Céline invites us to discover her favourite shirt for the new season: Betty by Clématisse Pattern!
I had been eyeing this Atelier Brunette oxford for weeks — the colour is absolutely gorgeous! But I was trying to be sensible and not give in, telling myself I already had quite a few fabrics waiting to be sewn... We are all the same, aren’t we? 😂
Then one day, while putting away the patterns, my eyes landed on Betty by Clématisse Pattern and I suddenly thought: this pattern would be perfect in that fabric! We have a pact between colleagues: we try to stop each other from giving in too often 😂, otherwise we would go home every day with fabric or yarn!
So I asked Ségolène what she thought of the combination, and the verdict was final: I simply had to bring this little idea to life!
The pattern
Betty is a sleeveless shirt with extended shoulders, available in two lengths: a shorter version shaped with darts and a longer version without darts that still follows the silhouette for a feminine, relaxed look.
It has a classic shirt collar that gives it a slightly sophisticated touch. There is also a small chest pocket that you can add or leave off. It is an ideal blouse to have in your wardrobe, combining the elegance of a shirt with the comfort of a blouse.
A perfect top for the new season!
Information for sewing this pattern
Betty is available as a printed pattern or PDF, just like all Clématisse Pattern designs in our shop.
Betty is graded from size 34 to 52.
Seam allowances are included and the pattern pieces do not overlap.
The PDF version can be printed in A4 or A0, and you can choose to print all sizes or just one.
The instruction booklet is very detailed despite being slim — a good clue that this lovely top is easy and quick to sew 😉. There is even a video to make things easier.
The pattern is drafted for a height of 1.65 m.
The key measurement for choosing your size is the bust measurement.
In the sewing basket
To sew Betty, you will need a woven fabric. The pattern requires:
- 1.2 to 1.3 m of fabric for the short version
- 1.3 to 1.5 m for the long version.
It works well in fabrics with a little structure, such as:
- poplin and cotton satin, and of course why not a Japanese poplin 😉
- a lightweight denim
- linen or linen-viscose
- an oxford
- broderie anglaise
- ...
To this, add:
- around 40 cm of fusible interfacing for the collar and possibly the button placket depending on how fine your fabric is
- 6 to 8 buttons, 10–14 mm
- matching thread.
My supplies
For my Betty, I chose that gorgeous Atelier Brunette oxford, which has exactly the right amount of body for this top and its extended shoulders.
A little fusible interfacing for the collar
Regular sewing thread
And some adorable little goose-shaped buttons from my personal stash!
But I did not stop there: I wanted a completely personalised project, so I decided to embroider it too! I therefore added some DMC embroidery floss and waste canvas.
I’ll tell you more about that below.
My sewing experience
Here I am with a new pattern that I will definitely make many times! I had such a nice time sewing this blouse: no headaches, no hesitation. If you already have a little sewing experience, it is genuinely easy to make. For beginners who would like to sew their first shirt, this is an ideal pattern!
The collar is the most delicate part, but the instructions are so clear that if you take your time and follow the steps carefully, everything goes smoothly. It is also a good opportunity to make buttonholes. And there is no need to panic: practise first on a scrap, mark the position, see how your machine behaves, then sew the buttonholes on the blouse with confidence. For more experienced sewists, it is a pleasant and quick project to make between two more ambitious garments.
My embroidery experience
I also cross-stitched a little goose on the pocket as a small nod to the buttons 😊. I used waste canvas and DMC stranded embroidery floss.
It was one of my first embroidery experiences and I am rather proud of the result!
I have already rummaged through my stash to find fabric for another Betty, and more versions will soon be coming to life. It is the kind of blouse that is easy to wear under a little cardigan on cool mornings, then just as easy to uncover once the temperature rises!
Find Betty and all Clématisse Pattern designs here.
Find Atelier Brunette oxford fabrics here.
And if you would like to sew your own shirts and learn all the techniques, tips and tricks, why not come to a class with us? You can find our full course programme here.
Now there’s nothing left but to get started! To your needles!
