Tailored Peplum Blouse
A women's hip-length blouse with a notched collar and lapels, a front cut in three parts with pleats that flare below the waist, a back yoke and puffed sleeves gathered at the cap and into buttoned cuffs.
When To Wear
- At the office with straight trousers or a pencil skirt, in place of a jacket in warm weather.
- In spring and summer on its own, worn untucked so the flared lower part shows.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted to the waist and flaring below it, shaped by seams and pleats rather than darts.
Collar: Notched collar with lapels; the lapel roll line is reinforced with a 1 cm stay tape cut from fusible interfacing.
Front: Each front is cut as a centre front, an upper side front and a lower side front, with pleats folded towards the side seams and a pleat at the lower side panel folded towards the centre. Single-breasted, three buttons, finished with front facings.
Back: Back yoke; the back is cut on the fold with pleats topstitched down and folded towards the side seams.
Sleeves: Puffed sleeves, gathered at the cap and at the lower edge, with a slit topstitched 0.1 cm from the fold and an interfaced cuff closed by one button.
Finishing: Front facings and back neck facing interfaced; hem overlocked, turned and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. A notched collar set between the blouse and the facings, a multi-panel front with pleats, gathered sleeve caps, sleeve slits and cuffs.
Fabric Recommendations
Firm blouse fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (front facings, back neck facing, upper collar, cuffs, lapel stay tape)
- 5 buttons
Cutter's Must
If the patterns have a double contour, they include seam allowances. If the contour is single, the patterns do not include seam allowances. Seam allowances: all seams 1 cm. Hem allowance – 2.0 cm. Attention! First, print out the paper patterns and lay them out on the fabric width (fabric width can be from 90 cm to 150 cm) to determine how much material you will need (do not forget to account for paired and symmetrical pieces).
- From main fabric:
- Back – 1 piece on fold
- Back Yoke – 1 piece
- Center Front – 2 pieces
- Side Upper Front – 2 pieces
- Side Lower Front – 2 pieces
- Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
- Lower Collar – 1 piece
- Upper Collar – 1 piece
- Back Neckline Facing – 1 piece
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
- Back Neckline Facing – 1 piece
- Upper Collar – 1 piece
- Cuff – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- Fuse interfacing to the designated pieces. Along the lapel fold line on the Center Front, apply a 1 cm wide stay tape cut from fusible interfacing.
- Form the pleats on the Back along the marked lines (pleat depth directed outwards, towards the side seam) and topstitch them to the main piece.
- Stitch the Back Yoke to the Back, press the seam allowances upwards and serge.
- Stitch the Side Lower Front to the Center Front, press the seam allowances, serge. Form and secure the pleat (pleat depth directed towards the center).
- Stitch the Side Upper Front to the Center Front, clipping into the corner. Press the seam allowances towards the center, serge. Form the pleats on the fronts (pleat depths directed outwards, towards the side seams) and topstitch them to the main piece.
- Stitch the shoulder and side seams, press the seam allowances towards the back and serge.
- Place the Upper Collar and Lower Collar right sides together and stitch along the ends and outer edge up to the mark. Trim the seam allowances at the corners, clip at the mark. Turn the collar right side out, shape and press.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the Back Neckline Facing and Center Front Facings and press them open. Serge the outer edge.
- Place the Center Front Facing on the right side of the front, right side down, pin and stitch along the front edge. Stitch upwards to the notch that marks the end of the collar attachment. Turn the front edges right side out and shape the seams.
- Attach the Lower Collar to the garment neckline, and the Upper Collar to the neckline of the Back Neckline Facing and Center Front Facings. Press the collar attachment seam allowances open and secure them close to the seams.
- Serge the Sleeve edges separately. Stitch the sleeve seam from the armhole to the slit mark, press the seam allowances open. Topstitch the slit 0.1 cm from the fold. Along the sleeve cap, stitch with a loosened upper thread and gather. Set the sleeves into the armholes, press the seam allowances and serge. Along the lower sleeve edge, stitch with a loosened upper thread and gather.
- Fold the Cuff in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch the side edges. Turn it right side out and press. Attach the outer side of the cuff to the sleeve, fold the seam allowance of the inner side of the cuff inwards and topstitch it into the seam of the outer cuff attachment.
- Serge the garment hem, press it to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Make buttonholes on the right front and sew buttons on the left front. Make buttonholes and sew on buttons on the cuffs.
