Violette (Pussy Bow) Chemise

The Vionette

A blouse with a bow at the throat. The Vionette pairs our fitted, darted body and grown-on placket with a tie collar you can wear knotted, bowed, or hanging loose. Choose the cuffs suit you — a a classic button cuff or a French cuff for cufflinks, or just draping down. Named with a nod to Madeleine Vionnet, who put the bow on the couture collar in the 1930s.

Like every Couture Craft pattern, it's drafted to your own measurements, not a size chart. Enter your measurements once and receive a pattern cut for you, with sewing instructions written for exactly the sleeve and cuff you chose.

Best fabrics. The bow is the point, and it needs fabric that falls rather than stands. Silk crepe de chine or charmeuse for the dressiest version; viscose or rayon challis and Tencel for everyday drape; cotton lawn, voile or batiste for a crisper daytime bow. Fine washed linen works with the classic sleeve. Skip quilting cotton, heavy poplin and anything stiff — the bow will sit up instead of hanging.

Yardage. Classic sleeve: 2½ to 3 yards of 45" (115 cm), or 1¾ to 2¼ yards of 60" (150 cm). Flounce sleeve: 2¾ to 3¼ yards of 45", or 2 to 2½ yards of 60". Allow the higher figure for a bust over 44" or for one-way prints and stripes you want to match. Your pattern shows the exact layout and yardage for your measurements on its first page.

You'll also need. Six ½" (12 mm) buttons for the front; two more for classic cuffs, or cufflinks for French cuffs; ¼ yard of lightweight fusible interfacing for the cuffs; matching thread.

Skill level. Confident beginner to intermediate. The body is a straightforward shirt; the tie collar, gathered sleeve and French cuff are each explained step by step with drawings, and nothing needs more than a standard machine and a buttonhole foot.