Wednesday, 9 May 2012

Red Button-Back Blouse


Should I rename this blog Tilly and the Button-Back Blouse? Yes, my friends, I've made another one! This time with two panels of vertical pleating on the bodice. I think this one is my favourite :) Making this pattern up multiple times has allowed me to experiment with the design features - compare it to the first basic boxy blouse, the second with puffed sleeves and Peter Pan collar, and the third with horizontal pleating at the yoke. It has also allowed me to tweak the fitting along the way - I'm much happier with the hem length and cuff ease on this one.


After much introspection, I chose these buttons because I'm a sucker for fabric-covered buttons and because I want to give people a little surprise pop of colour when I turn around. Ooh...! I really love it!



I haven't yet come up with a snazzy name for this pattern, so for now it's just "button-back blouse" (any suggestions?). But you'll be pleased to hear I think I've got the pattern out of my system for a while, so my next sewing project will be something different - promise!



PS. I'm struggling to get on with the new Blogger blog reading list thingey and somewhere along the line I seem to have lost a lot of the blogs I used to follow. I'm thinking of starting again with a new blog reader, maybe Bloglovin'. Do you use it? Or can you recommend another good blog reader? Thank you!

[Soundtrack: 'Cylons in Love' by Bent]
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Posted by Tilly at 9:50 am
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77 comments:

  1. Looks really nice and the pop of colour from the back . . . eye catching

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  2. Wow, this is definitely my favorite one !
    I'm a huge fan of pleating and the pop of color in the back is a great idea ! I keep it in mind, I would probably never thought of doing that but it's a very good way to add a little bit of fun to a classic style pattern !
    What kind of fabric did you use for this blouse ?

    Emilie LG emilieleguyader(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Thank you! The fabric feels like a silk habotai but it was only £2 from a shop in Brixton market so is probably some kind of mystery poly blend.

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  3. I love the buttons down the back of your blouse! This blouse is beautiful on you!

    Nothy
    www.aftagley.blogspot.ca

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  4. It's just gorgeous - and I love the contrast buttons. Beautiful!

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  5. My Favourite so far too! The pleating is lovely, very classic :)

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  6. Wow, I love this and the style really suits you! The pleats are a great addition.

    Re. blog-subscription-thingy, I use google reader- not sure if that's the one you're having trouble with, but i love it!

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  7. That's delightful! I use Google Reader, the app works well too - so I can read blogs on the go. No I'm not obsessive...

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  8. Red is the colour of the year (for me)! I love your button-back blouses. This is perfect!

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  9. I love the sleeves and the pleats on front!!!

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  10. Oh wow what a lovely top. This is gorgeous, and looks stunning on you. The pop of colour on the back in genius.
    wrt to readers I use google reader which includeds blogs I am subscribed to through GFC and others that I have just subscribed to through their RSS feed.
    I really like it because you can have a 'next' button in your book marks at the top of your internet viewer which takes you to your next blog in the reader but actually on their website so it is much easier to comment and see changes etc. :D

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    1. Ooh how do you get that 'next' button in your bookmarks? I can't find it - do I have to change my settings or something?

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    2. It's in your Reader settings --> Goodies
      http://www.google.com/reader/view/#overview-page

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    3. I was going to recommend Google Reader for the same reason - I love the "Next" button.

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  11. It's beautiful Tilly, my favourite by far for so many reasons! x

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  12. Wow, I love it. Love the shape, and especially the colour. That shade of red really suits you.

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  13. Very pretty! Love the bright red. I normally just read blogs on the dashboard page out of laziness and I've noticed that my blog list is all screwed up, too. There are some that don't ever show up, some that show sometimes and I even have some blogs I never followed showing up now and again. Arg, blogger! I've got to find a better way.

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    1. That's exactly what was happening to me! Every so often it would revert to an old subscription list too so I lost loads of blogs I started following. Grrrr...

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  14. It's just perfect! I wouldn't add or take anything.
    Btw, that lipstick makes a lovely combination :)

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  15. Ah! Another amazing addition, really love this one! Well done Tilly! You've got me itching to leave work early and get home to my sewing machine. :o)

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  16. Oh, hello blue buttons! I like the way they are hidden round the back like a ninja and then KAPOW! the eyes. They take the blouse from beautiful to epic- I love the way little touches and trims can do that. Kudos!

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  17. Oh Tilly, it's so lovely! I love the colour and the tucks and the blue buttons and I could go on and on!

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  18. Such a beautiful colour on you and love the buttons!!

