This is always my story. After I do one thing for I while, I get the urge to do something else. I have many creative loves. In addition to sewing, I love dyeing fabrics. Since January, I have been focusing my creative time on sewing for this blog, so recently I’ve had an itch to do some dyeing. So for Fresh Make #16, I have done both, and made a billowy, tie dyed blouse.The pattern I choose is McCall’s 6962 which I purchased recently at JoAnn’s on sale for $1.99. Since starting this blog, I have become a collector of big 4 patterns. When I stumble upon a sale at JoAnn’s, I sit down and leaf through the books. I challenge myself to consider patterns that aren’t necessarily my “style.” Kind of like agreeing to try on ready mades that you would not normally pull off the rack because you’ve taken to heart the advise of Clinton and Stacy of “What Not To Wear.” M6962 is one of those patterns. I was curious to see what I could do with it. I have named it the Escalante Top because I relate the organic feel of the top to the beautiful nature I experienced on our family vacation to Utah’s Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument this month.

I had some white, cotton, lawn fabric from Dharma Trading Co on hand. So I satisfied my dyeing fix by using it for this project. I used also Dharma Trading’s procion dyes in Chartruse and Steel Grey. (Please feel free to ask me about my dyeing process if you wish. That’s another topic for another day!) My fabric was 60″ wide, and view A required 1 1/2 yards.
LET BE HONEST: 
1. This pattern is labeled EASY. For an experienced sewist, it is. I think a beginner would require some assistance on some parts, especially attaching the gathered part to the bib and doing the biased tape neckline.

2. To a degree, one’s measurements are not too important when determining what size to make on this pattern because there is so much design ease. I choose to make a Small (8-10) mainly because my biggest concern was that the neckline not be too big. It turned out that I am very happy with the fit and the way the neckline lies.

3. I waivered between elastic and no elastic at the bottom. Even though this fabric is fairly lightweight, it is a bit stiff, so I felt it needed to be corraled at the bottom so it wouldn’t be tent like. If I used a fabric that had a softer hand and a nice drape, I might have done no elastic.

4. This blouse is not my typical style. But, hey, I like it! I’m going to wear it!

Thanks for visiting me again! Have you sewn something recently that’s out of your style wheelhouse?