I saw a blouse recently in Zara and probably would have bought it except they had sold out of my size. It gave me the inspiration to make something similar from this gorgeous Minerva Exclusive 'What Abi Sews' Gingham Glory Modal Challis POD that was gifted to me as part of the brand ambassador program. I love checks and stripes and the colours in this gingham print really gave me an autumn vibe. I didn’t know that Modal is a type of lyocell fibre that is processed specifically from beech trees. It is biodegradable and has an inherent softness that feels beautiful against the skin. It is also breathable and is a lovely fabric to wear anytime but especially in summer.
As it is a print on demand fabric it takes a little longer to arrive. However it is worth the wait as digital printing is a more sustainable way of creating pattern, more environmentally friendly which makes it a good choice for the planet.
I decided to use the pussy bow blouse pattern from the Sustainable Style Sewing Bee book. This is a loose fitting blouse, gathered at the back into a yoke that extends over the front shoulder. It has sleeves with a bit of volume and a tie bow at the neck. I modified the pattern a little by extending the sleeves by 3 inches and inserting an elastic casing at the wrist to give the frilled finish. I decided to keep the tie bow but raised the neck line a couple of inches. I added stitched on frill diagonally across each front. I finished it off with some small burgundy buttons. I patterned matched the check as far as I could. I have found the easiest way to do this is to cut each piece separately on single thickness fabric, pattern matching as you go.
The fabric has worked well in this design and I’m delighted with the overall result. I much prefer it to the Zara one and of course, I doubt I’ll see another one like it!
Thank you Minerva!
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