Easy Milkmaid Top Sewing Pattern Tutorial

This milkmaid blouse is an easy summer top to sew, even for a beginner.

You can make it from an old loose t-shirt. T-shirt fabric is great to work with because it doesn’t fray and the stretchiness makes it easy to get a good fit.

I’m going to show you how to draw your milkmaid top sewing pattern directly on to the fabric so that it fits your measurements.

Tools and materials: 

• Loose short or long-sleeved t-shirt
• Fabric marker
• Ruler
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Pins
• Seam ripper
• Safety pin
• Sewing machine

1. Cut out the upper front bodice

Turn your t-shirt wrong side out and line up the side seams and lower edges.

Measure 9 inches (22.5 cm) up from the lower edge and cut straight across the t-shirt at this level.

Cut off both side seams from the piece you cut off.

Place the two pieces of fabric together and fold them in half widthways. Trim them to half the length of your bust circumference. In my case this was 13 inches (32.5 cm).

Use a seam ripper to open the lower hem.

With the right sides facing, sew the two pieces together along the hem edge and both side seams.

Turn the fabric right side out and push out the corners.

2. Gather the upper bodice

Turn in the long sewn edge by 1 inch (2.5 cm) to create a casing and sew it in place.

Sew the raw edges together using a gathering stitch and leave the ends long.

Pull the gathering threads until the lower edge measures the same as half your underbust measurement.

3. Cut out the lower bodice

Measure around your waist and divide by 2. Mark that distance at the center of the lower edge on the top section of your t-shirt.

Mark 6 inches (15 cm) up from the lower edge and connect the points to make a rectangle.

Measure the top line of the rectangle to be half your underbust measurement and angle the side lines in to meet it.

Cut out this shape.

Notch the center of the top edges.

4. Join the upper and lower bodices

Pin and sew the notched edge of one lower bodice to the gathered edge of the upper bodice, with the right sides together. 

Leave half an inch (1 cm) free at each side on the lower bodice for the side seams. Match the centers and distribute the gathers evenly.

5. Sew the side seams

Turn in half an inch (1 cm) on the notched edge of the other lower bodice piece, and sew in place.

Turn up a hem on the long raw edges of both lower bodice sections.

Join the two lower bodices together at the side seams, with the right sides facing.

6. Make and attach the strings

From the remaining fabric, cut two strips each 15 inches (37.5 cm) long by 2 inches (5 cm) wide.

Fold the strips lengthways with the right side inside and sew the long edges.

Use a safety pin to turn each string right side out.

Join the strings together into one long length.

Turn the top right side out.

Use the safety pin to thread the string through the top casing of the upper bodice.

Check that the strings measure the same on each side.

Lay the top flat with the back uppermost.

Mark 3 inches (8 cm) in from each side of the lower back bodice.

Pin and sew the open ends of the string to the inside of the bodice at the marks.