Discovering the Coeli blouse by Pauline Alice and how to wear it. I came across and fell in love with the Coeli blouse on Pinterest, but it took me some time to locate the pattern. I was eventually able to download a pdf pattern directly from the Pauline Alice website : www.paulinealice.com
The Pattern
The Pauline Alice Coeli blouse has a loose smock silhouette with front and back shoulder yokes and wide horizontal knife pleats at the hem and the sleeves.
The high collar and gathered cuffs are closed by button loops while the back can be self-tied.
Size: EU 34-52 (UK 6-24)
Difficulty: Intermediate.
Recommended fabric: Lightweight fabrics such as cotton lawn, linen, batiste, silk, swiss dot, voile, viscose
Fabric requirement and notions:
– Fabric (width 150 cm/60”): 2,40 m (2 yd 2 ft)
– Interfacing (width 150 cm/60”): 0,70 m (1 yd)
– 4 buttons approx. 1 cm (3/8″) wide
The Fabric
I chose a crisp white linen to make my first Coeli blouse. I wanted a blouse for in-between seasons, and a fabric that would hold and make the most of those lovely pleats!
The fabric made up well, and so I would highly recommend using linen for this blouse. I have a figured voile in my stash, and plan to try this fabric out very soon.
Making The Blouse
The instructions are very concise and easy to follow for an intermediate sewer.
The blouse is unusually constructed with French seams throughout, which was a new technique for me when sewing a blouse. The pattern suggests using a lightweight fabric such as voile, which is transparent, and so French seams make perfect sense.
The only change that I made was to remove the stand-up collar. It really did not suit me and so I opted to simply bind the neck instead.
Alterations & Tips
1. I chose to omit the stand up collar and bind the neckline.
2. You could add a frill to the collar if you choose to keep true to the pattern.
3. Similarly, you could also add a frill to the cuffs as an added detail.
4. The pattern calls for just one button on the cuff, but I chose to add two because they are deep and sit better with two buttons.
5. I know that ties are fashionable just now, but I find them a nuisance to wear when set at the back. Next time, I would opt for buttons and loops. If like me you prefer this option, I would suggest that you need eight buttons instead of the four recommended.
6. The blouse can alternatively be worn with the ties at the front, because the construction is almost identical on both sides.
7. Shortening the sleeves or omitting some or all of the pleats is an easy option if you prefer. This would be a good option if you have an interesting fabric, or are a little short of material. The pleats are clearly marked on the pattern, so it is easy to adjust.
8. The pattern can easily be converted / hacked into a short or maxi dress if you would like.
Conclusion
There is so much to love about the Coeli blouse pattern, and it can be worn with the ties at the front or back. It looks great worn with wide linen trousers, and equally well with jeans. The silhouette is boho inspired, making it extremely feminine and so it makes a great dress too! You can personalise this pattern and it is easily hacked into a dress of any length. Alternatively, you can experiment with the length and style of the sleeves. My second version has already been cut out and I can’t wait to finish and wear it.
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