Black Mimi Blouse

Hi All. I'm working steadily through my 'to sew' list and have finished another make. It's the Mimi Blouse which features in Love at First Stitch by Tilly Walnes. This is actually my second Mimi blouse, I made a white version out of some drapey viscose last summer which I have worn quite a lot. It's very much a wardrobe staple and so I quickly realised that one in black would also be a good addition to my wardrobe.

The fabric is a black polycotton which I ordered online. I can't remember how long ago I cut out this fabric but it was definitely before christmas. After blogging about it here recently, I figured it was time to get it finished!! I originally cut out a contrasting cream collar and planned to add cream piping to the gathers but decided against this.

I cut out a straight size size 3, which is the same as my previous version. I think I cut out a larger sleeve size, as the cuffs on my white blouse are slightly tight around my upper arms. This does not seem to have made any difference though, so in future versions I may need to make some further adjustments to the sleeves.

The construction was straightforward- I have definitely improved my sewing skills and this blouse came together much easier than my previous version. I really like the collar, which sits very nicely and I feel confident with this type of construction. Go me!

The only adjustment I made to the pattern is the buttons. Instead of the recommended 12mm buttons mine were much smaller at only 5mm. I therefore had to change the spacing, which required me to research how to do this. I put together a blog post on button etiquette to document all my research. The blouse front measured 17" without seam allowances, which when divide by 8 (for 8 buttons) gave me a distance of 2 1/8" between each button. In hindsight, the buttonholes are too far in from the edge of the blouse and would have looked better if they had been closer to the edge.

I think the blouse has turned out well. It has a very structured look to it, due to the fabric and although I've gotten away with it, I'm not sure that it is the best choice for this pattern. Whilst it's not a very summery make I think this blouse will get worn loads in autumn and winter. I plan on wearing it tucked into corduroy or wool skirts with black tights.

Anyone else starting to plan or make for the Autumn?