Deer and Doe Arielle

Oh no, the projects are piling up while the tumbleweeds wander across my blog!   But I finally got some photos today, so it's time to catch up.   Without further ado ... back in January (I think it was, anyhow!)  I made up Deer and Doe's Arielle blouse.

I was set on a two-fabic Arielle from the beginning, so I combed through my scrap boxes (yeah, plural) to find some good pieces that worked together.  I did a trial run with leftover rayon challis from this dress in size 6.  Which I found was a bit too big on me.  (For some reason I used my hip measurement to choose size rather than my bust measurement, go figure.)  I used some poly-cotton batiste for the shoulder yoke and collar on that one.  The rayon challis drooped a bit in the front due to the weight of the collar:  it isn't one of the recommended fabrics, perhaps with good reason.  

Arielle enjoys the almost-Spring breezes!

For  v2, I used size 4 and Denyse Schmidt cotton voile fabric. (Left over from not one but two skirts, so I got some good mileage out of that piece!)  The yoke and collar are cotton batiste.  Unfortunately my interfacing was both too heavy and too white for this project, and you can see it through the collar.  

I added a couple of inches to the length, and vents to the sides since I don't see myself tucking this in.     At the time I was making it I thought I'd wear it under a cardigan to work, like I usually do with knit tank tops.  However this has not yet come to pass.  Perhaps because the cold weather demands warmer layers.  Or because that collar looks a little crappy up close and personal.    Or maybe it's just too different from my usual uniform, making it unappealing first thing in the morning when my brain gravitates toward the path of least effort.    I do think I like it though, so I think some day the stars will align and it will make it out of the closet.

Rounding out this post with the back view. 

I should have put this on my dress form for photos ... but then I'd need to find a matching bottom.  (Am I the only one who thinks dress forms wearing only a top look a little ... exposed?  It's worse than having nothing on them at all!)  However, I'm really only seeing this top with pants, which are a no-go for dress form-kind.  Incidentally, my dress form is named Ethel, after my grandmother, for this very reason:  my grandmother does not subscribe to the idea of women in pants.

Anyhow, back to the point ... final verdict?   Cute top, easy to sew, but I need to give it a real wearing come warmer weather to see if it's truly "me".