Fitting notes for Simplicity 8243 blouse

It's been a busy week, and tomorrow is also busy, but I want to get these notes posted before I forget them.  On the Simplicity 8243 blouse, when I googled for reviews (there were none on Pattern Review) I found just two: one from Tanya at CurvySewingCollective and one from a blogger who calls herself Seam Racer.  I am honestly surprised this pattern is not more popular.  It's been out for a while, and I bought it up in Chicago when Mom and I hit JoAnns the day before son's wedding.  I think it ought to be more popular ... but then again, I tend to be very much out-of-step with most folks.

So, these fitting notes are for the blouse only:

• Collar: I love the cut-on collar.  Once I wrapped my mind around it and grokked the fullness, it seemed absolutely brilliant and I wondered why this technique isn't in common use for camp shirts, casual button-fronts, and of course Hawaiian shirts.  I think I'll do the facing in a solid white next time I do up a for-reals shirt.  Which brings me to:
• Shoulder pads: Apparently they aren't a "thing" right now, because I had to scour Goodwill's racks to find something to swipe the shoulder pads from.  For some reason I thought I read they were big in the NY Fashion Week?  Maybe that's the forecast one for spring ...?  The only reason I pay *ANY* attention to that is because it affects my ability to get certain items.  You know, like fancy or unusual sleeves ...
• Pleated sleeves!  These are cute enough on their own, but the pleats really shine with shoulder pads.
• Back to the shoulder pads: I posted a thread on PR about how to back out the shoulder pad allowance, and Gloria came through like a real champ, even emailing a snapshot of one of her sewing books.  I am going to give it the ol' Girl Scout try here, probably in that silly cherries cotton broadcloth I got in a FabricMart bundle and have been using for pockets on jeans when I run out of green shamrock fabric. (pic to follow)
• Length: The blouse is supposed to be tucked in, and tucked into high-waisted pants, but I like it untucked and so I'll lengthen it a bit to avoid my fishbelly-white belly playing peek-a-boo.  Wouldn't want to blind anyone.
• Sleeve width: these are VERY close-fitting sleeves.  While it doesn't impede my movement, they are a little too close for my comfort, so I am going to try widening them a bit in the cherries broadcloth experimental version.
• FBA: I did an inch-and-half FBA on this, so it does button without gaping, but looking at the pictures makes me think I need just a smidge more to eliminate the drag lines I see.
• Swayback adjustment: I didn't do anything to the back piece, and I am thinking of widening it a bit to add two fisheye waist darts to give it proper shaping in back.

This probably looks like a whole lotta things to do to the pattern, but I feel it's certainly worth it.  This is a classy blouse, and I intend to keep playing around with it.  Now, if I could just find which box has my rayon satin, then I'll make a seriously fancy blouse!

from Power Sewing by Nancy Zieman Sandra Betzina, 1993 edition
snapshot by Gloria

Simplicity 8243 blouse finished

I'll do a bunch more notes in a few days, but I wore it in to town yesterday and got pics when we got home, so I wanted to post them up here.

Simplicity 8243 blouse, with arm down

Simplicity 8243 blouse, with arm up showing
the crease up near the shoulder pad

Simplicity 8243 blouse, back view - no back shaping

of course the front view picture is fuzzy - we just cannot have a photo session
without an out-of-focus pic (or three)

This top came out WAY fancier than I had envisioned.  I was going for "cute and casual," but as you can see, it stepped over that standard.  I had quite the time finding shoulder pads locally - finally decided to scour Goodwill's racks, and sure enough I found a red dress (probably poly) with red shoulder pads and a red long back zipper and even a cute bit of red lace across the front.  Trust me, the blouse doesn't look right without the shoulder pads ... unless you adjust them out.  That's another post.