Summery Mathilde - a quick and satisfactory fix!

Guys, I want to thank you so much for being so amazingly solution-focussed! I totally love you for the host of clever advice following my Summery Mathilde conundrum on Monday, which broadly fell into the following two categories: construction-based and practical.

In terms of construction some of your suggestions included concentrating the gathers towards the centre, adding waist darts and changing the gathers back to the pattern's original tucks. All excellent suggestions, but I'll let you know into a little secret...I'm such a lazy arse! For me, when a make is finished, it's finished. I honestly can't fathom unpicking overlocked/finished seams and fiddling around to fix things. Terrible, but true!

Sooooo, this is where your practical advice came in very handy indeed. I'm kicking myself for not having thought the following: try it belted or tucked in and wear a push up bra, sports bra, camisole, slip or vest top underneath. It turns out that wearing a vest top underneath really does stop the gathers from dipping between my boobs...hurray! Aaaaand, it even looks quite nice tucked into high-waisted jeans...with the vest top still underneath of course!



So a big thumbs up to you for the helpful input and a massive thanks to those of you who were complimentary about my blouse before the 'fix'.


In other 'hilarious' news...I got pooped on whilst taking these photos yesterday evening! Yep, you heard me. Right in the middle of my photo shoot a bird did the biggest and loudest poop ever, part of which landed on my arm. It was such a gross feeling and the smell was something else! I had to photograph the rest of it so you could see how big and gross it was...pardon my foot in the photo, but I wanted you to have a sense of scale.


Have you ever been pooped on whilst taking photos for your blog?

46 comments:

  1. Oh. My. Word. Well actually, there are no words - I am so sorry that you had to go through that terrible experience. I remember once when I was little, swinging out in the back yard and I was watching the birds and thinking "man, I hope none of them poop on me" and right that second a big old plop right on my arm. So I feel for you.

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    1. At least we both got pooped on our arms and not our heads ;o)

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  2. I'm the same as you: when it's done, that's it. I rarely adjust it, at least not until a few weeks or even months later, and then only if it's easy. I'd rather start from scratch than adjust something! Your Mathilde top is very pretty. I can't believe you got pooped on!!! Some people say it's good luck, but I think they only say it to make the poop-recipient feel better!!

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    1. Yes, I'd rather start from scratch than fix something...we're crazy!

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  3. It's amazing how much difference an extra layer can make! It looked good before, but it looks much better now.

    And I've never gotten pooped on while taking a blog picture before, but I did get pooped on while sightseeing once, in Chile. On my head/face, while looking up to get a picture of something. And since I was with a group, it was hours before I was able to wash my hair! (I did get as much of it as possible off in a bathroom, though, as soon as I could.)

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    1. Thanks Becky...and OMG! Your bird poop experience sounds horrible! I feel bad for moaning about mine now...at least I was at home!

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  4. OMG this is the grossest poo ever. Poor you!! ANd hurray for quick fixes! Who wants to unpick an overlocked seam?? Honestly.

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    1. Hehe...it was pretty gross! And yeah, I avoid unpicking overlocked seams like the plaque!

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  5. Great fix! Never been pooped on, there is still time I am sure!

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  6. Thank you for posting an update, I too am a 'large' chested girl and I avoided the Mathilde because of it, I may have to take another look now!

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    1. Yeah do, cheating with your undergarments can really work!

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  7. LOL! Isn't this lucky in some countries??? I also am not one to undo hours of work just to skim in a few seams...your top looks great now with the wearable 'practical' solutions in place...J

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  8. Oh lord, that last sentence just killed me. This is my favorite blog post ever, I think. Hahaha!!!!

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  9. Nasty little bird! So sorry you got pooped on!! But I'm glad you found a way to make your cute top work!

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  10. You poor thing! I got pooped on at the beach last year. Right in my sunglasses, thankfully. It could have been so much worse!

    I am like you in once it's done, it's done. I don't like to rip out and fix either. I think wearing a top underneath has done the trick!

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  11. Yay! I'm glad you like it better now! And I've totally been pooped on! Haha. Luckily it just went on my skirt but still...

