A Little Peasant Top Gratification: Kate and Rose Roza Review

Word on the street is that March is a festival of blouses over here.  Well . . . I couldn’t pass that up.  Of course, in my tradition of blouses on the CSC I may or may not have gone down a ’90s spiral.  I’ll let you judge, but I think the evidence speaks for itself.

The pattern: Kate and Rose Roza.

The fabric: some ridiculously expensive silk I got for my birthday two years ago.  Seriously, that’s like 100+ bucks of silk on my back that came from a gift.  I’m a moderately poor person, so typically this kind of dough would not go for a single shirt.  Don’t stand to close to me, ya hear.  You might get your air on my silk.

First up, the elephant in the room.  That is gauze silk and china silk.  There was no way this side of–oh I don’t know–never I was going to run about in a peek-a-boo top.  So, I cut the pattern out, of both silks, and then I hand basted them together.  Then I trimmed the pieces.  The cutting and hand basting took about two hours.  Turn on some Netflix, if you will.  Oh, and that’s silk thread this time too.  My Momma follows all things I write pretty closely, everyone listen close: she just gasped that said “about time child!”  She also rolled her eyes and tried very hard to suppress a laugh.

So . . . I read the instructions and the pattern.  I took due note that the seam allowances are 3/5ths, and the lovely Kate notes to merely add 1/4 of an inch if you want to do French seams.  Well . . . me and my birthday silk wanted those most romantic of seams.  So I added 1/4 of an inch and then sewed my Frenchie seams.  I did view B with the high low hem, and without a doubt this pattern is a win, win.

Some of those frenchy seams . . .

Another . . .

That’s some sexy stuff now, ya hear.

Peasant tops, to me, are classic bo-ho, ’90s, ME, and of course everyone just about everywhere says anyone from Eastern Europe or with Eastern European heritage should wear them.  Eh on the the latter.  They sure are fun though, and they are so versatile.  Toss these on with a pencil and boots and call it an outfit! Or leggings.  Or jeans  . . .

Here . . . now, after a long day that I wore said shirt all day!  And, yes, I wore it in late Freezeuary in NYC.  The double silk makes it near seasonally appropriate, and I didn’t spend a lot of time outside that day.  No, no I did not.

Do note, my next one of a gorgeous charcoal floral silk (that was not a gift and that I pinched pennies to procure) won’t have the additional 1/4 inch added for the French seams.  I think I can actually go down a smidge on this one. And, I’ve dropped the front high low half an inch.

Wanna know another great fact about this shirt? It’s a one glass of wine beauty.  This is another project that met with ease, wine, my insomnia, and a good little time at my abused sewing machine.

Pattern Rating (1-5)

• Size Range:  3  – up to XL, however, the chest has a good 5 – 6 inch ease, so arguably it’s a 4
• Instructions: 5, she’s got illustrations and the beginner to the expert will be happy.  The advanced sewer will not be bored either . . . I highly recommend upping the anti with slippery silk.  Gauze silk has its own grippers, so little slip there.
• Construction Process: 5
• Final Fit: 4-5
  • My first one is a little loose, see the notes above.  BUT . . . there are slight curves on the sides of this peasant.  I was freakishly close to just drafting my own peasant when I finally pulled the trigger on this one.  Yea, I so would’ve tried to get a girly shape with creative draping on a . . .wait for it . . . rectangle.  So: three hearts to the shape!
• Overall Rating: 5