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  19. Looks simply lovely. So glad you picked the teal fabric buttons!

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  20. I just lately found you blog, but I love the things you do! And this blouse isn't an exception :)

    For my blog reading I use feedly. It has some problems, but it's the first reader service that I actually use. I never really liked google or following blogs on blogger. So even if I'd like them to fix a few things I really like it. At least compared to google :)

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    1. Aww... thank you! I haven't heard of Feedly so thanks for mentioning it - I'll check it out...

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  21. lovely top. i like the contrasting colors of the shirt and buttons.

    I realy like using bloglovin and would recommend it. You can also track your own subscribers.

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  22. You can never have too many button back blouses. I've been searching for a vintage one for ages(there doesn't appear to be a current button back blouse pattern - maybe it's a retro thing) but with little success. So impressed you can draft your own. Love the red fabric and the tucks. This along with the lace b.b.b are my favourites.

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    1. Quite true - that's why I keep making them! Maybe I should make the pattern in standard sizes and work out how to make it downloadable?

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    2. I would love to use this pattern Tilly. Each one you have made has caught my eye, especially this gorgeous red 'Tilly' blouse

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    3. I second that comment! This looks great on you, and I've been looking for a back button blouse pattern, to no avail thus far.

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  23. So, so pretty. I love those pleats and the fluid fabric. I use Google Reader. Do you have an iPad? If so, Flipboard is an awesome app for all your social networking reading.

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    1. I don't have an iPad sadly, just a good old fashioned MacBook Air!

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  24. Ooh, this is my favorite of your back-button blouses! The little pleats at the front are really beautiful & the color looks fabulous on you :)

    The only blog reader I've used is Google Reader. It suits my needs, but I don't have anything else to compare it to haha.

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  25. I love this! The pleating is lovely and those buttons are the perfect pop of color!

    I use Google Reader but, I've lost quite a few subscriptions too... (My guess is that they non-Blogger sites that I followed through GFC, which is no longer available for non-Blogger blogs.)

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  26. Well.. lots of people voted for Google Reader already, but I'm all Bloglovin!
    It's easy to use and has a nice design and less fuss than Google with all the links to their other apps, imho. Just.. more independent (?)

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    1. Great to have your thoughts - I might give it a whirl...

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  28. I love this blouse. It's so chic and classic. I've been using bloglovin for a couple of months and really like the interface.
    http://blog.lulalouise.com/

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    1. Thank you :) Your blog is sooo pretty...

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  29. OOh, gorgeous shade of red & I love the extra details - yummy.
    I use Feedly as it has an app as well as an 'extension' for chrome. At one time it was easier to leave comments ith Feedly as opposed to other mobile app readers....especially blogger sites with that word verification thingy. In fact I'm using it now!!

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  30. Just call it the TIlly blouse! :D I love the red, and that fabric drapes so nicely; I think you really have the proportions nailed on this version; the sleeves, the hem, the pleats, the shoulder seam, all just perfect :) And of course, red.

    I blog on Wordpress, so I love when I can follow a blog through their system, but if the person I'm following uses Blogger, I use Google Reader, although I have to remember to actually check it LOL. If they have a site that doesn't give the easy option to 'follow' I use Bloglovin, which I like because it gives me email updates :)

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    1. Aww... thank you! Yes this one really does seem to fit well.

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  31. Love it! The tucks are just perfect for a little visual interest, though I've never met one I didn't like the look of (perhaps only slight exaggeration). The buttons on the back are a perfect pop!

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  32. Oh it's fantastic!! One of my favorite things you've made - and even better since it's self-drafted! I love the pleats in the front, and the pop of color from the buttons in the back. So cute!

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  33. Gorgeous! Red is one of my favourite colours and the button back gives it that extra something. I love your bright wall too. What a fun backdrop!

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  34. It such a lovely blouse - is there a Tilly pattern for it? I've got a really nice brown spotty remnant from Wood Green Market which I am keen to make a blouse from

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    1. Not yet, only in my size! I'll try to make one with regular sizing...

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  35. This is the best so far. Red should be your signature colour.

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  36. This is my favourite too, the buttons are great and I love the pleating detail. Beautiful!

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  37. Ah! So cute this iteration. Would love a pattern thats for sure (if you don't have one already that I haven't look for).

    For Readers - I use Google Reader and it serves me well. It's not fancy but does the job. Though for some reason, my own Flickr pics haven't been showing up in the feed which is odd.

