Gathered Neck Balloon Sleeve Blouse

Fabric & Materials

Fabric recommendations: blouse fabrics made from natural or blended fibers. YOU WILL ALSO NEED: fusible interfacing; 3 buttons.

CUTTER'S MUST

IF THE PATTERNS HAVE A DOUBLE CONTOUR, SEAM ALLOWANCES ARE INCLUDED. IF THE CONTOUR IS SINGLE, SEAM ALLOWANCES ARE NOT INCLUDED. SEAM ALLOWANCES: all seams 1 cm. Hem allowance for the bottom of the garment – 2 cm. ATTENTION! FIRST, PRINT OUT THE PAPER PATTERNS AND LAY THEM OUT ON THE FABRIC WIDTH (fabric width can be from 90cm to 150cm) TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH MATERIAL YOU WILL NEED (don't forget to account for paired and symmetrical pieces). WHEN STITCHING PIECES, PAY ATTENTION TO THE NOTCHES - THEY MUST MATCH!

• From main fabric:
  • Back – 1 piece on fold
  • Front - 1 piece on fold
  • Collar stand – 2 pieces
  • Sleeve – 2 pieces
  • Cuff – 2 pieces
• From fusible interfacing:
  • Collar stand – 1 piece
  • Cuff – 2 pieces

Sewing Instructions

1. Fuse interfacing to the designated pieces.
2. Cut a bias strip for finishing the back slit, with a length equal to twice the slit length + 4 cm and a width of 5 cm. Press the bias strip in half lengthwise, right side out. Mark the slit line on the back, then cut. Lay the back flat along the slit line, place the bias strip right side down, aligning the raw edges, and stitch. The seam allowance along the slit length is 0.5 – 0.7 cm, decreasing to 0.2 cm at the bottom of the slit. Fold the bias strip to the wrong side, encasing the seam, and topstitch into the seam line.
3. Form and secure the pleats on the front (pleat depths facing away from the center).
4. Stitch the shoulder and side seams, press allowances towards the back and overcast.
5. Cut a bias strip 2.5 cm wide and 10 cm long for the rouleau loop. Fold the strip in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch 0.3 cm from the fold. Trim allowances close to the stitching, turn the strip right side out, and shape the rouleau. Adjust the loop length.
6. Place the collar stand pieces right sides together and stitch along the outer edge and ends, inserting the loop, starting and ending the stitching precisely at the collar stand attachment line. Clip allowances at curves, trim corners, turn the collar stand right side out, shape, and press. Attach the outer collar stand to the neckline, fold under the raw edge of the inner collar stand, and topstitch into the attachment seam.
7. Stitch a gathering thread along the top of the sleeve cap and gather. Stitch a gathering thread along the bottom edge of the sleeve and gather. Overcast the sleeve edges separately. Stitch the sleeve seam from the armhole to the slit mark, press allowances open. Topstitch the slit 0.1 cm from the fold. Set the sleeves into the armholes, press allowances and overcast.
8. Place the cuff pieces right sides together and stitch the side and bottom edges. Start and end the stitching precisely at the marked cuff attachment seam line. Turn the piece right side out, and press. Attach the outer cuff to the sleeve, fold under the allowance of the inner cuff, and topstitch into the attachment seam of the outer cuff.
9. Press the bottom hem of the garment to the wrong side twice by 1 cm and topstitch.
10. Make buttonholes on the cuffs, sew on buttons. Sew a button on the collar stand.