I'm Like a Bird Blouse- Salme Minna

 

For this blouse, I tried out a pattern from a small, independent designer--the Minna by Salme patterns. All of the individual elements seemed to come together, a cute blouse pattern, a lightweight knit bird fabric, and some lace for an embellishment. But when the top was complete, I was ambivalent... did I like it or not?

Hmmm... trying to decide if I like it.

The verdict? I think so... I think I'm having such a hard time deciding because, unfortunately, I had some issues putting the top together. But I think once I have a little space from that, I will like the finished product. It will make a cute summer work outfit.

UPDATE- I like this top! I've worn it about once per week since I made it, which is a lot. So it's a winner after all. :)

I had high hopes for this pattern. I think the silhouette is nice, and I like supporting small, independent designers. I was hoping for smooth sailing, but there were a couple small issues. There was a printing error in the layout that I emailed Salme patterns about, and they responded quickly and said it would be corrected. Also, the sewing line for the placard was indicated in the wrong place. Of course, I didn't figure this out until after I had sewed the line AND all of the lace on. Grrrr... My seam ripper got some use... that was annoying. Finally, the instructions aren't super clear, so I didn't really use them. In short, anyone with some sewing experience should be able to use a Salme pattern ok, but they're probably not appropriate for a beginner.

 

What I'm definitely excited about is the lace detailing. Cute! Finally, I want to give a shout out to Girl Charlee--I bought this bird print fabric from them, and it's fantastic. It's a lightweight jersey knit with a fabulous drape. Here, take a closer look:

 Love those little birds. They kinda make me want to fly away!