Did you know that you likely have more shirts in your wardrobe than any other garment type? Tops are great for mixing and matching, so it’s no surprise that it’s one of the more popular clothing types when it comes to both shopping off the rack and sewing projects! Add another shirt option to your closet with Mood’s newest free sewing pattern: the Caraway Blouse! It’s fun, chic, and simple to make. Try yours in a gauzy crepe, lightweight batiste, or any one of your favorite prints!
Purchase Materials Used Below:
- 3 yards Mood Exclusive Highgrove Viscose Crepe
- 2 yards White Elastic – 0.25″
- MDF279 – The Caraway Blouse Sewing Pattern (free download below!)
1. Print, tape, and cut pattern pieces.
2. Place patterns on fabric, pin, and cut.
3. Press both sides of the inner casing for the elastic ¼’’ inside.
4. Next pin the inner casing on the front and back pieces on the wrong side of the fabric matching at the side notches. Edgestitch the guide down, making sure that you catch both sides.
5. Cut two pieces of elastic that are the same length. To get the length of the elastic, measure your waist and divide that in half. Add an extra 1″ to account for seam allowance.
6. Using your safety pin, thread the elastic through the inner casing on both pieces. Secure the ends with a pin, then tack in the corner on both sides.
7. Using a French seam, stitch the front and back together at the sides.
8. Place two rows of gathering stitches between the notches of the front and the back.
9. Gather the back piece to fit the back yoke. With right sides together, pin one of the back yokes to the back of the top.
10. Gather the front piece to fit the front yoke. With right sides together pin the front facing to the front matching notches. Now stitch using a ⅜’’ seam allowance.
11. Now pin the front yoke facing to the front yoke with right sides together. Sew the facing at a ⅜’ seam allowance.
12. Now flip the facing to the inside, folding the raw edges at the bottom inward ½’’ and hand stitch shut.
13. With right sides together, pin the other back yoke facing to the top of the back yoke. Sew a regular seam, trim around the curves, turn right sides out, and press.
14. Fold the bottom edge ½’’ and hand stitch shut.
15. Now stitch the shoulder seams together to the notch, using a French seam.
16. Stitch one to two lines of basting stitches on the sleeve.
17. Using a French seam, sew the inseam of the sleeve.
18. After the sleeve is sewn, fold up ½’’ twice, pin, and sew while leaving an opening for elastic to be threaded through.
19. Once the elastic is through, secure the elastic and stitch casing shut.
20. Pin sleeve in armscye matching side seams and notches. Once everything is matched, gather evenly on the sleeve. Note: You can finish the armscye by serging, zig-zag stitching, or pinking the edges. You can also bias bind your seams for a clean edge.
21. Sew a rolled hem at the bottom. Note: You can hand sew or machine stitch the hem. I machine stitch it because you can barely notice the stitching with this print (a plus if you’re a beginner sewist!).
5 comments
Greg,
this pattern was love at first sight for me. It’s so romantic. Has enough details to be interesting, but it isn’t overcomplicated. And even though I feel that it’s a bit beyond my current sewing skills, I will try to sew one. I can’t stop dreaming about this blouse.
Thanks for the gorgeous pattern and great instructions!
I loved the neck design on this blouse but really struggled with these unclear directions! A sketch would be easier to view than this floral fabric. And i have been sewing for 50 years! I realized thst the yoke attaches OVER the front of the blouse not above. And the notch mentioned in #15 is the notch on the front neck(or front yoke) not the back facing. All pinned once again and ready to see if it works this time.
Hi,
This blouse is so lovely and elegant, the design is perfect but the instructions need a little more clarity especially relating to the shoulder seams, and the back yoke is not shown in the trade drawing so that got me confused but I managed to make it and it’s satisfying!
I’ve made this blouse twice! I had to make the neckline smaller since I have narrow shoulders. This blouse is FANTASTIC for overalls. I never have to tuck it in, tug at it. I can wear it with ease!
This blouse is just beautiful and easy to make