Damn, I love the colors on this blouse!
This is the new Areli pattern from Republique du Chiffon. All that piping and the Nani Iro in the sample versions sucked me in.
Yes, the pattern is in French. I figured my high school French (I used to read Camus and Baudelaire in French... what?) and Google translate would help me muddle through the instructions. Ha ha, turns out sewing pattern instructions French is very different from the French of existentialism/absurdism and depressing poetry. Also, high school French was like 18 years ago for me, sooooooo....
...muddle, I did, although only somewhat successfully. The underarm area, at the intersection of 4 piping ends, the yoke and lining, gave me a really hard time and looks quite rough. I couldn't figure out how I was supposed to get all these things to meet up without raw ends. I just won't lift my arms up, I guess.
One major complaint I have with the Areli pattern is not language-barrier related, though: I am disappointed that the pattern pieces for the front and the back are the same (minus the bib, of course). The front and back of my body are not the same... how about a little shape? Also: it's pretty short. I would add some length if I were to make it again.
I feel like I could have just drafted that little bib part myself, tacked it on top of a Maya top or a Washi tunic and achieved a better fitting approximation of Areli. That's what I get for impulse buying this pattern. Bad, lazy Meg! Check your pattern stash before buying!
That said, I don't hate the top, it just has some little details and fitting issues that will drive me nuts. Plus my piping application is atrocious! I bought myself a new machine recently and tried to use the invisible zipper foot from my old machine on it... although it clips onto the machine, the needle doesn't get close enough to the piping/zipper. A proper foot is in the mail!
My fabric is this gorgeous lawn by Rashida Coleman-Hale for Cotton +Steel that I bought at Nido when I was in Burlington a few months ago... the colors are amazing! I played off the orangey-red in the fabric with some bright orange piping I bought in Singapore. Super pumped about this color combo and want to make everything in magenta and orange now.