One of the things I love about getting one of the printed to order Minerva fabrics is that I don’t fully know just how it will look when I receive it, and part of the surprise is seeing how well the print works on the different basecloths and texture. When I saw they had double gauze available I was very excited, as I‘m a big fan of this fabric type. It’s perfect for blouses in all seasons, as it is light and airy when warm yet also good when colder. It is made from two layers of single gauze cotton that has been stitched together, giving it an almost crinkle texture, and has a soft billowy feel. It isn't structured, so ideal for features that float such as ruffles, and is very comfortable to wear.

When choosing my print of course I had to go leopard 😄 I really liked that this particular design wasn’t too realistic, and on a light background, so I hoped it would match the vibe of the fabric.

When it arrived I was so happy, it really is a beautiful fabric! It is a little lighter than other double gauzes I have previously used, but that was fine as I knew I wanted to make a really lightweight blouse, and instantly knew which pattern would be perfect for it - the Marnie Blouse by Tilly and the Buttons.

I absolutely love this pattern, as it has some really interesting design features and variations you can make. A smock style body with princess seams, you can try your hand at sewing undulating tucks on either the front yoke and/or sleeves (this pattern was the first time I had ever heard of such a technique!) You can add ruffles along the shoulders and/or the collar and with a keyhole back finish it makes putting it on much easier. This amount of mix and match means you can create so many different versions, and use lots of different fabric types, and I’m yet to find a fabric this pattern hasn't looked great in!

I went for adding the tucks on the front yoke, however due to the nature of the fabric this was very tricky to achieve and despite trying my hardest I’m still not convinced they are straight! I had planned to add them to the sleeves but for this reason left them off and went for a straight sleeve instead 😅 Of course I had to add the shoulder ruffles as this is one of my favourite features of this blouse, and works perfectly with this fabric. I also changed the sleeve slightly by adding shirring at the wrist instead of an elastic channel, as I find it easier. I had the perfect button in my stash for the keyhole back - a leopard print one!

This kind of fabric can be slightly trickier to sew than a regular cotton, as it moves quite a bit, so do take care when cutting out your pieces, and also when sewing, so as not to stretch the fabric out. I used an extra sharp needle so that it wouldn't snag the material which it can be prone to doing, and I also didn't press with an iron too heavily, so that I didn't lose the lovely texture of the cloth. This pattern is a more involved sew, so take your time, but it is worth it!

I love how this has turned out! It is just what I wanted in terms of a floaty, light blouse that looks very cool! The print is lovely and goes with the pattern details so well. Combining my favourite garment pattern and print was always going to be a win for me, and I will be wearing this a lot!

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