Pattern Review – Sade Blouse by Named Clothing

Last Christmas, I got the book Breaking the Pattern by Named Clothing from my brother-in-law. I put it on my Christmas list because I adore Named Clothing’s sleek and modern aesthetic. Their look is a little out of my comfort zone as I tend to lean towards girly boho, but I admire their blend of feminine styling with slick silhouettes. On Christmas day, I eagerly bookmarked the Sade blouse, put the book away on my bookshelf, and promptly forgot all about it.

One year later, I rediscovered the book as I was ransacking my bookcase for sewing inspiration and fell in love with the Sade blouse all over again. The book recommends double gauze cotton for the top, which intrigued me as this fabric was new to me. My husband gave me a Joann’s gift card for my birthday, so I used the Sade project as an excuse to buy double gauze fabric.

In this pattern review, I’ll go over the good, the bad and the ugly of the Sade blouse. Spoiler alert: I heart this easy-to-sew pattern with cool details but would make the bodice a tad longer as it fits like a crop top.

The Pattern

The Sade blouse is a loose-fitting top with overlapping panels on the sleeves and back. The vents add an edgy twist to the simple style. The waist and cuffs are cinched with encased ties. I cut out size 3 based on my measurements (34″ bust and 28″ waist).

The Fabric

Lovely double gauze cotton – where have you been all my life? This soft fabric is full of contradictions. It’s thicker than flannel yet lighter than air. It’s squishy with unexpected drape. It’s breezy, even with two layers of fabric. Can you tell I’m in love with this fabric?

The Good

Those sleeves! Love the peekaboo effect of the vents that show a bit of skin.

How about the back? I like how the ties dangle in the middle of the back.

The sewing instructions are easy to follow, but there are a few call-outs I want to make.

1. Be sure to interface the slant edges of the sleeve and back as directed. If you skip this part, these seams will stretch out of shape since it’s cut and sewn on the bias.
2. I finished the neckline with bias tape I made from an old silk tie. I was worried the double gauze fabric would be too thick and make the neckline stiff. Using silk was the perfect solution as it’s thin, flat and flexible.
3. The pattern calls for twill tape at the cuffs and waist, which was impossible to find in the same color as the double gauze fabric. After searching fruitlessly for hours on Amazon, it dawned on me that I could make tubes from the fabric instead.

The Bad

Tracing the pattern made me a little dizzy as the pattern sheets had different pieces from multiple styles overlaid on each other. The color-coding helped, but I had to continuously double-check my work to make sure I was tracing the right part.

I usually raise the waist on most patterns by one inch since I’m 5’ 3”. When I held the bodice to my body as a reality check, I decided this adjustment wasn’t necessary. However, after cinching this blouse at the waist, the top rose up like a crop top, and I found myself frequently pulling it down to cover my flabby stomach pouch. I hopped over to patternreview.com and found most sewists extended the bodice a few inches. Note to self – read sewing reviews before making the garment!

The Ugly

Nothing ugly here. Despite the crop top fit, this blouse is still wearable with high waisted pants, and I won’t be flashing anyone with my midriff. Plus, I got the thumbs up from the husband and kid.

Final Thoughts on the Sade blouse

The Sade blouse is a stylish, feminine top that is easy to sew and wear. Cinching the waist shortens the bodice, so play it safe and extend the bodice an inch or two to avoid the crop top look. Make the ties from self-fabric to save yourself from the impossible task of finding twill tape in a matching color.

For more sewing inspiration, check out my blog Pivot Point Patterns.