The May/June issue of Maison Victor magazine is full of pattern gems... I had my eye on several models: Nan, the Tamara dress, and the Gwen skirt which I have already made...

And then pointelle knit arrived in the shop and I thought I really had a winning combination: Nan and pointelle knit, it’s going to work 😊

So let’s discover my version of this model! 

Offered in a Breton stripe version in Maison Victor, the Nan t-shirt is sewn in a knit fabric with some stretch: jersey, viscose jersey, pointelle...

Nan’s features include a pretty square neckline and ribbed cuffs and hem. I chose to make the whole outfit in pointelle knit. Choosing pointelle was obvious to me because it perfectly matched the project I wanted to realize. I wanted to replace a small sweater I liked to wear over jeans or a summer dress when the weather cooled down and that had aged quite a bit.

So I wanted a blouse with a slightly loose fit that would be perfect for summer.

Where to find the pattern and who is it for?

The Nan pattern is available in the May/June 2021 issue of Maison Victor magazine; you can find it in bookstores or directly on the Maison Victor website.

Nan is available from size 34 to 56, meaning for a bust measurement between 84 and 140cm and a waist measurement between 66 and 120.5cm.

In terms of difficulty, the Nan t-shirt is rated 2 out of 4 by Maison Victor, which corresponds to the "requires a bit of effort" category; the biggest challenge of the pattern lies in its square neckline.

In the seamstress’s basket

You will find:

• 1m of knit fabric (160cm from size 54)
• ribbed fabric about 85cm or ribbing depending on the style you want to give
• matching thread
• a special jersey needle
• the usual small tools: pins, scissors...
• your sewing machine (and if you have one) your overlocker.

For my version, I chose to make the entire blouse in pointelle knits, and I assembled almost all the seams with an overlocker. 

Technical points

1. The square neckline

I chose to sew the neckline starting with the front band and then continued assembling the sides and back. I find this method simpler than the one described in the magazine. 

Don’t be afraid to clip the corners (even if it’s scary), it’s the only way to ensure nice corners. I overlocked the entire neckline, which finishes the inside of the blouse nicely. 

2. Assembling the sleeve edges and the hem trim

After closing the trims, just assemble them. You can do this with an overlocker; it works very well. 

For the rest, the assembly is really simple whether it’s attaching the sleeves or the side seams. 

Ideas for other versions

I really enjoyed making this first version. I would like to make a second one by reducing the sleeve cuff and making a balloon sleeve. Another idea would be to create an inverted pleat in the sleeve to give it a puffed effect... to try 😊

For simpler ideas, why not the two-tone version by playing with two versions of pointelle, or a colored jersey with plain ribbing...

 I see many hacking possibilities (= repurposing a pattern to create other versions) for this pattern, how about you?