Silk Liesel + Co Weekend Getaway Blouse
The Goal: I am on a roll lately. Cranking out sewing projects like I’m a one woman factory. I’ve got probably five garments in progress at the moment.
The Pattern: The Weekend Getaway Blouse from Liesel + Co. It’s my first time using one of their patterns and it’s a print-at-home copy.
This is the part where I feel necessary it’s to make a complaint. I’ve never used a digital pattern quite like this before. Trying to assemble the pages had me so confused. Nothing made sense. The corner-matching numbers seemed to be random or upside down or not logically connected to any other page.
I tried looking for a print layout somewhere in the PDF instructions to use as an assembly guide. Nope. No layout. Then I realized why. This pattern isn’t like the patterns I’m familiar with where all the individual pages line up to make a huge grid.
No, this pattern has partial pattern pieces that need to be cut off and connected to another partial pattern piece on the same page. There’s no print layout because the pattern is not laid out.
Let me give you an example –
In the first pic on the left side you see what seems to be the center back (on the fold) of the main body piece. And in the second pic you see that I cut off the upper right corner of the page, flipped it and attached it on top.
Ya with me? Here’s another where the corner of the bottom of the shirt/dress needs to be cut off of the page, rotated, and re-attached.
Not only am I totally confused but I’m also annoyed – in the second example notice how much wasted space is on both of those pages!
Now, the rubik’s cubism of this pattern is the only problem I had with it. The blouse itself is great. The shirt fits well. Instructions were adequate and I liked that they avoided using a back facing and opted for bias tape facing instead.
Also, the way they attached the bias tape with the front facing together at the shoulder seams was clever.
The Fabric: A snake skin print(???) coral silk charmeuse print from Form and Fabric (which is closing shop soon and I don’t know how I will survive).
I starched this stuff within an inch of its life in order to cut and sew it.
The Changes: Only one – I raised the neckline up by an inch and a half. I think if you made this top out of a more stable fabric like a cotton voile you wouldn’t have this issue, but the silk keeps slipping this way and that, and sometimes it wants to slip down pretty low.
Oh, and this skirt is also “new.” I made it ages ago, it began life as a Butterick straight skirt but I widdled it down to fit better in the waist and make it more of a pencil shape. It has an exposed zipper in the back which had just started to be cool. That should give you a clue as to how old it is. It’s made out a stretch cotton sateen which attracts dust and cat hair the way Benedict Cumberbatch attracts fangirls. It’s nothing special. Just a plain black skirt. I’ll wear it. End of Post.
you are juggling 5 garments at the same time? that’s really impressive! #lifegoals
The skirt was actually the first thing to catch my eye from the first photo. I’m really into the idea of sewing basics right now – like, to the point that I’m finding myself drawn to every single solid and basic fabric I spot and I fly past the rest. I think I might be turning into a reformed frosting sewer.
You had me lost there for a second with the assembling method but the blouse looks lovely!
This is so cute! I love it! I love the fabric! How are you juggling give projects at one time? I find when I try to make more then one at a time, all of them become UFOs. Seriously!
This shirt is so nice – i love it. I saw it on IG the other day and immediately fell in love. May I ask how you starched the silk? Did you make the starch yourself?
Ps – love the skirt two – so polished!
Gorgeous blouse! Oh those PDF’s…not a lot of fun putting them together!
Great outfit!! I’m glad I’m not the only one who has more than one garment started at a time. I swore to myself I would never do that but whatev.
I love the top – the whole outfit really. But I gotta say: I’m shocked by your revelation re: the PDF layout! I’ve considered buying a few of these patterns but never gotten around to it. I think I’ll table that though now . . .
I love this top! It’s so pretty AND very wearable! Too bad about the PDF issues, when you first started describing the problem I thought maybe it was an attempt to reduce wasted paper, but I see not.
yes, their layout is crazy!!! i’ve made an Oliver + S pdf and it was the same way. so much confusion when i went to assemble, so not really a fan of that. but this blouse is gorgeous, and especially so in silk. i wasn’t sure about the front flap thing initially, but in a great fabric it’s a nice detail.
It’s funny you didn’t like the PDF layout. I have the Lisel everyday skirt and loved the unconventional layout! I found it much easier/faster to cut an tape and it seemed to save paper. Lovely blouse, the fabric is lush.
Ha, their kid clothes under Oliver+S has the same thing and to begin with I thought “OK so I haven’t printed out all the pages”. So I went and re-printed the whole thing. And then it didn’t work again. And then I stared and stared and stared and finally realized! Exhausting!
But anyway: fab blouse, and you probably should buy more fabric from Form&Fabric because it’s ace 🙂
Form and Fabric is closing?! I had no idea! Boo.
You’re a trooper for sticking with the assembly of this pattern, and it turned out lovely. I got one of those ones from Etsy once that you’re supposed to blow up on a printer and then assemble, and as soon as I got it and realized how complex it looked to put together, I just put it in the bin!
BAHAHAHA the way Benedict Cumberbatch attracts fangirls! Love it 🙂 Thank you for making my day.
