Skeletons in the Closet

My life is a wreck again, so I don't have anything new to show off.  (I am going to try not to go on hiatus, but I make no promises.)  Instead, I am continuing with the McCall's run with another It Came from My Closet entry.  This one is 5050, kinda-sorta view E meets A.  The fabric is a perennial Halloween favorite from JoAnn's.  Who could say no to dancing skeletons?

The pattern is rated as average, but I knocked it out in an afternoon.  I did deviate from the pattern pretty significantly: I skipped the lace cut-outs on the sleeves, replaced the elastic necklace with a drawstring ribbon one, and added a little opening for the ribbon (I used the buttonhole foot).  I opted for the shorter version of the blouse, but in retrospect, I think I would have preferred the longer one.  The lace I used on the cuffs was shorter than what the pattern called for, but I felt too much might distract from the fabric pattern.

The underbust gathering is done with elastic enclosed in bias tape.  I used the scraps to make my own, as I usually do.  The only atypical part of this pattern is that the sleeves themselves are part of the neckline.  It's isn't hard to sew; it just isn't something you see all that often.

Even if you opted for the lace cutouts of view E, this pattern probably shouldn't be rated as average.  Views A and B, which feature gathered cuffs on sleeves would probably also be pretty easy.  D (tiered sleeves) and C (gathered mid-sleeve) look more difficult, but I would still rate this as a beginner-level pattern.

Using the leftover fabric, I also made a bandanna to wear with this.  I'm told it makes me look like a spooky hippie.