A blouse pattern with a contemporary ‘edge’

A beautiful, floaty and romantic Liberty Silk deserves an equally beautiful pattern and, just at the right time, The Fold Line added a new range of patterns from Russian designer Viki Sews that have recently been translated to English and this Edwige Blouse immediately jumped out at me. It’s timeless yet has a bit of a contemporary ‘edge’.

These patterns only come in single sizes and I feel this is a very limiting decision made by pattern companies, especially if you need to grade between sizes, or if you change size, or if you want to make the item for someone else and doesn’t seem fair to have to buy the same pattern more than once. Also, as there are only body measurements and ease given – no finished dimensions – it makes choosing just one size a bit of a guessing game.

There are some interesting techniques used in the construction of this blouse. I REALLY liked how the interfacing is attached to the facings (see link below for further details). Others seemed rather long-winded when there was a simpler way of doing things. It’s worth noting that the layplans – which are all shown for a single layer of fabric – don’t show right and wrong sides when placing the pattern pieces, so you need to be aware when you’re cutting the sleeves, the yokes, and the cuffs to cut mirror images.

Using silk for any make requires a lot of time and patience… and PINS!

The yokes at the shoulders add a lovely feature with the gathering on the front and used a new-to-me technique of practically turning them inside out to get a really neat finish inside.

Sewing the button loops was a fiddle – as was a lot of this make because of my slippery silk fabric – but I LOVE how they continue up the front of the bodice, giving it that ‘edge’ I mentioned. Be warned, there are 16 cover buttons to make, but they’re oh so worth the effort!

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE how the huge sleeves, the gathering, and the long cuffs with the buttons have turned out!

To summarise this make, I completely forgive this pattern’s unnecessarily-complicated techniques, unhelpful layplans, and lack of nested sizes because the finished result is (am I allowed to say this?!) absolutely STUNNING!

If you’d like to read my full review and see more photos head to: https://norfolkdaphne.wordpress.com/2021/05/28/viki-sews-edwige-blouse/