Raglan Sleeve Balloon Blouse
A hip-length women's blouse with full raglan sleeves pleated into buttoned cuffs, sleeve plackets, a collar with lapels formed by the front facings, and a four-button front.
When To Wear
- To the office with straight trousers or a pencil skirt.
- Under a sleeveless dress or pinafore in spring and autumn.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Semi-fitted, shaped with bust darts from the raglan seams and vertical waist darts on the front and back.
Length: Hip length, straight hem.
Collar: One-piece collar without a stand, sewn between the blouse and the facings so the fronts turn back as lapels.
Sleeves: Full raglan sleeves, the lower edge laid in even pleats into a cuff; a sleeve placket with a button above each cuff.
Closure: Centre front opening with cut-off front facings, four buttons and buttonholes on the right front.
Back: Centre back seam and vertical waist darts.
Finishing: Back neckline facing joined to the front facings and tacked by hand at the shoulder and centre back seams; hem overlocked, turned and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Sleeve plackets, pleated cuffs, raglan sleeves and a collar set between the blouse and the facings.
Fabric Recommendations
Firm blouse fabrics of natural or blended fibres: silk, viscose, blends.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (front facings, back neckline facing, upper collar)
- 8 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: Hem allowance – 1.5 cm, other seams – 1 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 - 2 pieces
- Front - 2 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Collar – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing – 1 piece
- Front facing – 2 pieces
- Sleeve placket – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Collar – 1 piece
- Front facing – 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing – 1 piece
Sewing Instructions
When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- Interface the front facings, back neckline facing, and upper collar with fusible interfacing.
- Stitch the darts on the back. Press the dart allowances towards the center. Stitch the center back seam. Press the seam to the left side and overlock.
- Stitch the darts on the front. Press the dart allowances towards the center.
- Sleeve placket construction: Cut the sleeve along the marked line, clipping the corner at the top of the cut. Turn under the section from the cut to the marked line, equal to 1.7 cm, twice by 0.5 cm and topstitch. Fold the placket lengthwise in half right sides together and stitch the corner up to the transverse mark. Trim seam allowances close to the stitching, clip the allowance at the end of the stitching. Turn the placket right side out, press, and topstitch along the fold line from the bottom to the transverse mark at 0.1 cm. Place the placket with the sleeve right sides together and stitch the inner side along the marked line. Clip the sleeve transversely at the end of the stitching from the cut to the stitching line. Fold the placket to the right side, turn under the raw edge and topstitch. Align the placket with the marked line on the sleeve and topstitch the upper corner along the contour and along the transverse mark. Create even pleats at the bottom of the sleeve.
- Stitch the sleeve to the back and front, press the allowances towards the sleeve and overlock. Stitch the sleeve seams simultaneously with the side seams of the blouse. Press and overlock the allowances.
- Fold the cuffs in half right sides together and stitch the short sides. Turn the cuffs right side out and press. Stitch the outer side of the cuff to the bottom of the sleeve. Turn under the inner side of the cuff and topstitch in the seam.
- Stitch the back facing to the front facings. Press the seams open. Overlock the outer edge of the front facings and back facing. Stitch the upper collar into the neckline of the facings and front facings. Clip and press the allowances open.
- Stitch the under collar into the neckline of the main garment. Clip and press the allowances open.
- Place the front facing, back facing, and collar onto the right side of the blouse and stitch along the bottom edge, front edge, and collar. Trim the allowances at the corners. Turn right side out and shape. Secure the collars with hand stitches in the seam. Secure the facing with hand stitches at the center back seam and shoulder seams.
- Overlock the bottom edge of the garment, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
- On the right front, make buttonholes; on the left front, sew on buttons. Make buttonholes and sew on buttons on the cuffs and plackets.
