A Dotted Datura

I'll admit, I wasn't fully on the Deer and Doe bandwagon until they released their new collection. I was impressed that the new designs are not only cute and wearable, they're really unique! I don't think I've seen anything out there like the Datura or Reglisse. I tried to talk myself out of ordering more patterns (I have so many I haven't made!) but after about a week I finally broke down and ordered two. I've been sort of obsessing about the Datura blouse ever since I saw it (Seriously. It has been haunting my thoughts). While patiently awaiting my air mail from France, I looked through my stash and immediately spotted some great fabric combinations. As it turns out, this pattern is the perfect solution to all these one yard cuts of voile I have laying around!

Let me just say, I loved that I was addressed as "Madam Shona Roon" on the packaging. Oh, those French really know how to flatter a silly American girl!



Let's start with the positive. Things I love about this top:

- The colors! I love how the grey makes the yellow and aqua blue pop without being overbearing.

- The fabric! The voile I used for the bottom half is an Amy Butler print (once again, THANK YOU quilting fabric companies for using some apparel weights now!!!!). It's called "Laurel Dots" and it feels amaaaaazing. Buttery smooth and just floats when you wear it!

- The cutout neckline. I think cutout details may be my new peter pan.

- Buttons down the back! I've been wanting to make a buttoned back shirt forever and ever, why did I wait so long?

- The curved bias bound hem. I hadn't tried it before and now I'm a convert!

- The loose, flowy, just-skims-over-the-body silhouette. I used to wear only fitted clothing, feeling like anything too loose just made me look even more bean pole like but I've been wearing a lot of this style lately. Probably from oogling everything Sallie Oh puts on. Thanks Sallie!


On the downside:

- This pattern is really lacking detailed instructions. It says "advanced" on the cover, and I didn't understand why until I actually started sewing it. It does assume that you know certain construction techniques. I think I have been spoiled by the super detailed, hand holding instructions from other indie pattern companies and assumed this pattern would be similar in detail.

- I originally planned to use a grey cotton lawn for the top portion, but after I'd already used it all up cutting another Datura and bias binding, I realized I forgot to cut the back pattern piece! I was so in love with the grey combined with this print that I couldn't bring myself to use anything else. So I went to my only fabric resource available - JoAnn - and settled for a grey quilting cotton. Waaaah! I feel like the quality of the top suffers for it, but I'm at least happy I still got the look I was going after.


On the upside again...hey, look, I FINALLY have something to wear with these shoes! Note to self - buy more aqua.

My measurements put me in three different sizes - a 34 bust, 36 waist, and 38 hip. In retrospect, I should have just cut a straight 34. This top is already really loose and the extra flair created by sizing up at the bottom just wound up looking like a maternity top. At first I convinced myself this was just the style and it's supposed to be that way, but after completely finishing the top I looked at the pictures on Deer and Doe's website and realized the original is not nearly that huge. So I took it in from just below the bust straight down to the hip. I must have cut out at least 1.5 inches at the hips on each side!

I took a tip from Roobeedoo's experience and halved the dart just as she did. Judging from my muslin, I believe this pattern is cut for a C cup. The muslin fit me a lot like Colette patterns do. I also had to take in the front shoulder by about an inch because the yoke was almost falling down to my bustline.


I did really appreciate the bias binding template included with this pattern. My regular bias tape maker was much smaller than this called for so I did use it and it works! I made a little video showing the method I used...hopefully I'll be able to upload that soon. My computer is not being very nice to me at the moment.


Yay, buttons! They're just sewn on, I didn't see any reason to make them functional. But they still make me super happy. Why? No idea. Buttons on everything!!!

In other news, my wee little blog just passed 200 followers on Bloglovin' and I'd like to celebrate by doing my first giveaway! I will try to get my stuff together and post it before this weekend. Stay tuned :)

Do any of you have a Datura in your near future? I'm curious to hear how the construction and fitting works for others.

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