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    1. Aw that's great to know! No, I haven't made it in regular sizing yet, but I plan to...

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  38. Such a stunning blouse. I love that it has so many stylish features but ones that subtely do a fabulous job of making it a gorgeous designer piece. You really rock that colour too. When I've finished a project I'm always looking for something different but mostly wishing I'd have added or changed something about what I have just made. Thank you for the inspiration Tilly. I use WordPress and the reader on that is fantastic but obviously I can't keep up with Blogger posts so I use Bloglovin alongside.

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  39. The teal buttons are a winner, Tilly! Good choice, and beautiful blouse, it's so you. I use Google Reader - I've never used anything else so I can't really compare it to anything but it's pretty efficient, I'd say.

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  40. To be honest with you, I don't think I'll ever tire of seeing what you do with this pattern! Determined to conquer buttonholes so I can make great button-back details like this.

    In terms of readers - I stopped using bloglovin because the bar really annoyed me and started using Google Reader instead. I like it because you can put the RSS feeds from news websites as well (the news hound that I am!!) as blogs and I've categorised everything into 'sewing', 'journalism', 'tech', so I can browse through categories as well. Hope that helps anyway. Even with my schnazzy reader, I'm having a hard time keeping up with the blogs I follow as well!

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    1. Oh you will, Len, you will!

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  41. I love this pillarbox red and the pleats are so adorable. Beautiful top - stylish and chic. If you do make this downloadable I'd be up for trying it :)

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  42. The colour of that blouse really suits you - just like your Ceylon dress! Love the pop of teal/blue colour on the buttons - it works really well. I think this is my favourite version of this top too - although I do like the chocolate spotty version too! ;D

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  43. Lovely blouse. The pleats are very elegant and I really like how the turquoise pops against the red. I use Google's blog reader, as you can mix rss and blogs to which you subscribe.

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  44. Love it! Want it! Pattern pretty please!

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  45. Beautiful, Tilly. The vertical pleats work really well with the top.

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  46. Totally lovely hon! Red suits you so well and I love the cheeky pop of colour at the back. Will reply to your email very soon xxx

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  47. I love the pleats. Whenever I see a button back blouse I wonder: how do you do it up?? I have a dress which buttons halfway up the back, so I can spin it around after buttoning it from the front..... But to the neck...?

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    1. Yoga! That or you can strategically pre-button the middle ones before slipping it on.

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  48. I love it! It's just stunning.

    I love Feedly, which is an addon you can get for FF and Chrome (not sure about other browsers), it syncs all your google reader subscriptions and puts a nice discreet icon in the bottom corner of blogs so you can subscribe easily to any new blogs you discover!

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  49. Love the design and you just made me materialize the idea I had for a blouse I want to sew with my newly bought shot cotton. I love the color combo and you look very classy as usual!

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  50. Pati from London11 May 2012 15:42

    I love this pattern Tilly and the contrast of colours is great. It gives more of a "je ne sais quoi" to an outfit. It's a bit like using colorful tights with a plain dress or colorful shoes with black tights. I love that kind of thing... You should publish it! x Pati

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  51. YAY! It's great & the pleats rock, Tilly. Love that 40s lipstick, too.

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  52. Goregous blouse, I love the subtleltly of the detail of those pleats, so neat too!

    I had the same problem with my reader when I changed to the new interface with blogger. After a lot of shouting at my laptop I worked out that certain blogs were disappearing then reappearing. I went through and changed all the following options to 'follow publicly' and they all seem to be showing all the time now but I'm using bloglovin' too anyway! I also like bloglovin' more because it has a lovely app which means I can do all my catching up on the journey to/from work!

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  53. Mmm lovely job, those pleats are so gorgeously crisp. I'm a sucker for a colourful button pop too, glad you gave in!

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  54. Nice blouse. I recommend Google reader, hands down it's the easiest reader and has cleanest interface (you can set it up for Helvetica!) and best of all it's right there in your gmail (which I assume everyone has but if you don't it should be easy enough to set up 'cuz your blog is on the Google platform isn't it?)

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  55. Tilly, any updates on drafting a pattern for the "Tilly" blouse yet? Super love all the versions you've made and I would so pay for the pattern! x

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  56. Tilly, any updates on drafting a pattern for the "Tilly" blouse yet? Super love all the versions you've made and I would so pay for the pattern! x

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    1. Oh Janey, thank you for the kick up the butt! I would love to do this, it's just that lots of things (good and bad, mainly good) keep getting in the way. I'll get to it, I promise! :)

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