Jane by Ready to Sew

This is my first experience with Ready to Sew patterns, and I have to say, I'm really impressed. The PDF is layered so you can select the sizes you'd like to print - one of the things I really love with about most Named patterns. Something that I haven't come across before but really liked, were the click-through links in the PDF, leading to further instructions and tutorials - I didn't need to use them, but it does make the pattern feel that extra bit user friendly.

Jane by Ready to Sew

Inspecting that amazing crossover front!

The sizing threw me a little as I found that my measurements fell across 3 different sizes, which is a bit unusual for me. I recently bought my first pattern from another French pattern house, DP Studio, and similarly fell across a few sizes, but upon comparing them both with standard European sizing, I found little difference. Maybe it's just me (or maybe I've fallen into a habit of using patterns that fit me pretty well straight from the off)? Anyway the Jane blouse is loose fitting in design and I was feeling too lazy for grading, so I went for the a straight size 42.

The pattern piece for the main body of the blouse (which forms the front and back) is very large and unusually shaped, but it was at least a bit kinder to my limited floor space than cutting the V9186. The cutting layout indicates which edges need overlocking before you begin sewing, which I quite liked. Although it felt like extra prep at the time, it meant I could speed along with the making without having to shift between 2 different machines.

Worn with a shortened version of this skirt from wayyyy back, and of course, Docs.

I found the simplicity of constructing the draped crossover from one big pattern piece totally mind blowing! Essentially, you just make very long button plackets down the two curved edges, and these form both the plackets and the hem of the blouse once you've twisted it and the centre back seam is sewn. The instructions are easy to follow, which is lucky as I would've been totally clueless otherwise.

Back view

I used a textured, light-ish crepe with a slight stretch from Samuel Taylors in Leeds, originally bought for a second Ralph Pink Sahara Shirt. I realised it would be the perfect weight to get an amazing drape through the crossover front of the Jane, so it got bumped to the top of the pile. (Note: the fabric has to be the same on the right and wrong side, as the twist means you see both on the outside of the garment.)

Close up of fabric and amazing Textile Garden buttons

My only critique of the pattern is that it doesn't explicitly say to apply the interfacing (although on looking back, the illustrations do show to do it). I accidentally bypassed interfacing my button placket, which made my button hole sewing a little trickier than it should have been. Once I'd managed them though, I couldn't help but use these amazing contrast buttons from Textile Garden, (who cares if they're actually a little too big for the narrow placket?!). I'd go as far as saying they totally make the blouse.

Just finished Jane hanging at home

Had to get a sleeves down shot - they're a decent length if anyone was wondering!

In all, the Jane blouse was a really enjoyable project to work on, and I still can't quite believe how quickly it all came together! It's a little looser and boxier than I imagined, and I had worried whether the lightly gathered in sleeves stuck out a bit as the shoulder is slightly dropped, but some careful pressing sorted this out.

Thank you Sara, as ever, for the fab pictures

I'm looking forward to seeing how I can fit the finished Jane in with the rest of my wardrobe, and I'd like to try a second version in a mid weight plain crepe (I'm thinking khaki)... I'd definitely recommend!