Tops, blouses and shirts

Summer Blouse, Makes Me Feel Fiiiiiiiiiiiiine

Oh July – she’s a fickle beast. One minute she’s pouring you with rain and the next it is sunstroke inducing warmth.

almond rock tilly turquoise polyester mathilde blouse

So for my July Minerva make I thought I better sew something that looks nice and summery but could easily work for those chillier days too.

I used the Mathilde blouse pattern from Tilly and The Buttons. It’s a cute pleated front blouse with button up back. My first version of this blouse (in a polka dot polyester) has never been blogged but cropped up during Me Made May (the polka dot week!) a few years ago.

It was too tight across the front yoke and it eventually ripped at the underarms, probably because I like to talk with my hands and use wild gestures all the time.

almond rock tilly turquoise polyester mathilde blouse

The original pattern comes with banded puff sleeves but they don’t really suit me so I swapped these out for straight sleeves. I did this on the first version too. I used the sleeve piece from New Look 6000 which I’ve never actually made because I’m not a shift dress kind of girl.

This bright polyester fabric in turquoise and cream was a great match for the pattern. It’s not like horrible static-creating polyester; it’s quite soft and light. It holds the pleats really well but also skims over your body in a flattering way. And I was sent perfectly matching thread which makes me happy as well.

almond rock tilly turquoise polyester mathilde blouse

There wasn’t much fraying to contend with but I French seamed the blouse for neatness and overlocked the armholes once I’d set in the sleeves.

Take a look at that back!

almond rock tilly turquoise polyester mathilde blouse

I really had a hankering for some gold metallic buttons after seeing them all over the high street lately. Gold and turquoise just seemed the perfect mix.

I used seven buttons in total but together they don’t drag the back of the blouse down as they are very light.

almond rock tilly turquoise polyester mathilde blouse

I can really see myself wearing this all year round as it would be easy to layer and it appeals to my need to dress colourfully even when faced with dreary weather.

Or weather like today where the sun kept disappearing behind massive clouds making my photos look like they’ve been taken on different days.

But hey, no don’t notice that… Look at my shoes! They match my top! Phew, glad I distracted you.

(31) Comments

  1. Very nice and summery. Love the shoes too!

    1. almondrock says:

      Heehee thank you!

  2. stitchedupsam says:

    This looks really lovely Amy. I much prefer it with the narrower sleeves. Cute shoes too 😉

    1. almondrock says:

      Thank you! I like the blousey sleeves on other people just not myself 🙂

  3. I love this pattern! It looks great and I like your choice of fabric – It’d go really well with a pencil skirt too.

    1. almondrock says:

      Thank you! Hmmm not sure I own a pencil skirt but I like the idea of the combo

  4. nx44 says:

    This is a great colour and i think the non-pouffy sleeve work well. So cute with your shoes!

    1. almondrock says:

      Thank you! Not sure I’ll ever use the original sleeve pieces. Just not me!

  5. This looks so cute on you!!!

    1. almondrock says:

      Ta very much! 😉

  6. Oh Amy, oh cute. Yes Mathilde and July are fickle but there is a perfect pattern-fabric combo out there and I think you’ve nailed it with this one.

    1. almondrock says:

      Hehe thank you! I’m wearing it today so it seems it works for August’s fickle weather too!

  7. Absolutely love it!

    1. almondrock says:

      Aww thank you!

  8. Very cute and I love the colour

    1. almondrock says:

      Thank you! I love the colour too

  9. beebeesvintagedress says:

    super cute! x

    1. almondrock says:

      Aww shucks. Thank you!

  10. Really lovely. Those sleeves are lovely.

    1. almondrock says:

      Thanks so much! I’m not sure I’ll ever be a bell sleeve girl

  11. Gorgeous! I love the colours in the fabric, the buttons go really wellwith them, and the sleeves are great.

    1. almondrock says:

      Thanks very much! Shame I can’t see my lovely buttons when I’m wearing it but I know they’re there

  12. I made this and had to top sew down the first 4″ of pleats as they popped out over my bosom making me look huge. With some hammering down on the bust and taking some volume out of the sleeves it turned out well. I think that is a definite keeper – great shoes. Jo x

    1. almondrock says:

      Oh! Sadly I don’t have enough bust to run into that issue but I’m glad you found a solution. Thanks for your lovely comments!

  13. I love this version! The fabric is awesome and you look gorgeous in it. I really came to like separates this summer and am totally into blouses at the moment. The Mathilde looks really cute, maybe I should give this pattern a try!

    1. almondrock says:

      Thank you so much! I think Mathilde would really suit you. If you make it light and airy it’s great for layering!

  14. This is soo adorable and do you know it is the first Mathilde blouse I have seen that I like! Brutally honest I know, but I just don’t like those sleeves and you have fixed that issue perfectly! Lovely.

    1. almondrock says:

      Wow! Thanks so much. I think the sleeves have put quite a few people off which doesn’t surprise me

  15. I love the back of this Amy. Most excellent choice of fabric and buttons.

    1. almondrock says:

      Thank you! The back is my favourite too. Shame I can’t see it when I wear it though

  16. […] is a Tilly and The Buttons Mathilde with 3/4 sleeves similar to my ikat version. I used a crown and queen print polyester from Abakhan in Manchester and floral white buttons from […]

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