Colette Patterns: The Sencha Blouse and the Beignet Skirt

One look at the beautifully styled website and you too will want to try a Colette pattern. Well-designed, lovely instruction books that are helpful for the most novice sewer, and easy to fit (lots of seams in convenient places).

First I sewed up the Sencha blouse. I quickly took it off, though, to carve out a deeper neckline. No high necks here, can't take them. But it was an easy alteration, and I ditched the facing for a simple bias binding on the edge. I used a vintage cotton fabric with big dots in great colors--I suspect it dates from the 1940s, found it in the thrift shop. It's a little crisp for this pattern and does stand away from my back in a blousy way, but oh well!


Vintage turquoise buttons, of course. If you do make this in the soft fabric the patterns calls for, you should interface the button area for sure.


Next up: the Beignet skirt. Big success! I wanted a sleeker skirt line than the actual pattern design, so I decided not to do the many buttons down the front (not that they're not cute. They're cute). Instead I subtracted the overlap in the front and made the two front centers into one piece, then split the center back piece and added in a seam allowance for an invisible zipper.


The skirt is made from a medium-weight linen purchased at the thrift store in the form of an extra-large muumuu! Lucky me. And lined with a quilting cotton. So there's a lot of heft there, which makes it hang very nicely.


Though this skirt goes together sensibly and smoothly, it is heavily engineered, and I mean that as a compliment. The waist is high and fitted, the belt loops add further structure, and so does the belt. The result is the most comfortable, posture-enhancing skirt I've ever put on--and though it has such a slim line, without a slit, it doesn't constrict my stride. How is that? Snaps to Colette!