Another silk blouse

First of all I want to thank you for the very nice, sweet comments on my previous post - I felt/ feel deeply touched. As a matter of fact, your words are an encouragement for me to continue. It's good to make a halt once in awhile and take a deep breath. It's good to redefine, to re-plot the lines and think about which direction to go. And your words have helped me in doing so. I started blogging for fun and want to keep it that way!  And the photographs so many of you seem to appreciate will be a part of it as will the crafts, but not only.

That being said, I used my little break to sew - I finished this blouse from another Japanese pattern book and I made a skirt with my very own pattern. But more about the skirt later.

In case you're wondering, the blouse comes out of this book: Ma petite garde-robe. Tendances à coudre. by Yoshiko Tsukiori (not sure if it's available in English). I stuck to the pattern for most part except for the finishing where I chose to go with French seams and hand-sewn mock French seams, because of the flimsy sheer silk I used. Because of the delicacy of the silk I also basted most seams - all the basting and French seams (more than) doubles the work but the result is so much nicer.
And there's something about the process too which I really like and which I had completely forgotten about.
The slow pace of sewing by hand is almost meditative and very soothing.
Stitch by stitch it happens right under your hands.  A piece of garment, unique by its nature...