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  12. Oh and you can see the wet spot on my skirt in the photo: http://makingitwell.blogspot.co.nz/2013/05/im-still-here.html lol! Gross!

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    1. Oh dear...nasty wet spot!!! You poor thing!

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  13. oh my what a giggle that last photo induced!! That's horrid, but hilarious! And I'm actually quite surprised at how much of a positive change the cami underneath has made. It looks a million times better! Yay to being able to wear your blouse!

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    1. Thank you my dear and glad I made you laugh!

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  14. I'm the same! I hate mending or alterations - so I'm really pleased you have been able to find a labour-saving way to make this beautiful top wearable. I've never been pooped on while taking photos, but I have while walking through the park on a beautiful day. Nic was pooped on by a pigeon in Edinburgh on our first ever holiday together and that stuff is so acidic it burned his poor scalp! I had to clean it out of his hair, which made me gag, and then he had to go into a pub toilet to wash it out. It was so grim!

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    1. Thanks Roisin! How terrible that both you and Nic have poop stories to tell...nasty birds!

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  15. Yay!! for the shirt, not the poop!
    I've been pooped on but not while taking blog pics. Riding on the back of a motorcycle, damn bird took a poop on my leg. Grossest thing ever!

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    1. Oh dear...a bird poop is a sure way to cramp someone's style whilst on a motorcycle!!!

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  16. I'm so glad you found a way to wear this top because it is so you. And I agree, who can be bothered to unpick stuff once you've already mentally finished it? I certainly can't anyway. As for being pooped on, just be grateful it wasn't a seagull. One got my husband the other day and the smell was unbelievable. Fishy. Of course I laughed hysterically...

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    1. Eeeew, seagull poop must be the worse! I would have been laughing hysterically too...if it wasn't me that got pooped on of course ;o)

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  17. I'm so behind on my blogroll, so I just saw your first post-- I've had the same problem with a dress dipping at the bust, and a tank totally helps that! Sometimes I feel like our generation isn't as well versed in how underthings can help you out-- I forget about how slips, camisoles, etc, can make for nicer silhouettes.

    And DUDE! That is a serious poop! I think because I've worked outside for most of my adult life, I've had more time to get pooped on, but it's happened to me so many times-- two days in a row, once! They say it's good luck, but I can only see it as a total pain in the butt!

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    1. Yeah, we totally don't take advantage of the undergarments available to us, that's for sure! Dude!!! You got pooped on 2 days in a row...there's nothing lucky about that ;o)

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  18. Looks really great now! :) I think this is why my grandma called her girdle a “foundation garment”- our undies can totally change the way clothes sit on top!

    And the grimness of bird poo... but how big was “your” bird?!! That was not a sparrow... Bleurgh. But it’s good luck, right?!

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    1. I didn't see the culprit as it was on the balcony above...but I'm guessing BIG...and GROSS!

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  19. I have that same problem with gathered shirts like that. The gathers just want to fall in between the boobs. And I don't even have much in the way of, um, mounds, ya know? I think your top is really cute, especially the shorter sleeves.

    Also, that bird looks like it has some intestine issues...

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    1. Haha, yeah there was definitely something wrong with that bird!

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  20. Argh, that's what's kept me from attempting a Mathilde, but I do think the difference is night and day with a vest (I think those are tank tops over here?). And it looks great on you!

    It's also been keeping me from sewing up a cute peasant blouse pattern that has a similar yoke and gathers, but maybe I can try it with something underneath. Thanks for the inspiration!

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    1. You're welcome...give it a go and rest assured that a vest top/tank top/camisole/slip should make all the difference!

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  21. Looks like the quick fixes worked, the Mathilde is lovely!

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  22. That's a great print so I'm glad you worked out the gathers.

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  23. I feel your pain about bust gathers. Happens to the best of us...
    I have also heard that if a bird picks you to poo on, that it is good luck. So count your lucky chickens!
    hehe

    Thanks for your lovely comments :-)

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  24. Oh the end result is lovely, Marie! What a beautiful blouse! and in answer to your question - no, thankfully not...

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    1. Thanks Alice and I'm glad you haven't ;o)

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