Sheerly Summer

My stashbusting efforts have now taken on new priority. With only seven months left before our wedding, I'm determined to "slim down" my fabric stash -- not your typical pre-wedding diet, I know! *wink* And we sold our house last Saturday. Just like that. It's been "for sale" on and off for several years, but two weeks ago a couple came to look at it, and a week later they made an offer! If it goes through, we'll be moving closer to town, and probably to a smaller home -- which means downsizing for all of us!

Anyway, I'm rambling now -- this is really a post about my most recent stashbust, using a piece of gorgeous embroidered cotton voile that I purchased at Denver Fabrics last summer. I LOVED Denver Fabrics (no longer affiliated with the website of the same name), and got some absolute steals there!



I'm in dire need of some new summer clothes, so I pulled out my trusty Simplicity 4499 (some of you who read my blog regularly are already laughing...) and got to work.



I used the oh-so-easy-to-sew pleated short sleeve from the pattern, since I wanted this to be quick and simple. Plus, I love that sleeve! It's so comfortable! I did cut off a few inches from the center front so that the blouse wouldn't overlap (it needs an undershirt anyway), and also improvised a simple tied belt from the scrap of fabric I had left over. Oh, and I borrowed anoher pattern's collar to improvise a mandarin collar -- I love mandarin collars, but hardly ever use them!



2009 just may turn out to be "The Summer of the Stashbust!"