Deer and Doe Bruyere top

This top really only appealed to me when I started to see sleeveless versions of it up and about- specifically this one.  I am looking for pretty things to use some of my stockpiled Liberty fabrics, but I did this as a muslin version.  The fabric is white cotton that I dyed using Shibori techniques, about two years ago.

Usually I have made size 38 on Deer and Doe but I've noted on many patterns that there is too much room in the bust, so on this one I bit the bullet and cut a straight size 36, while preserving the pattern pieces for the 38 in case I just couldn't squeeze into that waist size.  (I'm 33.5-27-37).  Since discovering that rolls of architecture tracing paper are cheap and easily acquired, I've become less stingy with tracing patterns.  Or...maybe since I became addicted to the cheap fix of PDF patterns?

This went together like a dream, for the most part.  Everything matched as it should, and I french seamed the waist and sides as the pattern recommends for a clean finish.  I tried it on to see if the waist would fit and it seemed like it would!  That was, of course, before I realized that the placket doesn't add any fabric.  My only hitches were due to my sewing machine, which I continue to hate with a passion.  Well, can't complain tooooo much about borrowed things, but if you want recommendations for buying Singer sewing machines, don't come to me.

The one thing that was less than perfect was actually the back yoke facing.  Maybe because I couldn't successfully iron all the neck curves, I had a really hard time figuring out how it should lie.  The pattern tells you to stitch that down before you do all the rest of the topstitching - placket, sleeves and neckline, but my yoke is a tiny bit puffy so I think it would have been better to do as my instincts said - stitch everything else first and then the yoke lining last.

French seams!

One other comment - the instructions tell you to lay the collar right side to the right side of the top when you sew the neck.  However, that's wrong - the side of the collar which will be seen by the world is the one facing up.  This was important because my wonky topstitching was hidden on one side and really obvious on the other, and guess which collar piece is up!!

Also the sewing machine led me astray a few times while topstitching - the needle is about 0.5mm off from center and it's finally started driving me crazy.  Nothing like navy topstitching on white.

So, did my little gamble with size 36 work out?  I sewed the buttons on at work and waited all the way until I got home to find out and then I was too tired.  But the final answer is yes, somehow it fits perfectly.  That doesn't mean it's my perfect style - I'm not totally sure I like the collar and all the buttons.  These things aren't what I usually wear.  But I think it's a cool pattern and one I might turn to again when inspired by a fabric.  I can't imagine making it with sleeves though. 

It was nice to spend time on a project without getting stressed.  That's my new thing.  Cutting out 6 projects and then trying to do them all at once...hasn't worked out.  So now I'm sewing up all those cut projects and working one at a time.  It's nice to feel like I care about what I'm sewing!  Should be obvious, right?  I feel like I'm being sucked back into fast fashion sometimes - if not buying it, then making it.