As autumn sets in, a stylish blouse becomes a must-have in your wardrobe. We’re so excited that you’re going to make our new Alexa blouse!
Interface the button placket on the front: this is a strip of 5 cm wide, at 1 cm from the edge (so you don’t interface the seam allowance).
Press 1 cm of the center front of each front to the wrong side. Then press 2,5 cm to the wrong side, at the foldline, and stitch in place just next to the edge.
Gather the top of the front. Easestitch using the largest stitch on your sewing machine at 1,5 cm from the edge. Easestitch a second time at 1 cm.
Finish the side seams of the fronts and back with an overlock or by zigzagging.
Make the pleats in the back. Start at the left side of the back and work on the right side of the fabric. Place the two markings of each pleat, right sides together, and pin in place - you are pleating towards the right side seam. Stitch the pleats in place at 1 cm from the top. Leave the pins in so the pleats stay neatly in place.
Pin a yoke to the back, right sides of the fabric together and markings matching.
Now pin the second yoke with the right side of the fabric to the wrong side of the back, and stitch all layers. Make sure your pleats are tucked in neatly. Press nicely.
Gather the shoulder seam of the front until it fits the yoke. Pin the shoulder seam of the front to the shoulder seam of the outer yoke, right sides of the fabric together. Stitch in place.
Roll up the back and fronts between the two yokes. Pin the shoulder seam of the inner yoke with the right side to the shoulder seams you just stitched, on the wrong side of the front. Stitch in your first stitching. Now gently pull out the front and back and press flat.
Pin the side seams of front and back with the right sides of the fabric together and stitch. Press the seams open.
Press 1 cm of the bottom seam allowance of one collar piece to the wrong side. Place both collar pieces right sides together and pin. Stitch the top and sides of the collar, stopping 1 cm from the bottom edge, so you don’t stitch the pre-pressed seam allowance.
Trim the seam allowances at the shoulder curves, in the middle and at the ends. Turn the collar to the right side and press, being careful not to remove the pre-pressed line from the collar.
Pin the seam of the collar, the one that hasn’t been pre-pressed, to the neckline, right sides of the fabric together. Make sure the markings of the shoulder seams and center back match. Stitch and press the seam allowances towards the collar.
Turn the collar up and pin the pre-pressed seam to the neckline. All seam allowances disappear inside the collar, as well as the corners of the seam allowances of the front. Carefully trim them if necessary. Stitch the collar to the front by stitching exactly in the ditch of the neckline, through all layers. Make sure to work on the right side of the blouse.
Press nicely flat.
Sleeve with button cuffs:
Cut the arm split of both sleeves at the indicated line.
Press the sleeve placket in half lengthwise, wrong sides together. Fold the raw edges in so that they meet at the crease and press again.
Open the sleeve split and pin one long edge of the sleeve placket to the arm split, right side of the placket to the wrong side of the sleeve. Pin and baste in place. Stitch along the pre-pressed fold of the placket. At the center of the split, you will only catch a few millimeters of the sleeve fabric.
Now fold the placket around the arm split, the raw edge is at the inside. Pin and baste.
Stitch just next to the edge on the placket through all layers. Work on the right side of the sleeve.
Fold the sleeve in half at the arm split, with the right sides together, so both sides of the placket align neatly. Stitch both sides of the placket together at the top, diagonally from the corner to the edge.
Fold the placket on the longer side of the hem to the inside of the sleeve and stitch in place at 1 cm parallel to the hem.
Finish the side seams of the sleeves with an overlock or by zigzagging. Pin the side seam, right sides together and stitch. Press open.
Gather the hem of the sleeve as described above. Start and end at the arm split. Gather the sleeve cap as well between the markings.
Press the long side of the cuff, the one opposite to the side with the markings, 1,5 cm to the wrong side of the fabric. Fold the cuff in half lengthwise with the right sides together and stitch both short sides, without stitching the pre-pressed seam allowance (fold it open beforehand). Trim the corners and turn to the right side of the fabric. Press.
Pin the unpressed seam allowance of the cuff to the sleeve, right sides together, and gather the hem of the sleeve to match the cuff. You start at one end of the arm split and finish at the other. Make sure your gathering is evenly distributed and stitch in place. Remove the gathering threads.
Turn the cuff in place and press all seam allowances to the inside of the cuff. Carefully trim the corners of the cuff first. Pin the cuff to the inside of the sleeve and stitch in place, just next to the edge, on the cuff. Work on the right side of the sleeve.
Sew the buttonholes onto the cuffs at the indicated markings and sew the buttons on.
The sleeve with large cuff:
Finish the side seams of the sleeves with an overlock or by zigzagging. Pin the side seam, right sides together and stitch. Press open. Gather the hem of the sleeve as described above. Gather the sleeve cap as well between the markings.
Fold the cuffs in half, right sides of the fabric together, and stitch the short side. Press the seam open. Press the cuffs in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together. Fold back open and press just over 1 cm of one of the long sides to the wrong side.
Gather the sleeve until it matches the cuff. Pin the long, unpressed side of the cuff to the sleeve, right sides together. Make sure that the markings match. Stitch all around and remove the gathering threads.
Press the seam allowances towards the cuff. Fold the cuff in place, all seam allowances disappear inside the cuff. Pin the cuff to the inside of the sleeve. Stitch all around by stitching exactly in the ditch of the sleeve and cuff, through all layers. Work on the right side of the sleeve.
Attaching the sleeve:
Pin the sleeve into the armhole, right sides of the fabric together. Make sure the markings match. The single marking indicates the front, the double one the back. Divide the fabric evenly between the markings of the cap of the sleeve.
Stitch in place and remove the gathering threads. Finish the edges together with an overlock or by zigzagging. Press gently towards the sleeve.
Hemming the blouse: press the hem 3 cm to the wrong side of the fabric. Then press half of this seam allowance to the inside. Topstitch at the edge of the hem.
Sew the buttonholes onto the right button placket. Sew the buttons onto the left button placket.
Give your blouse a nice press!