Dressmaking

Boden ravello take off

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I have to admit that I’m rather a fan of Boden clothes. The catalogue that drops through my letter box gets thoroughly read and tagged with random corners turned down. My online shopping basket gets filled and emptied most weeks during my lunch hour as I plan my fictional wardrobe to be worn in a fictional place where you don’t have to prepare for 5 types of weather in one day.

It’s all very good practice for the day I get my email announcing a 30 or 40% sale when I finally give in to the items I really ‘need’.

I have more than one (four!!!!) of the Boden ‘ravello’ tops bought over the past 3 years and all still going strong. I wear them for work, especially for meetings when I need ‘to keep my cool’, under a jacket.

16WSPR_WA672_ROS

But look, it’s such a simple top. And it remarkably resembles this burdastyle pleated blouse.

Burdastyle pleated blouse 042013
Burdastyle pleated blouse 042013

It is not the first time I have made this top. I had a go at this one way back in my early sewing days but it was far too big around the neck and truly gave everyone an eye-full as I lent over the table at work.3rd blouse Burdastyle pleated blouse 042013

Also the material was really cheap. As I wore it the static built up and it clung to me rather unattractively!
But I was determined not to buy another Ravello in this season’s sale so committed to another go.
I took out my previously traced pattern and saw that I had cut out for a 38” bust and then taken it in dramatically down the sides – hence the gaping neck!!

This time I went for a straight 36”and took my time using this floral poly received as part of me Stitching Santa swap at Christmas! Thanks Hannah!

I took ages making sure the facing was going to lay flat; another fault in my previous top.

So careful was I that I failed to see I had stitched the right side to the wrong side!

But all’s well that ends well.

I think I’ve almost cracked this one.

I’m just wondering whether to take it in some down the sides. However I do like to feel unrestricted if I’m wearing it all day at work. It looks best tucked in and will be perfect under my navy jacket…….Or maybe with my white summer jeans?

BTW, I’ve just cut out another 😉

Love, Lucie xx

 

39 comments

  2. Great work and so satisfying that you no longer need to buy this style (unless a really print come up 😉 ). What a great gifted fabric, suits your style perfectly. It does look a little big at the sides perhaps, but if it’s for work and that feels more comfortable then why not save a slimmer version for casual wear, maybe your next one? Either way, I see many more ahead, lovely!

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  7. I have admired that top many times and thought I could make one of those but haven’t yet. I had great success unpicking a white cotton Boden blouse and doing a replica so it is good to know that a RTB pattern is a similar style. Great fabric cutting by the way. Jo x

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  9. I’m a Boden fan too and there is a certain tunic – that I wear as a dress ‘cos I’m a short arse – that I buy almost every season. I actually took one of them to a pattern copying course but still haven’t actually got round to making one myself. So, well done you. Your dressmaking skills have come on in leaps and bounds and you have turned that secret santa fabric into a very pretty top.

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    1. Thank you very much. One of my next tasks is to source patterns for my boden summer dresses. I usually buy a couple each holiday. They last for ever but it would be nice to run them up myself.

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  12. Really nice, and such gorgeous fabric! Obviously I don’t know what the Boden one looks like on you, but from what I see I personally prefer the neckline on your one. Good job!

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  14. That fabric is stunning – what a great gift! So satisfying to be able to recreate a favourite RTW top – especially when it’s better than the original!

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  15. That fabric is amazing! It really doesn’t look like you’ve made it! Well done on sorting the fit out. I generally go the other way and image I’m smaller than I actually am! 🙂

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  17. Such beautiful fabric – just perfect for this gorgeous top. I bought my first item from Boden a couple of weeks ago – they have a great collection at the moment! 😊

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  18. Lovely top! I too have the Burda pattern for exactly the same reason as you-to copy the ravello. Now I’ve seen yours I need to make it fast…..just got to finish a work skirt. Did you pick the size based exactly on bust measurement or size down?

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    1. Hi Rachel. I’m a size 10 with 35.5” measured around the bust. I made up the 36” which was the smallest available with the pattern. It comes up ever so slightly bigger around the bust than my Boden Ravello size 10 but actually my Boden Ravello is a little restrictive across the upper back when sat at my computer. So this burda one fits better for work but I’d probably make an evening version a little smaller. The neckline is a little higher on the burda one but I’m not sure which one I prefer. The burda one is better for ‘leaning over’ a desk;). Hope that helps.

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  21. God bless you! I’ve been looking for a pattern for the Ravello top for three years now! I keep thinking that the big 3 pattern companies have got to have something similar sooner or later. I was about to buy one from Boden just to trace and then send back. I haven’t sewn a Burda pattern before, but I’m going to get my hands on one now. Thanks!

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  23. Pingback: Why does the sewjo go? | Love, Lucie

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