
One of the best ways to start out the new year is with a new top from Mood! However, this is not just your ordinary kind of top; you get two tops from one pattern! Who doesn’t love that? Check out Mood’s newest shirt pattern, The Cardinal Blouse, using their wide variety of prints, cotton, and shirting.



Purchase Materials Used Below:
Ruffle Option:
- 2-3 yards Italian Navy and Antique White Shepherd’s Check Rayon Twill
- 9 Italian Black Zamac Shank Back Button – 18L/11.5mm
MDF283 – The Cardinal Blouse Sewing Pattern (free download below!)
Statement Sleeve Option:
- 2-3 Mood Exclusive Meteorite Joy of Juliet Metallic Pinstriped Viscose Dobby
- 1 yard White Elastic – 0.25″
- MDF283 – The Cardinal Blouse Sewing Pattern (free download below!)

Statement Sleeve Option:
Step 1
Print, tape, and cut your pattern.
Step 2
Lay pieces out on fabric and cut.
Step 3
Cut out a strip of fabric that is 2’’ width X 35’’ length. This will be your tie for the front of the bodice. Once cut out, fold in half, pin, and sew at ½’’. Trim and flip.

Step 4
Cut two strips of fabric that are 4’’ in length and 1’’ wide, these will be for the loops. Fold in half, pin, and sew at ¼’’. Once sewn, flip right side out with your loop turner and cut to 1 ¾’’ strips. You will have so you can throw it away.
Note: They are cut in two strips so that it’s easier to turn right side out. Feel free to do one entire length.
Step 5
Cut a 1 ½’’ bias tape that is 36’’ in length for the neckline.
Note: You may need to sew two pieces together to save fabric.
Step 6
On the front bodice, baste two lines of stitching to gather to fit the front yoke.
Note: I only did one row because the fabric was so lightweight.

Step 7
Using a French seam, pin the shoulder to the front yoke wrong sides together and sew. (The second photo is the other side.)


Step 8
On the back of the shirt, sew a basting stitch along the top. Gather to fit the back yoke.


Step 9
Pin the outside yoke right side together, and then the inside yoke wrong side together. Sew a regular seam here. Once sewn, give a nice press with the iron.

Step 10
Pin front and back together at the shoulder seam.

Step 11
Pin the side seams wrong sides together, and stitch.

Step 12
Pin and sew the top part of the sleeve together.

Step 13
Pin and sew the bottom portion of the sleeve at the side seam.

Step 14
Stitch a gathering stitch at the bottom of the top sleeve.

Step 15
Now pin the top and bottom sleeve together.
Note: I used a French seam here to keep it clean on the inside, but this is optional.

Step 16
Pin sleeve in armscye with right sides together matching notches.
Note: I didn’t use a French seam here. As an alternative option for a clean seam, use a zigzag stitch, serger, or bias binding.

Step 17
Hem bottom of the sleeve by folding ¼’’ then ⅜’’ – ½’’, pin and sew. Make sure you have enough room for the elastic to be threaded through.

Step 18
From the front of your shirt, measure up from the V point 2’’ and place a pin. Then measure 2 ½’’ above that and place a pin. These will be the spots for your small loops. Note: you can add more and or change the location of the loop depending on what feels good for you.

Step 19
Place your loops right by the pin you just marked.

Step 20
Pin your bias binding starting from one side and ending at the other. Then stitch at ⅜’’.

Step 21
Press, trim, and fold bias tape under. Topstitch at a ½’’ away from the edge of the neckline.


Ruffle Option:
Step 1
Cut out spiral ruffles.
Step 2
Make bias tape roughly 45’’ for a size 4. The length will vary depending on the size. You should cut some extra just in case.
Step 3
Follow the steps from view A 1-2, then continue from steps 6-12. Note: The sleeve will be longer for sleeve B than sleeve A.
Step 4
Fold your sleeve cuff ruffle in half, pin, and sew using a french seam.

Step 5
Sew a baby hem on the bottom of the cuff.

Step 6
On the top of the cuff sew a basting stitch, then gather to the size of the bottom of the sleeve.

Step 7
With right sides together, matching side seams pin, and sew the cuff to the sleeve.

Step 8
Once the cuff is sewn, clip threads and serge, zig-zag, or pink the edges.
Step 9
Attach sleeve at armscye matching notches and the seam.

Step 10
Attach both ruffle pieces at the center back seam (the wider end) and then hem the outer edge of the ruffle.


Step 11
Once the ruffle is hemmed, sew a gathering stitch along the inner edge.
Step 12
Gather ruffle into the neckline of your shirt and staystitch into place.

Step 13
Pin bias tape around the neckline and sew at ⅜’’

Step 14
Pin center front bias tape together and sew at ⅜’’ away from the original seam. Sew to the notch that is for view B.

Step 15
Fold the bias tape under and hand stitch, then blend it in and create an edge binding for the rest of the shirt.

Step 16
Once the binding is pinned, edge stitch to secure it, stopping right above the V for the buttons.

