I want to make a blouse with a gathered V neck collar. These were in style about 15 years ago. I don’t care when they were in style, they looked great on me and they look terrific with a V neck blazer. If that doesn’t help, think back to the nineties and women were wearing jackets under which you could see soft folds of a blouse just appearing around the neckline of the V neck blazer. the pattern I’m using is Simplicity 7453 if it’s still in their catelogue.
To explain a little better: the blouse is a V neck. But the V in the neckline is composed of folds of fabric (maybe three) that are loosely folded about a half and inch apart. I think most of you have seen this.
Well, if you think you know what I’m talking about, the fabric I have is fairly sheer and soft. I could wear a camisole under it, but I thought about lining it giving it some extra body with a very light fabric. Has anyone tried to do this with this type of blouse. Do you think this would work without lining the sleeves.
I hope I have described this well enough.
Thanks!
Replies
Have you thought of lining this blouse just like any other, i.e., ignore the folds and attach the lining (make it a V neckline to avoid it being seen when worn) at the neckline shoulders and armscye. I would give it its own hem, don't attach it to the blouse at the hem.
I like that idea, starzoe, with the outer sheer fabric having the folds, but not the lining. That would look so soft and pretty, and eliminate the need for a camisole or something else visible that interferes with the style of the blouse.
Thank you for writing but your first sentence doesn't make any sense, maybe your computer misssed a part. You say that your blouse has a second lawyer of slightly less sheer fabric (now you don't usually line something with a heavier fabric than the outer piece so how does this work?). You then continue and say that "rather than lining the bodice pieces".
The two parts of this sentece don't follow. You're talking about the type of fabric being used and then you say where it's not being used without telling me where it's being used. Where is this heavier fabric being placed, what type of fabric is it and what type is the blouse? Where does the lining go??
Could you clarify this for me because I am interested. Thank you.
I believe the neckline you describe is called a cowl neck. Usually a cowl is a single layer, cut on the bias, that folds down inside the neckline, often with a small weight attached at center front . But, you could line or interline it I suppose. I would choose a similar weight fabric that is a bit less sheer so that the combination of the two provides the modesty you are after. Certainly the sleeves could be unlined.
thanks. I'd knew there was a name for the neck but couldn't remember it!.
Where do you put the weight?
Thanks
The weight is placed at Center Front at the tip of the curved area of the cowl.
I use a penny for the weight, stitch it into a small square of fabric and sew it to the edge of the neck facing area (which is just a portion of the cowl that folds back on itself to form a finished edge.)I'm attaching an illustration of a typical cowl neck blouse front bodice, courtesy of Helen Joseph Armstrong's book, "Patternmaking for Fashion Design". I added the little square that shows where to put the weight.Whoops...sorry, I inadvertently loaded it as a Photoshop document first...if you don't have Photoshop on your computer you may not be able to open that one. So, open the .JPG image instead...that should work fine.
I know what an underlining is. I you read the email you will see that is not the question I asked.
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