Meet the Patternmaker Behind the Peppermint Albion Bouse

No matter the weather, you can roam the moors in style with our latest free pattern, the Peppermint Albion Blouse, a romantic wrap top with two sleeve variations! This exclusive, highly wearable pattern was created in collaboration with the Sweden-based patternmaker behind Vanessa Hansen Studio and is brought to you in partnership with our good friends at Spoonflower.

Founded in 2020 when Vanessa stepped away from the fashion industry after years of working as a professional pattern cutter for top London fashion labels like Erdem, Emilia Wickstead, Issa London, Reiss and Topshop, Vanessa Hansen Studio is focused on sharing her love of pattern cutting and self-crafted clothes with the world – helping you create a sustainable and beautiful wardrobe to feel proud of.

“I love wearing beautifully crafted clothes that mirror my personality and my mood. Clothes that make me feel confident,” Vanessa says. “I believe that clothes can be a way of expressing yourself, and we all need to wear them, so why not wear something stunning?”

In the spirit of going behind the seams and to show the Albion Blouse the love it deserves, we caught up with Vanessa to learn more about her label and to rack her brain for tips and tricks when creating the pattern.

DOWNLOAD THE PATTERN NOW!

Tell us about your journey into the sewing world…

My journey into the sewing world started when I was a child. My mother sewed clothes for me and my siblings, so we were all used to the sound of the sewing machine from early on. There’s a photo of me sitting at her sewing machine at about four years old. Ever since then, I’ve been sewing. As an adult, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to work with patterns and sewing. I started studying patternmaking in my twenties and was hooked from the first day. 

What inspires your patterns? 

I like making patterns that are modern and fashionable and I’m inspired by city living, especially from my time living in London. I can be inspired by certain events and the feeling of doing something specific, like going to afternoon tea or a walk in one of the Royal Parks. 

What do you love most about the sewing community?

I love the endless creativity and how a pattern can end up looking completely different depending on the sewist. I also love how supportive it is and all the love I’ve received for my patterns, which has really been key to me continuing my work with design. 

Any tips and tricks for sewists making the Albion Blouse?

This is an intermediate pattern with some high-end finishing techniques and I would encourage sewists to take it slow and enjoy each step. If you feel stuck sewing the sleeve slit or turning the rouleau loops, I have some helpful reels on my Instagram to help you visualise the technical bits of the pattern.

What about fabric recommendations?

I would recommend a lightweight cotton; it’s easy to sew and if unpicking becomes necessary, the cotton can take it without falling apart. It lets your body breathe on hot summer days and doesn’t fray much. 

Where do you plan on wearing the Albion Blouse?

I will wear my blouses (I have two so far) taking the tram downtown for afternoon tea with my sister and when exploring Copenhagen on my holiday coming up in July! I’m basically planning on wearing it whenever I want to feel chic and summery.

Every quarter we work with a talented patternmaker to create a new design for our me-made mates. Head to the link here for a plethora of pretty patterns – all free for you to download and make to your heart’s content – along with plenty of sewing tips and tricks.