I still don’t really understand that PDF situation, ugh. The top really does look great, though, as does the skirt! I always get excited to see plain basics like that 🙂
Damn, you look super sophisticated! The fit of the shirt looks perfect on you.
Glad to know their patterns are that way because I’ve considered buying some of the Oliver & S. ones to make stuff for my nephew. No thanks!
(And that necklace is super fucking cute, btw.)
Oh no! Ugh, that’s a bummer. I hate wasting paper.
Thanks tho! And I’m probably gonna end up back at Form and Fabric quite a few times before it finally closes.
Dixie! I love this blouse, shame its such a biatch to put the pdf together. The fabric is ace too!
Thanks, and I’m glad they layout works for some users. I can see why they would think it’s a good idea. I just think since I’d never come across one like that before I was struggling with it.
Thanks lady! Yeah, I think this design looks quite nice in a drapey fabric like this.
Thank you!! Yes, perhaps saving paper was the original idea but in practice it didn’t work out like that.
Thank you! This is the first pattern of theirs that I’ve used and I liked it so much that despite the printing issues I’d definitely try another design. Now that I know how the printing works it’ll be easier. So, don’t be too worried. If you really like the pattern style give it a go!
I would have given up at taping. Thank goodness for your patience!
Thanks! I know there’s this unwritten rule that you shouldn’t have more than one project at a time but I’ve never abided by that. Working on several things keeps me more interested in sewing (especially if I’m frustrated or bored with one garment I can work on another then come back to the first one later).
Thanks Margo! Once I figured out what I was suppose to do it wasn’t so bad. But there was some frustration for a while, lol.
I use the regular spray starch in a can. I use a lot so the fabric gets pretty damp. I just throw it in the dryer on low for a few min to dry it out, then press it and it’s good to go.
Thank you! There’s definitely the UFO risk however working on a bunch of things at one time works for me ’cause I jump around to different projects if I get bored with one thing. Work on something a little bit here, cut out a different pattern there, finish up some details. To me it feels more productive and I don’t get burned out working on an especially complicated project. Also most of my UFOs are projects where I’ve cut out the fabric but never got to the point of sewing it. If I can get it to the machine it will usually not end up in the UFO drawer.
Thanks, it’s not quite as crazy as it sounds, tho. 😉
I’m starting to be attracted to solids/neutrals/basics, too, especially when the fabric is really high quality. I bought some nice solid shirtings the other day and an awesome black rayon knit which feel wonderful. And we can always use more solids that go with everything in our wardrobe!
lol you’re welcome 😉
Thanks! I actually though the skirt was kind of boring and didn’t warrant it’s own post. Turns out people are more into it than I thought.
Thanks! I know The Common Thread carries some Oliver+S printed patterns, which might be better to use.
Also, I love me some bows…
Yes. The owner is moving. I am sad.
Thanks! There were only three pattern pieces I needed so it wasn’t too difficult to assemble but I was still pretty frustrated. Your situation sounds even more annoying!
The blouse is darling! the style, the fabric, I love it. I work in an office and I need that blouse!
But the pdf pattern assembly does give me pause….I’m not sure I could handle that kind of wackiness.
How frustrating with assembling the pattern! Glad you persevered through it all because that is a fabulous top!
I agree 😉 A print layout would have made that exercise in frustration so much more manageable. I was new to printing .pdfs when I made it up it nearly beat me. I do like the pattern & have been thinking that I should try it again (now it’s all taped up) – your silk is divine 😉
Love the fabric, the garment, and the way you’ve styled it! That pattern is cray though. I already find printing & taping together A4 paper a bit too much of a task sometimes.
The silk is beautiful. I’ve always been interested in that blouse. Pretty!
I like this pattern too. Shame the pdf was so confusing. Your blouse is really elegant and the fabric looks gorgeous.
Where can one purchase clear elastic. I have done multiple searches and not found a retailer. I don’t shop on line, am a home sewer and purchase project by project.
I’ve been able to find it at my local Joann fabrics store but Sew sassy sells it as well. I’ve never bought clear elastic from them but I’ve made several other purchases and have always been satisfied. http://sewsassy.com/pages/Elastic.html
I have checked their web site and no joy. But, I will go there and see. Thanks for your reply. I live quite a way from town in the middle of nowhere. A very nice nowhere, however. My neighbors are cows. ( I mean that literally) Thanks for the link as well.
Thank you so much for this post! I was totally confused by the layout of the pattern pieces too.
That is a gorgeous top – it’s a pattern I’ve made twice and now you’re making me think that I should go a third.
I love the Oliver + S / Liesl + Co pdf pattern layout, by the way! Put one piece together at a time, don’t need an entire floor or massive table to assemble a giant sheet that I then don’t need much of – I reckon that they are a much more efficient way to do pdf patterns, and certainly for me are simpler to assemble. After assembling one like this I now wish that all tiled pdf patterns were in this format!
Think I’d better head up to stash to see if I have something half as lovely as the fabric you used for you top and get pinning and cutting….