This long-sleeved Orageuse Prague blouse pattern has a turtleneck collar with buttons in the back and an optional deep v-neck opening in front. It is pretty loose fitted but has darts to create a bit of shape. It’s a pdf pattern and is available both in French and English.
The pattern has French sizing. The sizes range from 34 to 46 corresponding to European sizes 32 to 44. I made the size 38 (EUR 36, UK 10) and it fitted without any modifications.
This pattern suits for thin to medium weight wovens such as silk, viscose or polyester satin and crepe among others. I chose to use this pastel green floral polyester satin.
I liked the way the instruction pdf was constructed. The whole layout/design of the leaflet was very professional looking. The images were clear and helped a lot. I am usually too impatient to read the instructions carefully but the images helped to keep me on the right track.
The pattern pieces for the bias binding reserved for finishing the slits at the sleeves and the back neckline were quite narrow with only 5 mm seam allowance. I’d recommend cutting the bias binding strips a bit wider if you are planning to use slippery fabric or fabric that doesn’t crease well (Mine didn’t). I did manage the bindings though, which makes me quite proud!
This blouse was a bit more work than I expected. It took me about two days to make. However, the fit is just right without any modifications. I was originally a bit worried that the turtleneck collar would be too loose, but after inserting the buttons and the buttonholes the collar looks ok. The v-neck is not too deep and is perfect for showcasing a nice necklace.
I think that this blouse looks the best when tucked in. I feel that if I were to wear it over trousers or a narrow skirt I should add a little more definition to the waist and a little bit more ease to the hip.
All in all, I am very happy with my new blouse! I can definitely recommend this Orageuse Prague blouse pattern. The difficulty level for this pattern is listed as intermediate and I would agree with this description. Due the fiddly details this is not something for a beginner but needs some sewing experience. I have a feeling that this will again be one of those go-to patterns in my pattern stash. I can see a lot of different ways this pattern could be hacked into an infinite number of different blouses.
Check out my blog for more pictures and some extra tips on how I managed the slippery satin.