My OWOP So Zo Inspired New Top!

I have been planning on making this top for a while but it kept getting pushed further and further down my queue until Handmade Jane's OWOP spurred me on to finally do it!

I started with a shirt donated by my Dad which was a bit stained and a bit worn out in the collar and cuffs but otherwise fine.  Completely copying Taking inspiration from Zoe I used New Look 6808 (which is my OWOP pattern) to take my shirt from this:

to this:

I really wanted to make a button back blouse and had thought to split the back like the Deer and Doe Datura Blouse but in the end went for the full button back.  This was so easy to do, I simply laid the pattern piece along the centre of the buttons, cut out one side then reversed the pattern to cut out the other side.  The beauty of this is keeping all the original buttons, button holes and hems - win!

The front of the blouse was cut from the back of the shirt, again using the original hem, and the sleeves were cut from....the sleeves!  This is all I had left after the cutting, a very economical use of a second hand shirt:

For the collar I used a second shirt, this one donated by my husband.  This one didn't have so much fabric on it as it was short sleeved to start with and had a lot of top stitching in random places.  I used the back and both front pieces and again there wasn't much left of the shirt when I had finished.  The collar is the same as I used on this version but instead of cutting it on the fold, I curved off the ends to accommodate the back button opening.

I am really happy with how this project turned out.  I do like the longer length, I don't have many tunic type tops but it was really comfortable to wear to work today and will be excellent for autumn.  I have noticed that the bust darts look really high on this top, I'm not sure whether its the bra I'm wearing or my bust had dramatically travelled south lately but before I make this pattern again I need to check that!