Mönsterfabriken Agnes blouse

I have been storing this beautiful mustard yellow Atelier Brunette Moonstone viscose for a while. Then I happened to visit Salapakka in Helsinki once more (that is where I bought the fabric) and the owner gave me this Agnes pattern by Swedish Mönsterfabriken for testing. I realised that the fabric and the pattern were made for each other.

Agnes is an A-line oversized button-up blouse with two collar options. It comes in two size ranges that are based on the bust measurements. For me I chose the size 84 cm. As the blouse is supposed to be a bit oversized, it is recommended that you go down a size if you want a more fitted garment.

The size was pretty good for me. I did reduce the shoulder slope a bit to fit me better. I also added 2 to 3 cm to the sleeves that looked a bit short for me. Originally, I also cut the blouse much longer. After trying the blouse on, I ended up chopping off the extra length. In fact, I accidentally chopped off the seam allowance, too, so my blouse is slightly shorter than what the pattern calls for.

The instructions were quite concise but there were references to an online document with a more detailed description of the more complicated stages. To be honest, I couldn’t really understand the way the sleeve slit was supposed to be sewn, even after reading the instructions. I finally just made the slit the way I have done it before. My other complaint is that the instructions use the word “interlining” when it means “fusible interfacing”. This might confuse some readers.

What I love most about the Agnes blouse is the collar. Why? Because for once it is small enough for my narrow face. With most of the shirt patterns the collar ends up looking too big and I have to narrow it down. I also like that there are two versions, the classic pointed one and a rounded one.

However, now that I look at the pictures I am just slightly worried that the loose fit and the short length will make me look pregnant. What do you think? This, of course, could be remedied by adding bust darts. Those might also be necessary anyway if you happen to have a fuller bust.

Well, if the fit starts bothering me too much, I will add the darts and perhaps add a little bit of length with a cute ruffle at the hem. Luckily, I have plenty of fabric left for that.

The Atelier Brunette viscose suited the Agnes blouse very well. However, this pattern would look completely different in crispier cotton. The only thing that I might complain about the fabric is that the breast pocket doesn’t stay in shape but tends to get that annoying bulge at the bottom as the gravity pulls the fabric down. I think that adding fusible interfacing to the pocket would correct this, or then I could have cut the bottom of the pocket in a slight upward curve to remove the extra fabric at the bottom.

In any case, I can recommend this Mönsterfabricken blouse pattern. However, it is not a pattern for beginners as it requires some experience in sewing.

The autumn is here and the weather is getting chilly and rainy. I dug out all my winter clothes from my storage and removed my summer garments from the circulation. It was a good opportunity to clear out some clothes that I didn’t wear anymore. If you want some Dreamy garments from my Hands (Sorry about the bad pun!) you can check out the blog shop! I will put some more garments in if people seem to show interest in them.

Thank you for reading and see you soon! Also a special welcome to all new subscribers that have joined to follow this blog last month! Happy sewing!

Katja