Step 17
Sew the hem by folding it under twice and topstitching. Clip remaining threads.
Step 18
Lastly, sew buttons on your blouse.
The color-blocking options are swirling in my head already!!!
Make it a little longer with light fabric and it will be a great swimsuit cover up.
I’m currently working on a project to use all hoarded fabric I have (before I buy more, duh) and I really want a “pirate blouse” perfect! The ruffle option, in a white Broderie Anglaise. . Only thing is, the instructions call for a front & back facing yoke for the back panel. The pattern only has ‘cut 1 on fold” for back yoke. I suppose I could have cut two, (but I didn’t – I’m lazy and only cut one, just serged the raw edges, again, I could have French seamed it like the front panel, but I’m lazy!) just something to be aware of if anyone else encounters this. (Providing I’m not going crazy, and just misplaced or misread!)
I don’t understand why the front yokes and side seams are stitched wrong sides together. Is that so it can be finished as a french seam or just a typo?
Hi Pix! Yes, this was sewn together with french seams!
I don’t understand what you have dine with the sleeves. You instructed to attach the bottom sleeve to the top sleeve, but clearly you did something extra with yours and are not sharing. It really is frustrating when you spend money on fabric to make an article of clothing only to find out that you are only privy to a partial set of instructions. I’m 61, disabled and on a fixed income. The free patterns do not make up for the money wasted on fabric when the end result is not what you see in the picture. Of course, you won’t respond to this comment, you never do. It’s like you think you are too good to take time to actually instruct someone that does not understand what you have done. Just remember, and luckily for you, someone took time to instruct you.
Hi Carolynn, we’re sorry you feel like you wasted your fabric. We always encourage any sewist, no matter their experience, to make a muslin. This doesn’t need to be a costly expense! Lots of people use curtains or bedding from a thrift store for a few dollars, but muslin fabric is also an affordable option. Yes, our patterns are indeed free, and the instructions on these older patterns reflect their no-cost nature. Our recent patterns are more thorough, and I’ve started incorporating helpful gifs in my posts for those times when a photo or text just doesn’t cut it.
I’ve looked over the instructions and between the text and the photos, I’m not catching any missing information on the sleeves. It’s a pretty simple sleeve, and it doesn’t require a lot of steps.
I’m sorry you felt that we wouldn’t respond to your comment, seeing how your previous comment was responded to, and that you didn’t reach out as the problem was arising so we could help. I’m sensing a recurring frustration with our patterns, and perhaps paid patterns might be a better fit for you. If you use one of our patterns in the future, we encourage you to use one of our newer patterns, and to reach out when you need help. You can either email info@moodfabrics.com or comment. Good luck!
Howdy Carolynn!
I notice that you chose the shirt option that called for the “statement sleeves” which is a TWO PIECE sleeve that has a top sleeve pattern and a bottom sleeve pattern.
Please note that the top sleeve pattern is the one that will be sewn into the armhole while the bottom sleeve pattern will be first sewn with the longest length stitch your sewing machine comes with. You then gently pull the bobbin thread to make the UPPER end of the BOTTOM sleeve piece gather up a little bit. Once you have done this, you sew this gathered edge to the LOWER end of the top sleeve piece.
Two other things to keep in mind while you sew:
1) The LOWER end of the bottom sleeve piece is where either the gathered cuff is sewn on OR you make a casing for elastic.
2) The sleeves are MIRROR images of each other. One becomes the LEFT sleeve and the other sleeve becomes the RIGHT sleeve. (This bugged the stuffing out of me back when I was first learning how to sew, so I thought I’d mention it here.)
Good Luck!
Love this blouse with the front ruffles. Wondering if anyone had made it sleeveless . . . I have a sleeveless RTW tank with a similar neckline and ruffles that I’d like to emulate. Thoughts?
Yes, you can make this pattern sleeveless, simply just hem the armholes or sew around them using bias tape.
what seam allowance do you use? I notice Mood patterns never specify. since French seam was used I assume 1/4″ and then 3/8″? Can you confirm that please?
Hello, all Mood patterns have 1/2″ accounted for unless stated otherwise.
I love this pattern! I’ve made the puffed sleeve version twice now, once as a blouse and another as a mini dress with a ruffle hem. Here are some tips for some sections I found unclear:
Back yoke – cut 2 (not 1). Pin back yoke to bodice back along the gathered line, right sides together. Pin second back yoke on top, right side to wrong side. Stitch and then press the yokes up. Now your raw edge is enclosed and you have a clean finish.
Sleeves – sew as instructed until the hem. When sewing the hem, leave about a 1″ gap unfinished. Now you have a casing for your elastic. Cut a piece of elastic (1/4″ wide) to fit around your your wrist plus a bit and use a safety pin to feed it through the gap. Sew the elastic together to create a loop, then close up the gap in your sleeve hem. This gives you those puffy statement sleeves.
Bias tape – it’s needed to finish the neckline properly and enclose raw edges. The second time I made this, I made a bunch of bias tape when cutting out my pieces and it made my life a lot easier!