A Sparkly Start: Sewing the Alexa Blouse ✨

I’m so excited to share this project with you — it’s extra special because it coincides with the launch of the brand-new Atelier Jupe patterns! Even better, as a Sew Inspired Ambassador for Beyond the Pink Door, I had the chance to sew up one of these gorgeous designs in a BTPD fabric.

After a lot of swooning over options, I chose the Alexa blouse paired with the stunning Trailing Flowers viscose satin. Trust me when I say this fabric is pure joy — soft, silky, and bursting with bold pinks, fuchsias, and corals against a dramatic black background. ✨

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About the Alexa Blouse 🌸

This is an oversized blouse that manages to be both relaxed and flattering. With its wide, gathered sleeves and elegant button placket, it’s the kind of piece that adds instant chic to any outfit.

✨ Details I love:

• Subtle shoulder gathers and delicate collar

• Playful pleats at the back

• Two sleeve options: classic cuff with buttons OR a simpler wide cuff

• Seam allowances already included (yay!)

It’s the kind of blouse that feels just as good styled with jeans for everyday sparkle as it does dressed up for an evening out.

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The Fabric: Trailing Flowers 🌺

Chosen from Beyond the Pink Door’s incredible collection, this Floral Viscose Satin is basically the star of the show.

• Composition: 100% viscose

• Finish: Smooth satin with soft, subtle sheen

• Pattern: Vibrant florals in pink, fuchsia, coral, and green on black

• Width: 140 cm

• Weight: 120 GSM (lightweight & fluid)

• Care: Gentle cold wash, line dry, cool iron on reverse

It has a silky satin feel but still breathable like viscose — ideal for the Alexa blouse with all its gathers and drape.

💡 Sparkly Sewing Tip! ✨

Did you know Beyond the Pink Door also offers A0 pattern printing? No more wrangling with taped A4 sheets — just upload and sew!

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Cutting Out ✂️

When I first opened the pink parcel from Andrea, I actually gasped — it exceeded all expectations! The super-soft viscose satin just glided out of the gorgeous pink tissue paper like a dream.

I immediately reached for a little Best Press (a non-aerosol spray starch) to help stabilise the fabric and prevent stretching. It worked beautifully!

✨ Sparkle Tip: Spray starch like Best Press is your secret weapon for stabilising slippery fabrics. It makes cutting and handling so much easier!

I also swapped my usual faithful fabric shears for a rotary cutter — a much better choice for this slippery fabric, as it stopped any shifting while cutting.

✂️ Tool Swap: A rotary cutter > fabric shears when working with viscose satin — less shifting, smoother edges.

After carefully marking all the notches and popping in a few tailor’s tacks, I was all set and ready to sew. ✨

➡️ Next up… sewing those all-important details!

Sewing the Details 🧵

The first thing to tackle was the button placket. I cut strips of woven interfacing and carefully pressed them on, using a pressing cloth to protect both the fabric and my iron.

One thing I quickly learned: pressing is essential at every stage of this project. The results are so much crisper when you take your time with the iron.

✨ Press, press, press! Every time you sew a seam, give it a good press. It’s the difference between “nice blouse” and “WOW blouse.”

The Alexa blouse certainly loves its gathering stitches — and I was more than happy to oblige. In true sewing-rebel style, I did all the gathering in one sitting instead of following the instructions step by step. It worked for me and kept the momentum going.

The trickiest part? Those tiny sleeve plackets at the cuff openings. But with a little patience — and the help of my trusty unicorn tweezers 🦄 — I managed to keep them under control. Sewing magic! ✨

🦄 Tool of the Day: Unicorn tweezers! Perfect for wrangling fiddly little sleeve plackets (or any sewing mischief that needs a gentle nudge).

➡️ Next stop… the big moment: sleeves, cuffs, and finally the grand reveal!

The Finishing Touches ✨

No blouse is complete without the perfect buttons — and for this Alexa, I chose these stunning Pigeon Wishes buttons. Aren’t they dreamy? 💖

With their mix of pinks, corals, purples, and greens, they couldn’t have matched the Trailing Flowers viscose satin any better. It’s like they were made for each other!

They set off the cuffs beautifully, adding just the right amount of detail without overpowering the bold floral print. Sometimes it’s the tiniest touches that make the biggest difference — and these buttons really finish Alexa with a flourish.

The Final Reveal 💃

And just like that — after all the cutting, pressing, gathering, and a few moments of sleeve-placket wrestling — my Alexa blouse was ready to shine! ✨

This is always my favourite stage: that magical moment when a pile of fabric transforms into something wearable, swishy, and oh-so sparkly.

Here’s Alexa in all her floral glory 🌸👇

What I love most:

• The way the Trailing Flowers viscose satin catches the light with its subtle sheen.

• Those wide, gathered sleeves that feel dramatic but still elegant.

• The playful pleats at the back — such a joyful detail.

• The versatility: perfect with jeans for daytime sparkle, or dressed up with heels for an evening look.

➡️ Final thoughts coming up… would I sew Alexa again? Absolutely!

Sparkly Thoughts ✨

Alexa has completely won me over. The relaxed-yet-flattering fit, the sleeve drama, and those thoughtful details make it a pattern I know I’ll return to.

The fabric + pattern pairing was a dream — the drape of the viscose satin brought out Alexa’s best features, and the floral print gives it that wow factor.

Tips I’d share with fellow sewists:

• Stabilise slippery fabrics with spray starch before cutting.

• Press every single step — it really elevates the finish.

• Keep tweezers (or another trusty tool) close for fiddly parts like sleeve plackets.

And of course — if you’re tempted by Alexa or any other new pattern, don’t forget about Beyond the Pink Door’s A0 printing service (no more paper puzzles 🧩) to make the prep stage smooth and stress-free!

➡️ Next up on my sewing table? Watch this space… more sparkle is always on the way! ✨