This week I have been toiling a blouse, its a slow process as my toiles often become the real thing.  I am not sure if this one is going to, its a bit snug, but we’ll see.

Anyway we have come to the setting of the sleeves in part.  The bit I hate the most.  Serene moods can be shattered and anxiety and frustration can take over in what seems like seconds.  My most famous mistake of setting in a sleeve was getting a beautifully set in sleeve and finding I’d set the wrong sleeve in..  Still, once bitten, twice shy, I always triple check that I am working on the correct sleeve for the side.

One thing I have learned is to take it steady, pin and then to baste a double row of stitching around the sleeve easing the rucks and ruffles out as you go.  Easier said than done, but in this case practice does make perfect and I have improved immeasurably over the last couple of years.

As you can see a nicely set in sleeve.

And an almost finished linen blouse.  The linen – possibly a mix – was £3.00 a metre from the fabric warehouse I know and love in London.

And then I discovered the tiniest of rucks..  Its a toile, its staying, its on the back, no one will ever notice and as we all know there is no such thing as perfection.

Right, I’m off to go and do the other sleeve.

Did you like the mannequin?  I love it..  Now I just need a tailors ham and a tailors board and I’ll have everything I need.