No-pattern Tutorial: How to Sew an Elegant and Easy Blouse
If you've ever wanted to know how to sew a blouse without a pattern, this one's for you.
This DIY blouse with buttons down the center is an easy style that can be upstyled with different types of fabric. It's flattering and loose fitting to suit any body shape.
Tools and materials:
- Loose top to use as pattern
- 2 meters fabric, 60 inches wide
- 4 or 5 buttons
- 1/4 inch wide elastic
- Tailor's chalk
- Tape measure
- Pins
- Scissors
- Sewing machine
1. Cut front pattern
Fold your fabric in half and use a folded top with a loose fit to make your pattern.
Fold the top in half and pin the fold 2 inches inside the folded edge of your fabric.
Cut out around the top, leaving about half an inch for a seam allowance. My blouse is 23 inches in length from the center front neck.
Make a notch at the neck edge to mark the beginning of the 2 inch strip.
2. Cut back pattern
Put the folded front piece on the fabric, putting the two inch strip outside the folded edge of the fabric so the back is narrower than the front. Cut around the front piece.
3. Front neckline
On the folded edge, draw a line down 3.5 inches from the center front neckline and 5.5 inches down from the inner shoulder edge.
Join the two lines at the bottom and curve the corner where they meet. Cut the piece out along the curve.
4. Neck facing
Cut a neck facing by folding a small piece of fabric in half, placing your back pattern on the folded edge, and tracing the neckline to a depth of about 1.5 inches. Cut out the facing.
Repeat for the front neckline but fold in the extra 2 inches first. Then, mark the facing and cut the facing straight across about 2 inches down from the center front.
5. Cut sleeves
Fold your fabric in half and in half again.
See the video from 3:40 - 4:43 for how to cut the sleeve pattern.
6. Front pleat
With right sides out, sew the folded edge of the front, 2 inches from the fold.
Flatten the pleat either side of the stitched line and pin into position. Top stitch about 1/4 inch from the folded edge of the pleat on each side.
7. Attach neck facings
Pin the front neck facing to the front neckline, right sides together.
Stitch close to the neckline edge. Cut a few notches around the raw edge of the neckline to help the facing lie flat, then turn the facing to the inside and top stitch around the neck edge.
Attach the back neck facing in the same way.
8. Join shoulders
Place the front and back pieces right sides together, opening out the facings, and join the shoulders and facings together.
9. Insert sleeves
Open the blouse out right side up and lay a sleeve piece on top, right sides facing.
Pin the center notch on the sleeve to the shoulder seam and pin each edge of the sleeve to the open end of the armhole.
Starting from the center, pin the sleeve head into the armhole, creating pleats as you go.
Pin both sides of each sleeve head evenly and stitch them into place.
10. Seams
Pin the side and sleeve seams and sew.
11. Sleeve casing
Cut two pieces of narrow elastic to fit your wrist. Make a narrow casing at the end of each sleeve, leaving a small opening.
Insert the elastic into the casing and knot or stitch the ends together. Sew the casing closed.
12. Hem lower edge
Make a narrow hem at the lower edge of the blouse.
13. Buttons
Add 4 or 5 buttons of your choice along the center front pleat.
How to sew a blouse
The finished blouse can be worn belted for a different look. You can also choose to make it longer or shorter or even try different sleeve lengths.
If you'd like to see more no-pattern tops, check out my post on How to Sew a Super Easy and Beautiful Blouse Without a Pattern.
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