Hi, guys! I hope your Mondays are off to a great start! Don’t be too jealous, but I’m having the best kind of Monday– a day off of work! 🙂 Before I dive into my patternmaking homework and hopefully some sewing, I wanted to share one of my newest projects with you!
The lovely and talented Katie of Papercut Patterns asked me to test one of her new patterns, and I jumped at the chance to try out her Meissa Blouse pattern! I love, love, love buttondowns and wear a basic plaid buttondown to work basically every day, so I was really excited to try out a shirt pattern that’s a little different. The Meissa Blouse has feminine details like a gathered yoke (in the front and the back), a rounded collar, and a curved hemline. Fun, right?
My plan was to make this with peach-colored voile (which existed in my mind), but when I got to Mood NYC, I couldn’t tear myself away from this Theory brushed cotton. It’s SO soft, like, CRAZY soft, and definitely what you want to wear in cool November weather. It’s solidly medium-weight, which I knew was pretty risky for this blouse. It would probably look a lot nicer in a lightweight fabric– the gathers would sit nicely and the whole thing would be really floaty and sweet– but I wanted to push the envelope and see if I could get away with this heavier fabric. It probably looks a little sloppy, but I like my buttondowns really slouchy anyway, so I can live with it.
Honestly, I’m a little surprised by how much I enjoy sewing shirts. They seem difficult and fiddly, but it’s really fun to put them together. This pattern came together really quickly, despite the fact that I’m really terrible at gathering. I probably spent more time trying to get the gathers even than I did on any other step in this process (again, this probably would have been easier if I’d used a lighter fabric).
Love that hemline!
I made a size XS, my size according to the chart, and I didn’t make any alterations. The shoulders are maybe a little wide, but I get the same thing in my RTW shirts– not sure if I have narrow shoulders or if this is just a style thing. I might lose a little width through the upper arms and add a little to the lower arms next time– it fits nicely through the forearm/wrist, but because they actually fit, I can’t roll the sleeves up very far, which is my preferred way to wear a buttondown. I topstitched the shirt with gold thread to give it sort of a denim look. Actually, that leads me to a question– how should I style this shirt?! I generally wear jeans to work, but I don’t really like the denim-on-denim look, and I don’t have much else besides jeans to wear this with!
I think this pattern is super cute and I’m excited to see more versions of it popping up on the blogosphere! Actually, I really like the whole collection, but the Bellatrix blazer is definitely high on my list for fall/winter sewing! I’d like to make a longer version to wear over jeans and a cropped version to wear over dresses! Not to tempt you too much, but there’s a 15% off sale right now, plus free worldwide shipping, PLUS the listed prices are in New Zealand dollars, so the blouse, for example, is about $17 USD. Not as bad as it looks at first sight. (NOTE: I’m not paid to shill for Papercut and I don’t get a cut of their sales or anything– I’m just a fan!).
Come to Mama… Is it weird that I want a metallic version just like this?! Love it! [photo stolen fro Papercut Patterns]
Adorable! Check out Sophie’s blog, if you’re not already following it! [photo stolen from Cirque du Bebe]
Ginger Makes... 
What a fun design! I particularly like the button placement. I didn’t realize they’d put out new patterns. You could wear it with corduroy pants?
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Thanks, Lisette! Maybe I should try to make a pair of cords!
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I love this blouse on you and the color is fab!
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Thanks, Heather! I won’t try to tempt you with any more patterns– I think I’ve already done enough damage!
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This is so cute and pratical… Love the casual feeling but I can see it dress up… Great job darling
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Thanks, Rach! I’m thinking I should make a dressy silk version next!
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Love this button-down. Really liking the look of the new bomber too. Need to get a couple of these patterns while they are still on sale!
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Thanks, Jennifer! I bet you would look adorable in the bomber jacket!
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I love this and it will be added to my list. I actually made a jacket similar to the Bellatrix jacket a year or so ago (McCalls fashion star) but the pattern was drafted badly and everytime I wear it it irks me. I’m so keen to make this one as the fit looks so much better. I’m also loving the bomber jacket for our downunder summer.
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Ooh, a lightweight summer bomber sounds lovely! I’ve considered that McCall’s pattern in the past, but I’m glad I didn’t try it now that I hear your feedback.
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Lady, this is like the perfect combination of basic buttondown shirt and feminine blouse – if I didn’t live so far away I would be trying to come up with ideas of stealing this, whether it would fit me or not (it totally wouldn’t fit).
I’ll just have to make one for myself, although (*SOB*) I am horribly poor! Can I wait, and ask for this for christmas? No, I think I need it now.
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Uh-oh, I’ll be sleeping with one eye on my closet! 😉 I’d say you should hint strongly to your loved ones that you realllly want this and it just happens to be on sale! 😉
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Love your top!
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Thanks, lady! I bet this would look cute on you in a nice bright voile!
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Ahhhhhh this turned out SO CUTE!! I love the pattern, but you just made me love it more 🙂 To answer your question, I think you should wear it with red ponte pants. Because red and denim blue look great together, and that outfit just sounds amazingly comfortable haha.
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You’re reminding me– I have an unhemmed pair of ponte pants buried somewhere… I should dig them out!
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This shirt looks adorable! I really like the gathers in the back, especially because it seems like everyone could always use a little more wiggle room back there. And I agree – the new Constellation collection is gorgeous. I want all those patterns! The Ensis tee looks cute – a basic tee you can make in a zillion colors. 🙂
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I love the Blouse! It has such a great relaxed vibe. I like the heavier choice of fabric, it will be great for wearing on colder days :).
There is something so cute about those rounded yokes. Haha I love how that made me sound like a sewing nerd 😉
I also think you would rock that Bellatrix blazer!
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That shirt is so cute!! Just when I think the menswear shirt for girls can’t get any more cute, they go an add little shoulder yokes. Love it!
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Wow, supercute! I really like the shoulder details on this blouse. It also looks super comfy and warm.. I really like the bomber, especially Sophie’s version, I’d steal it right away!
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I love this shirt=the yoke is so flirty and fem! I find denim on denim really difficult to style for myself too, but those Pinterest pics of people wearing it look awesome. I bet you could pull it off, maybe with a big scarf or perhaps a blazer over the top, plaid or navy? As far as being easy= button downs==are you sure? LOL 😉 Great work, as ever.
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