Contrast-Trim Pleated Peplum Blouse
A women's sleeveless top with a seamed, fitted bodice, a V-neckline edged with a contrast band, and a long pleated lower part joined at the waist and finished with a contrast band at the hem. Closes with a zip in the left side seam.
When To Wear
- Evening events and dinners, with narrow trousers or a straight skirt.
- Spring and summer occasions, worn alone or with a jacket over it.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted bodice with a waist seam; the lower part flares out through pleats.
Length: Tunic length: the pleated lower part is longer than the bodice.
Neckline: Deep V-neckline. A contrast-fabric band is stitched to the front neckline edge on the right side, and the neckline is finished inside with an interfaced facing stitched in the ditch of the band seam.
Front: Bodice made of a centre front panel, two side front panels with vertical seams and two upper front pieces with seams running diagonally from the armhole to the point of the V.
Sleeves: Sleeveless; armholes finished with interfaced facings understitched 0.2 cm from the seam.
Back: Centre back seam; each upper back piece shaped with a shoulder dart and a waist dart.
Skirt: Front and back lower parts cut in one piece each, with pleats folded before they are joined to the bodice; an inverted pleat sits at the centre front and centre back.
Closure: Zip in the left side seam.
Finishing: Contrast trimming bands stitched to the lower edge of the front and back, hem turned up and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. A paneled bodice with a sharp V-point, a contrast neckline band with a facing behind it, pleats matched to the bodice seams, armhole facings and a side zip.
Fabric Recommendations
Main parts: satin, sateen. Contrast trim: taffeta, jacquard-effect taffeta.
Additional Supplies
- Contrast fabric for the trim
- Zip, 25 cm
- Fusible interfacing (neckline and armhole facings)
- Fusible web
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Upper Back – 2 pieces
- Upper Front – 2 pieces
- Side Front – 2 pieces
- Center Front – 1 piece
- Lower Back Skirt – 1 piece
- Lower Front Skirt – 1 piece
- Front Neckline Facing – 1 piece
- Back Neckline Facing – 1 piece
- Front Armhole Facing – 2 pieces
- Back Armhole Facing – 2 pieces
- From contrast fabric:
- Front Neckline Facing – 1 piece
- Back Trimming – 1 piece
- Front Trimming – 1 piece
- From fusible interfacing: Front Neckline Facing, Back Neckline Facing, Front Armhole Facing, Back Armhole Facing.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the Front and Back Armhole Facings and the Front and Back Neckline Facings.
- Stitch the shoulder and waist darts on the Upper Back pieces. Press the darts towards the center back. Stitch the center back seam, press seam allowances to the left side and overlock.
- Stitch the Side Front pieces to the Center Front. Press the seam allowances towards the center and overlock. Stitch the Upper Front pieces to the Side Front and Center Front. Press the seam allowances upwards and overlock. Stitch the contrast Front Neckline Facing to the front neckline edge on the right side (it forms the V-band). Press the seam allowances onto the facing.
- Fold the pleats on the Lower Back Skirt and Lower Front Skirt. Stitch the Lower Back Skirt to the back. Press the seam upwards and overlock. Stitch the Lower Front Skirt to the front. Press the attachment seam upwards and overlock.
- Stitch the Front Trimming to the lower edge of the front and the Back Trimming to the lower edge of the back. Press the seams upwards and overlock.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the blouse. Press seam allowances open and overlock. Stitch the right side seam, press seam allowances towards the back and overlock. Stitch the left side seam from the mark downwards. Press the seam allowances open, including the zipper opening allowances, and overlock. Insert the zipper.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the main-fabric Front Neckline Facing and Back Neckline Facing, press the seams open. Overlock the outer edge of the facing. Place the facing on the garment right sides together and stitch around the neckline. Turn the facing to the wrong side and press. Stitch the front facing in the ditch of the seam joining the contrast Front Neckline Facing.
- Stitch the shoulder and side seams of the right Front and Back Armhole Facings. Stitch only the shoulder seam of the left armhole facings. Overlock the outer edges. Place the facings with the blouse right sides together and stitch the armholes. Topstitch the seam allowances onto the facings 0.2 cm from the seam. Turn the facings to the wrong side and press. Stitch the side edges of the left armhole facings to the zipper seam allowances.
- Press the bottom edge of the blouse to the wrong side, fold, and topstitch.
