The honey blouse

—by Heather

Today I’m excited to share the third of our “Make it Perfect” samples, the Honey Blouse. (See first and second). Made with Rashida Coleman Hales’ Koi voile, this blouse is soft, feminine and just right for both everyday wear and special occasions.

My favorite detail of this mostly simple design is the twisted neck band and sleeve bands. I have to admit this was the most challenging part of the process but the end result is really cute. The thing is, it’s not really that difficult, it’s just that while you’re doing it, it feels wrong. I was convinced I had messed it up, especially after I tried to iron the folds into place and then it looked all pointy and weird and stuck out in an awkward way. But when I was all finished, I gave it a fine spray of water and the fabric relaxed into a perfect natural twist.

I really like the wide bottom band as well. It creates a nice blousing effect and the side ties are a very cute detail. Tie them in a bow as shown in the sample or knot them and let them hang longer.

I would definitely recomend using a voile or other lightweight fabric for this blouse. There’s a lot of gathering in this design and sticking to a fabric with some drape will keep your finished garment looking flowy rather than puffy. Make it up in silk for a really special and festive top for the holidays.

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And remember, today is our benefit for November’s Organization of the Month. 10% of today’s sales will go to Oregon Food Bank.