Thoughtful Keepsakes: Simplicity 1886

Let me be clear about some things. There is nothing "simple" about this Simplicity pattern and the "1886" only refers to the number of times I resorted to thinking swear words in my head while trying to put this silly blouse together.

It seems I was a little bold while picking out patterns last week at the fabric store. The last several things I've tried to sew from a pattern have gone well, and I guess I thought I had graduated into "buy whatever looks pretty" in pattern land. Umm...no. This got off to a bad start when I couldn't make it past step #3. It was one of those places where I had to sew a smiley face to a frowny face. I know it can be fiddly and take a little time, but it usually works out. I could Not. Make. This. Work. Out. For 45 minutes, I pinned and repinned and flipped that piece every which way and could never even get close. So I finally forged ahead with my wonky seam and figured it would get better. The next step had me do some crazy thing involving small dots and notches that I still don't understand. And that is the point where I just gave up. Four steps into this pattern and I had no idea how to move on. So I could either trash the whole project or look at the picture on the front and wing it. I was wanting to make "view F" (the one with the side flouncy thing)

I already had all the pieces cut out, I just had to figure out how they all went together. I have to say, I did a pretty good job of making something that looks like the picture (nevermind that I had 2 pieces left over) and I was all set for a victory party. But then I was humbled once again. It seems that pattern makers know what they are doing after all - because my makeshift/wing it method does not yield beautiful results. I can't get the neckline to look pretty. Apparently you just can't turn down the hem on a curved area and have it lay all nice and flat.

See? This side is nice.