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After my Goji skirt, I need to show you my version of the Hoya blouse!

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Hoya is one of the three new patterns from Deer&Doe. It’s a straight blouse, with lined panels that are turned to form a collar on the front. The front of the blouse is a mock-wrap in that the panels are sewn together on some of the length. I love this construction, which allows for the blouse to have movement but prevents gaping when bending over or sitting down.

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This is version B of the pattern, with elbow sleeves and sleeve tabs, which give the blouse a very casual feel. I also made version A, which has short sleeves, but now I’m back in Boston and it’s still snowing so I’m going to have to wait a bit before I can take pictures of that one…

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I think Hoya is my first straight blouse, and at first I was a little skeptical. Actually I never wear blouses: I generally wear my skirts and jeans with very fitted knit t-shirts that show off my waist. This shape is the exact oppposite, and far from my comfort zone.

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Turns out, I love it! Even though the blouse is straight, it is definitely not a potato sack. In a soft fabric like this rayon challis, it drapes over the curves of the body in a lovely way.

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This gingham rayon challis is from Harts Fabric, but unfortunately is now discontinued. It’s a little thick for challis, not transparent at all and has a nice drape. It wasn’t easy to sew, especially with the bias edges that wanted to stretch out and my obsession for print matching, but the end result was worth it.

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Hoya’s neckline is a little plunging, which balances out with the loose shape and elbow sleeves. I wear it as is, or sometimes with a tank top underneath when it’s a little colder. If you’re not a fan of the neckline, there’s a tutorial on the Deer&Doe blog to make it higher.

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At first I thought I would wear this blouse tucked into a high waisted skirt, but in the end I’ve been wearing it almost exclusively like this: with my favorite Safran jeans and a pair of tennis shoes. It’s so comfortable that it’s perfect for these days when I don’t want to get dressed.

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That’s it for now for the new Deer&Doe patterns! I do have a Luzerne trench coat in the works, but I still have some hemming to do and since I’m not going to be able to wear it for a while I’m feeling lazy. That’s my main problem at the moment: I have so many summer projects and floral dresses I’d love to wear and sew but it’s going to take months before spring is truly here and I’m discouraged. What are you sewing at the moment?

Hoya1
Hoya Blouse
Hoya- Deer&Doe
Size 38 – 40 1/2
Rayon challis from Hart Fabrics

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