Ruffled Square Neck Blouse
A women's long-sleeved blouse with a square neckline formed by front yokes, a gathered ruffle set into the front and back yoke seams, a stitched pleat imitating a button placket and ruffled buttoned cuffs. It opens with a zipper in the left side seam.
When To Wear
- In spring and summer with skirts, jeans or linen trousers.
- At the office under a cardigan or a jacket worn open.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Semi-fitted, hip length.
Neckline: Square neckline; the two front yokes have cut-on facings, the back neckline has an interfaced facing.
Front: One piece cut on the fold, gathered between marks along the upper edge and joined to the yokes with a ruffle inserted in the seam; decorative trim is topstitched over the yoke seam. A stitched pleat at the centre forms an imitation placket with buttons.
Back: A back yoke and a back cut on the fold, with a gathered ruffle inserted in the yoke seam.
Closure: Zipper in the left side seam; the front buttons are decorative.
Sleeves: Long set-in sleeves gathered at the sleeve head, with a slit at the wrist topstitched 0.1 cm from the fold. Two-layer cuffs with a gathered ruffle along the edge, fastened with a button.
Finishing: Ruffle edges turned and topstitched or finished with a narrow rolled hem; hem turned under 1 cm, then 1.5 cm, and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Gathering and inserting ruffles into seams, a side zipper, a back facing joined with the shoulder seams, sleeve slits and ruffled cuffs.
Fabric Recommendations
Light woven blouse fabrics that gather softly: cotton lawn, batiste, voile, viscose, light linen.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (back neck facing, cuffs)
- Zipper for the left side seam
- Decorative trim for the front yoke seam
- Buttons for the front placket and the cuffs
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Back Yoke - 1 piece
- Back - 1 piece on fold
- Front - 1 piece on fold
- Front Yoke - 2 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 4 pieces
- Back Ruffle — 1 piece
- Front Ruffle — 1 piece
- Cuff Ruffle — 2 pieces
- Back Neckline Facing — 1 piece
- From fusible interfacing:
- Back Neckline Facing — 1 piece
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- 4 pieces
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the designated pieces.
- Finish the outer edges of all ruffles, press to the wrong side, and topstitch. Alternatively, finish with a narrow rolled hem. In this case, trim the seam allowance for finishing.
- Along the raw long edge of the back ruffle, sew a gathering stitch with loosened upper thread and gather. Attach the back yoke to the back, inserting the ruffle between the pieces, press seam allowances towards the yoke, and overlock.
- Fold and stitch the pleat on the front, creating a placket imitation. Along the upper edge of the front between the marks, sew a gathering stitch with loosened upper thread and gather.
- Along the raw long edge of the front ruffle, sew a gathering stitch with loosened upper thread and gather. Overlock the edge of the integrated front yoke facing and press it to the wrong side. Attach the front yokes to the front, inserting the ruffle between the pieces, press seam allowances downwards, and overlock.
- Topstitch decorative trim onto the front, covering the yoke attachment seam.
- Overlock the left side edges separately. Stitch the left side seam from the armhole to the first mark and from the second mark to the bottom, press seam allowances open. Insert the zipper. Stitch the right side seam, press seam allowances towards the back, and overlock.
- Overlock the outer edge of the back neckline facing. Place the facing and the main back piece right sides together and stitch the neckline edge precisely to the marked shoulder seam line. Clip the seam allowances. Stitch the shoulder seams, sandwiching the front between the back neckline facing and the main back piece. Press seam allowances towards the back, and overlock. Turn the pieces right side out, and press.
- Along the upper edge of the sleeve, sew a gathering stitch with loosened thread and gather. Overlock the sleeve edges separately. Stitch the sleeve seam from the armhole to the slit mark, press seam allowances open. Topstitch the slit 0.1 cm from the fold. Set the sleeves into the armholes, press seam allowances, and overlock.
- Along the raw long edge of the cuff ruffle, sew a gathering stitch with loosened upper thread and gather. Place the cuff pieces right sides together and stitch along three sides, inserting the ruffle. Turn the piece right side out, shape, and press. Attach the outer cuff to the sleeve, fold the seam allowance of the inner cuff inwards, and topstitch into the seam of the outer cuff attachment.
- Fold the bottom hem inwards by 1 cm, then by 1.5 cm, and topstitch.
- Sew buttons onto the front placket. Make buttonholes and sew buttons onto the cuffs.
