When Christopher Thompson of The Tattooed Quilter released his chambray line with Riley Blake Designs, I knew I needed to dust off the ‘ol garment sewing skills and make myself something. The chambray navy stripe would do the trick- if I have the option to wear navy or any other color… the choice is navy 😉
After swimming through the depths of clothing hashtags on Instagram, I finally concluded that I NEEDED to make a Lucerne blouse by Hey June Handmade. Not a tough call, really- the top has lots of options, although I ended up going with the basics.
I made a muslin first, and realized that I’d be more comfortable if I raised the v-neck by 1″, which was probably the best idea ever. I’m more modest by nature and by choice, so it has all the coverage I need while still maintaining the femininity I loved in that V-neck.
One of my favorite features of this top is the hemline- that curved goodness is so perfect. The back hem is a bit longer than the front, just enough for some attention to detail. I went with a small, rolled hem and it’s fabulous. The curves really work well with a tiny hem.
There were several sleeve options. Because I was working with this 3.5oz chambray, I didn’t want to do the tied sleeve (plus, we are working toward cooler temperatures, which means sweaters. I hate stuffing fancy sleeves into cardigans), and I wanted a sophisticated, structured look too. That meant… standard sleeves!
I know sleeves can seem scary, but I love the challenge! I’m not afraid of a seam ripper, folks. Getting that perfect, smooth sleeve is the best feeling.
The top is comfortable, loose, comfortable, versatile, and did I mention comfortable? It’s one of my favorite wardrobe items now. I’m happy to report that I’ve worn this shirt 4 times in the last week. Ha! We don’t leave the house, so who cares if you wear it multiple times!?
Side note: I don’t know how to actually style clothes 🙂 I even had to go buy some jewelry for this, because I think I own two necklaces and one pair of earrings, none of which worked with the shirt. I am pretty sure this top would look good tucked in. But on me? Do 35-year-olds tuck in their shirts like their 14-year-old daughters? I should probably pay more attention to that. I mean, I DO have a pair of those high-waist pants that, during the course of the day, turn into low-crotch pants. Not going to risk photos of that though ha ha!
I’m pretty sure I’m doing something wrong here, so maybe I’ll leave the trendy clothes styling to the true millennials 😉 You don’t have to be a style queen to love a Lucerne blouse, though! Especially in beautiful fabric! I highly recommend checking in with your LQS to see if they stock the Riley Blake chambray. It’s amazing!
And here’s a picture so you can feel better about yourself 🙂 Too much fun was had here on this desert mountain!