I mentioned a few posts back that I started taking a pattern drafting class. Well, my basic bodice sloper is done and now I have homework -that’s right. I have to pick out a few designs that I like from other patterns or existing ready to wear items and then try to recreate them.
AWESOMENESS.
So I sat around shopping on J. Crew and Ann Taylor Loft and Blue Fly.com and found a few items that interested me. This was actually quite challenging, because my assignment was to find a blouse to copy, and well wouldn’t you know…I don’t actually wear blouses. Not really, anyway. I wear lots of T shirts and variations on them, but blouses? Not so much.
Part of my theory to explain my blouse aversion is that because I never had a proper fitting button front shirt, I tend to stay away from them. So, I decided that my homework pattern would be a basic button front shirt with a collar stand, front placket, cuffs, rear yoke, etc. Basically a boring menswear style shirt, with maybe some darts thrown in to make it more feminine.
But my online ’shopping’ excursion led me to hover on these two lovelies from J. Crew and now I am trying to draft them:
I printed out photos of my project designs and sat down in class and started drafting and all was well with the world…until I realized…I had no idea how to draft this front bib pin tucked thingy. I know how to draft the ruffle but I have no clue how to sew it on. And I need to get this done for my next class, preferably with a muslin sewn up to at least check my drafting.
I suppose I could just default to a basic button front blouse but I really like these tuxedo style ruffles with the pin tucks. And maybe I am just totally daft but I can’t find a whole lot of into on the Interwebs about sewing a pin tucked shirt or adding ruffles to said pintucks.
Advice here would be appreciated, because I am supposed to be studying my phlebotomy techniques for tomorrow’s lesson on blood draws in class and instead I am trying to decide the best way to draft and sew a pin tucked front bib with ruffles. You see how this might not end well..
Tomorrow in Graduate Colloquium: I attempt to draw Kate’s blood and inadvertently stick the needle anywhere but the vein, while my brain is trying to figure out where to insert the ruffles or how to line up the pin tucks. Blood ends up everywhere except the syringe.
February 2nd, 2010 | 
Yeah, that may be a bit ambitious for a first blouse project. It looks like the pin tucks are covered by the ruffle, but it’s hard to tell. I have no idea how to approach that.
I think the ruffle is actually attached under the seam between the bib and the placket, which are two separate pattern pieces. I had a dream about this last night, that I had a pintucked blouse in my closet and used it as a template. Then I woke up and realized I never ever owned such a thing.
A good place to get all sorts of random advice is ask.metafilter.com. Maybe someone there can help? It costs $5 to join but totally worth it.
I recently bought Steve a tuxedo shirt with the traditional pin tucks. Of course, since it’s not 1977 there are no ruffles. I’d have to look at it to get any constuction tips for you.
I think you’re right,on the pink blouse,it looks like the top placket (extendeding to the base of the bib)is slightly oversized and has tiny pin tucks as does the bib. The ruffles are attached to the placket so you see the pin tucks on both sides of the ruffle and below the bib. It’s hard to tell if the same ruffle continues up and around the collar band or if it’s a separate piece. The collar band also look like it’s got tucks. There’s a whole lot of business going on with that shirt!
Coincidentally, I’m currently wearing a tweed Ann Taylor Loft jacket with a ruffled collar.