (without breaking them). The fabric bunches up a lot like smocking.

I then dyed the pieces together in a bath of equal parts magenta and turquoise acid dye for an hour...with stunning results.



As I said in my last post, I am obsessed with dyeing...and am dyeing everything in sight :-)