Collared Blouse with Puff Sleeves and Shaped Hem
A women's fitted short-sleeved blouse with a shirt collar on a stand and a deep V-neckline, an upper front gathered into an underbust seam, princess seams below it, and a pointed hem at the front and at the centre back.
When To Wear
- In summer with high-waisted skirts and trousers.
- At the office in warm weather, buttoned up with a pencil skirt.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted through the waist by princess seams on the lower front and lower back; length just below the waist.
Collar: Pointed shirt collar sewn between two stand pieces; the open front forms a V-neckline.
Sleeves: Short set-in sleeves gathered at the cap, hem turned up 1.5 cm and topstitched.
Front: Upper front gathered along its lower edge and joined to a lower front made of centre and side panels; separate sewn-on button placket with a shaped lower corner, five buttons with buttonholes on the right front.
Back: Upper back with darts and a centre back seam, joined to a lower back of centre and side panels with princess seams; the hem comes to a point at the centre back.
Finishing: Shaped front hem finished with a hem facing; back hem double-turned 1 cm and topstitched; seams overlocked.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. A collar on a stand, a two-layer sewn-on placket, gathering into a seam, princess seams and a faced pointed hem.
Fabric Recommendations
Blouse fabrics from natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (collar, stand, placket)
- 5 buttons
Cutter's Must
When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- From main fabric:
- Upper Back – 2 pieces
- Center Back – 2 pieces
- Side Back – 2 pieces
- Upper Front – 2 pieces
- Center Front – 2 pieces
- Side Front – 2 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Collar – 2 pieces
- Stand Collar – 2 pieces
- Placket – 4 pieces
- Hem Facing – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Collar – 1 piece
- Stand Collar – 1 piece
- Placket – 4 pieces
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the pieces listed above.
- Stitch the back princess seams joining the Center Back and Side Back, press the allowances towards the center and overlock. Stitch the darts on the Upper Back and press them towards the center. Stitch the Upper Back to the lower back, press allowances upwards and overlock. Stitch the center back seams. Overlock allowances and press to the left side.
- Stitch the front princess seams joining the Center Front and Side Front, press the allowances towards the center and overlock. Along the lower edge of the Upper Front, sew a line of stitching with loosened upper thread tension and gather. Stitch the Upper Front to the lower front, press allowances upwards and overlock.
- Stitch the side and shoulder seams, press allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Overlock the upper edge of the Hem Facing. Place the Hem Facing on the lower front right sides together and stitch the lower shaped edge. Clip allowances, turn the facing to the wrong side and press.
- Place the Placket pieces together in pairs, right sides together, and stitch the outer edge and the lower shaped corner, clip allowances, turn to the right side, straighten, and press. Stitch the outer placket to the right side of the front. Fold the allowance of the inner placket inwards and topstitch into the seam of attaching the outer placket.
- Place the two Collar pieces right sides together, stitch the ends and the outer edge. Clip allowances at the corners. Turn the collar out, straighten and press. Place the two Stand Collar pieces right sides together, sandwich the finished collar between them and stitch, stitching the ends of the stand at the same time. Start and end the stitch strictly at the marked collar insertion line. Clip allowances at the curves. Turn the stand right side out and press.
- Stitch the outer stand into the neckline, turn under the open edge of the inner stand and topstitch it over the attaching seam.
- Along the sleeve cap, sew a line of stitching with loosened upper thread tension and gather. Stitch the sleeve seam, press allowances towards the back and overlock. Set the sleeves into the armholes, press allowances and overlock.
- Overlock the sleeve hem allowance, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Press the back hem allowance to the wrong side by 1 cm, then by another 1 cm and topstitch.
- Make buttonholes on the right front. Sew buttons on the left front.
