Pétula and Jacquard Poésie Box - FAQ

You’ve discovered the beautiful new addition to the À Fleur De Peau collection: the Pétula sewing box. Now let me introduce you to our brand-new sewing pattern up close - a little marvel that will soon be joining the Maison Fauve Pattern Library.

The new Sewing Box – Pétula in Poésie Viscose Jacquard 

A fresh new pattern is joining the Maison Fauve collection just in time for summer: meet Pétula, the versatile dress-and-blouse duo. This summery sewing project has everything you need to create the ultimate go-to piece: a striking V-neckline at the front and back, a beautifully shaped silhouette enhanced by darts, and Maison Fauve’s signature couture detail — softly gathered shoulder panels that add a delicate drape and balance the piece’s graphic lines. 

For a truly elevated sewing experience, we’ve considered every detail. The Pétula sewing box showcases a stunning new fabric: Poésie Viscose Jacquard.

Poésie Viscose Jacquard 

We have a true passion for viscose jacquard. Its beauty lies in the subtle “faux plain” effect, where matte sections meet delicate satin motifs, lending an unmistakable touch of elegance and refinement to every creation.

Following the Léo jacquard and the Lily jacquard, I’m thrilled to introduce our latest addition: the Poésie viscose jacquard. With its exquisitely delicate floral motif, it feels like a natural fit within the À Fleu de Peau universe — an effortless extension of the Maison Fauve fabric collection.

Available in:

• Lemonade (Yellow)

• Blanc (White)

• Bois de Rose (Rose Wood)

• Vert Mousse (Moss Green)

This fabric offers a beautiful drape and is a pleasure to sew and press. It’s ideal for creating dresses, blouses, and shirts, with pleats and gathers showcased to perfection. For lighter shades, we recommend adding a lining or wearing a slip when making skirts or dresses.

Viscose jacquard is the natural choice for this pattern: its fluid drape, ease of pressing, and the delicate texture of the floral embroidery beautifully enhance the gathered shoulders, bringing the design to life. The Pétula sewing box, whether for the dress or blouse version, includes everything you need to dive straight into your project.

FAQ's – Pétula Sewing Box

Does the Pétula sewing box include everything I need to sew my garment?

The Maison Fauve sewing box includes everything you need: the Pétula pattern pouch , fabric cut to the length for your size, a matching spool of thread, a needle set suited to the fabric, gathering elastic for the smocking, iron-on adhesive, and iron-on stay tape. All that’s left is for you to choose the Poésie jacquard colour that you love the most!

I’m a beginner — what sewing level is recommended for sewing Pétula?

The pattern is recommended for an intermediate sewing level as it covers several technical skills:

• Sewing gathers

• Inserting gathering elastic

• Creating darts, including distinctive diamond-shaped darts

A free step-by-step video tutorial is available to guide you through each stage of sewing your Pétula pattern. It’s accessible even if you haven’t purchased Pétula yet (just like all our sewing tutorials) and is a great way to help you decide whether these technical skills feel manageable for you.

Does the Pétula dress/blouse have a closure system? 

No zipper, no button placket, the Pétula dress has a trapeze shape that will be accentuated by darts. More fitted than the Daïquiri model, it nevertheless slips on easily.

Can I add sleeves to the Pétula pattern?

The raglan cut and shoulder yokes are not designed to support sleeves, and adapting the pattern would require significant patternmaking adjustments.ve.

I prefer rounded necklines over V-necks — can I adjust the Pétula pattern?

It’s possible to adjust the front and back neckline to create a softer curve. Just be sure to trace the new neckline seams carefully. We recommend not altering the neckline seam, as this could affect the overall shape, position of the shoulders and fit of the design.

Can the dress be lengthened to fall below the knee? 

Yes! You can easily adjust the length by extending the bottom of the pattern pieces. The trapeze silhouette works beautifully in a longer version

Can I easily adjust the Pétula pattern for the bust? 

Yes! The pattern features bust darts and diamond-shaped darts, making it easier to adapt for different bust sizes. You can refer to our tailoring guide, available here, which offers several methods for adjusting the pattern to fit your body shape.

You are only showing the box pattern with your new jacquard, can we use other fabrics to make Pétula?

Absolutely! Lightweight fabrics with a beautiful drape and easy-to-press finish are ideal for sewing Pétula. You’ll find our fabric recommendations on the product page and in the pattern brochure. Our new solid fabrics, like dupion and Tencel satin, are also fantastic options for this design.

If you’d like to sew Pétula in lace, chiffon, or broderie anglaise, we’ve got you covered! The brochure includes a special section with details on lining the pattern, a list of additional supplies, and illustrated sewing steps to guide you through the process.

 There are quite a few recommended supplies for sewing the pattern (stay tape, iron-on interfacing, gathering elastic). Are they really necessary?

The Pétula neckline has a V-shape at the front and back, cut on the bias. The short sleeves also create a soft, rounded shape that looks its best when it holds properly. To maintain the neckline’s shape, we strongly recommend reinforcing these areas with iron-on interfacing — full details are provided in the brochure. If you prefer, you can replace the iron-on seam tape with regular iron-on interfacing cut into strips.

The gathering elastic at the shoulders ensures the gathers are distributed evenly and smoothly across the shoulder line. While you can use a simple gathering stitch instead, it will require a bit more precision and care. We explain this alternative in the brochure, under the section 'Sewing a Lined Dress/Blouse'.

Can I buy the fabrics by the meter or purchase the Pétula pattern separately from the box?

Yes, all fabrics in the capsule collection are available to cut, while supplies last. It's also possible to purchase the Pétula dress/blouse pattern outside of the sewing box. You'll find specific pattern recommendations/fabric choices on each product page.

The sewing box is an "all-inclusive" option, but nothing stops you from creating your own fabric + pattern combination!

Yes! All fabrics from the capsule collection are available by the metre while stocks last, and the Pétula dress/blouse pattern can also be purchased on its own. You’ll find specific pattern recommendations and fabric suggestions on each product page.

The sewing box is a convenient “all-in-one” option, but you’re absolutely free to mix and match your own fabric and pattern combination!

I hope you enjoy discovering Pétula — the box is a beautiful treat, whether for yourself or as a thoughtful gift! 

Happy Sewing!