Not Sew Happy

My previous two sewing projects left me feeling accomplished and stylish....not so with these next two.  But isn't that the challenge of creating something new?  There's no guaranteed outcome.  These new tops are not wadders but both patterns still need adjusting and tweaking....and patience isn't one of my strongest traits.  Still, I think admitting our frustrations to one another is genuine and supports the persistence we I need to carry on.  
These two new tops have me feeling like Goldilocks...the first one is too big, the next one is too little.  So there's some pattern tweaking still to be done but there are "wearable mock-ups" for this spring and summer season.
I was trying to capture a breezy, boho summer look with this New Look blouse since that's what our weather was like in February in southwest Florida.  This is a lightweight polyester with some slight texture.  The print was good for our Florida vacation.  However I need to reduce the flare on the front of the blouse since it's too billow-y and add a little more room to the bicep area for it to be totally comfortable.  Simple top and I think once I get the fitting done it will be easy to make, change and embellish.  I guess we never got a picture of me wearing it so the garment photo will have to do for now.

New Look 6414

I changed the front closure to a tie one and kept the sleeves shorter and belled.  When I tried styling it the same as the model I thought there was just too much attention downward at my widest hip level...but long belled sleeves without elastic, trendy as they are right now, would just be flopping in my food creating a mess.  I did see some clever sleeve treatments while on vacation....resort areas always have such a variety of clothing styles...so this summer I will add sleeve details to this simple pattern.
So that design was a little too big across the front area....and this one is a little too small on me.  I wasn't feeling good about how it looks so I'd rather our rental condo location be featured than my disappointing new Simplicity top.   

Simplicity 1462

The fabric is a wonderfully heavy rayon...but why is it that these great rayons seem to only come in tropical prints?  The top itself has great seams but that means a lot of adjusting.  Sarah Veblen marked it for me back in November then I spent time transferring those marks and cutting this blouse out for our trip.  I'm very meh about it now but the bones of the pattern hold promise.  I will tackle it later but right now it's not a high priority.    
These two may not be my favorite garments but they do follow the maxim I saw in a little local boutique:

Last thing to share are some pictures from the Naples Botanical Gardens.  What an absolute treasure.  It was our first visit there and I vow to go back at least once or more each time we return to the area.  In addition to wonderful gardens, this year there was as astonishing outdoor sculpture exhibit inspired by origami.  
Of course, as a sewing person I immediately saw how the "paper" folding (in this case metal) was so similar to the fabric manipulation done by designers and couture sewists.  

Next post I will finish sharing my winter sewing projects and start blogging about what spring is bringing to my sewing studio.  It's not easy to leave our Florida friends and head home but we have pictures and memories of good times until we return next winter.

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