Pattern Description: Vogue Patterns 8772 Misses' Pointed Collar or Pussycat Bow Blouses. Fitted blouse has collar, sleeve and hem variations, French darts and narrow hem. A, B, C, D: Shaped hemline. A, B: Collar extends into tie ends. A, B, D: Continuous lap, pleats and button cuffs on sleeves. A: Contrast collar and cuffs. C: Short sleeves. C, D, E, F: Pointed shirt collar and collar band. E: Sleeveless. C, F: Stitched hems on sleeves. E, F: Hem slits. F: Three-quarter length sleeves.

Pattern Sizing: 6-22. I made a size 6 at the upper body, an 8 at the waist, and a 10 at the hip.

Were the instructions easy to follow? For Big 4, I would say yes. The instructions were pretty decent and I did not have any issues following them, even though there are quite a few different views.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I appreciate that this pattern comes with a lot of different options so you can use the same base but get different looks.

Fabric Used: Minerva Core Range Yarn Dyed Cotton Chambray Fabric Indigo Blue. The fabric is easy to press, cut, and sew. It does tend to show wrinkles when worn on the body. Probably a consequence of making a more fitted shirt.

Changes/alterations: I graded up to a size 8 at the upper back. I shortened the sleeves 2 inches. After sewing a fit muslin, I took 1/2" out of the back waist through the darts. I lowered the entire back dart by 1/2". I did a 3/4" swayback adjustment, and took an additional 1/2" in length out of the center back around the chest level. Doing these things meant I had to add a center back seam.

I also did flat-felled seams whenever possible. The only serged seams were on the sleeves and armholes.

Would you sew it again? Maybe? I'm not used to wearing such a fitted shirt. I will need to wear it a few times to get used to the closer fit before I decide if I want to sew the pattern again.

Conclusion: It was fun to try something new to me in the world of shirtmaking. I haven't decided if the more fitted styles are for me but it was definitely a good learning experience if nothing else. I will say that the shirt feels comfortable when worn and I don't really notice that I'm wearing it. I wonder if this is one of those garments that doesn't necessarily photograph well but is still a good make in real life.

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