This last summer we had a wonderful road trip around Tuscany. We spent some days in Florence and we celebrated my birthday there, going to a great fabric shop and then having a bistecca for lunch in the San Lorenzo quarter. I believe Italian food is overestimated, but not fabric. In Bacci Tesutti, I met this wonderful salesman, who showed to me all their fabulous natural fabrics and recommended some other under the counter ones. I had an almost mystical-consumist experience shoping there! I finally got this viscose, an English embroidered cotton, some silk and a wonderful black wool crepe. I hope to parade them all here, and this is the first I've made.
I had in mind the Shelby Dress pattern, and I thought this would be the perfect viscose for it. I used the Saraste blouse pattern as a starting point, because it has a good easy fit and complete princess lines like the Shelby dress.
As for modifications, I elongated the four panels, drawing and evasée skirt, simply making lines longer. I then changed the neck opening, using a self-drafted V-neck, which meets the shirt lapped opeing. I draw and made an interfaced double front placked, which included the back and front neck opening and all the front down to the bottom, with buttonholes and mother of pearl buttons.
I like the hacked pattern better than the fabric, after all. I took the pictures after two very hot days of wear at my job, which were pretty intense... but it is wrinkled and... well, I've seen better quality viscoses... also, I realized three of the four fabrics were 10 cm shorter than I bought, and I then understood the 10% discount offered at paying.
