Sewing Pattern Review - Blouse Pattern - McCalls 7575

Karen Ball makes gorgeous garments and entertains us all on her blog www.didyoumakethat.com Shes sharing her version of McCall's 7575 which comes with Issue 57 of Love Sewing.

McCalls M7575 sewing pattern review

Have you ever tissue fitted a sewing project? Me neither, until I tackled the McCalls 7575. The pattern includes instructions for the no-guess method of tissue fitting. This method involves cutting or tracing pattern pieces according to your size and then pinning the paper pieces together along the seam lines. You then try on the paper outfit and look for areas of adjustment.  And guess what? It works! When I saw myself wearing the paper pattern pieces I could immediately identify a common fitting issue for me, around my narrow upper chest. I pinched out the excess on the paper pattern piece for the front and cut my fabric accordingly.

The patterns also have adjustment lines for a full bust, high round back, lengthening and shortening, as well as darts on the back and front. So if a good fit is your friend or your nemesis, this is the pattern for you!  I sewed my blouse using cotton poplin from online fabric supplier www.thimbleandnotch.co.uk Flamingos, zebras and palm leaves  whats not to love? The poplin presses like a dream and, as its slightly stiffer than lawn cotton, I didnt always use fusible interfacing when the pattern suggested. I did however interface the front bands where I needed to sew buttonholes  just make sure the colour of the interfacing matches the colour of your fashion fabric for when you slice them open.  I lowered the bust darts, another common adjustment for me. Other than that, I cut out true to size, blending between size 18 around the hips and size 16 around the chest. The collar construction is simple and the sleeves went in easily.  Im considering another version of this blouse in fabric with lots of drape, such as heavyweight silk. If youre looking for an accessible sewing pattern for a blouse, I would highly recommend the M7575. And once youve found your sewing confidence, you can graduate to more luxurious fabric  thats what I plan to do!      /*<![CDATA[*/      (function () {       var scriptURL = 'https://sdks.shopifycdn.com/buy-button/latest/buy-button-storefront.min.js';       if (window.ShopifyBuy) {         if (window.ShopifyBuy.UI) {           ShopifyBuyInit();         } else {           loadScript();         }       } else {         loadScript();       }        function loadScript() {         var script = document.createElement('script');         script.async = true;         script.src = scriptURL;         (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0] || document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(script);         script.onload = ShopifyBuyInit;       }        function ShopifyBuyInit() {         var client = ShopifyBuy.buildClient({           domain: 'simple-sew.myshopify.com',           storefrontAccessToken: '1ed6f38a937d07aa1d4ad456ab0cd185',         });          ShopifyBuy.UI.onReady(client).then(function (ui) {           ui.createComponent('product', {             id: [1452709511281],             node: document.getElementById('product-component-b6a602b8b61'),             moneyFormat: '%C2%A3%7B%7Bamount%7D%7D',             options: {   "product": {     "variantId": "all",     "contents": {       "imgWithCarousel": false,       "variantTitle": false,       "description": false,       "buttonWithQuantity": false,       "quantity": false     },     "styles": {       "product": {         "@media (min-width: 601px)": {           "max-width": "calc(25% - 20px)",           "margin-left": "20px",           "margin-bottom": "50px"         }       }     }   },   "cart": {     "contents": {       "button": true     },     "styles": {       "footer": {         "background-color": "#ffffff"       }     }   },   "modalProduct": {     "contents": {       "img": false,       "imgWithCarousel": true,       "variantTitle": false,       "buttonWithQuantity": true,       "button": false,       "quantity": false     },     "styles": {       "product": {         "@media (min-width: 601px)": {           "max-width": "100%",           "margin-left": "0px",           "margin-bottom": "0px"         }       }     }   },   "productSet": {     "styles": {       "products": {         "@media (min-width: 601px)": {           "margin-left": "-20px"         }       }     }   } }           });         });       }     })();     /*]]>*/