The corset trend has been rising in popularity for a while now, being sported over t-shirts, dresses, and dress shirts alike, but lately it’s been taking an interesting turn: corset blouses. These new fashion favorites are a great way to get the corset-like vibe and silhouette without the damaging effects that an actual corset sometimes has. Made here in one of Mood’s luscious stretch satins, the Sorrel Top is perfect for the summer to fall transition period. Create yours with transparent sleeves for a more warm weather environment, or try a stretch velour for a look that’s ready to be paired with crisp leaves and a cup of apple cider.
Purchase Materials Used Below:
- 2-3 yards Coral Blush Stretch Satin
- 1/2 yard Hook & Eye Tape (or about 18-20 Hook & Eyes)
- 1 yard 1/2″ Rigilene Boning
- MDF208 – The Sorrel Top Sewing Pattern (free download below!)
Alternative Recommended Fabrics:
Please note: our free sewing pattern files and photography are not available for redistribution or resale.
All seam allowances are 1/2″ unless otherwise stated. See chart below for sizing specifications. Note, this specific pattern is available up to a size 30.
Begin your shirt with the corset portion. Attach the side back panels to either side of your center back using French seams. Top-stitch the seam allowance down.
Attach the side front panels to their respective front panels, also using French seams; however, this time use a 5/8″ seam allowance when sewing the secondary stitch of the seam. This creates a casing for you to slip some 1/2″ rigilene boning into. Cut your boning to size, curving any sharp edges, and leaving 1″ along both the top and bottom for later seam allowance.
Top-stitch the boning down, sewing carefully and slowly so as not to break your needle.
Attach the front and back of your corset pieces at the side seams. Fit your corset here, overlapping the center front edges 1″. If needed, take your corset in at the side seams.
Next, attach your front and back bodice pieces at the shoulders and side seams using French seams.
Right sides together, pin your bodice to the top edge of your corset. Line up your side seams and center front edges to start. Evenly gather the remainder of your bodice into the corset. Stitch into place with a stretch stitch or serge. If you’d use a basic stretch stitch on a regular machine and want to hide your raw edges inside your garment, you can bind it with bias tape.
Next, create each of your sleeves by sewing up the inseam with a French seam. Set each sleeve into it’s respective armscye, lining up your notches and evenly gathering the top portion of your sleeve. Since French seams can be tricky here, I recommend a regular seam bound with bias tape.
Create each of your sleeve cuffs, sewing along the longer edge with fabric faces together. Press your seam open using a pressing cloth and evenly gather the bottom of your sleeve into one of the raw edges. Once attached, fold the cuff in half, tuck in your seam allowance inside your sleeve and slip-stitch the inside of your cuff. Press the bottom of each cuff using a pressing cloth.
Face to face, pin the hook portion of your hook and eye tape along the right side of the front of your garment, like you see above.
Create your facing, attach the front and back with a regular seam. Hem the outer edge with a baby hem, like below. Face to face, pin the facing along the neckline and front of your blouse, sandwiching the hook tape in between. Stitch with a 3/8″ seam allowance and lightly press the facing toward the inside of your garment using a pressing cloth.
Edge-stitch along the hook tape, securing the facing down along that edge as well.
Pin and top-stitch the corresponding hook tape into place along the opposite edge.
Lastly, hem the bottom of your garment with a small rolled hem!
Will you be adding the Sorrel Top to your wardrobe this season? Let me know in the comments below!
16 comments
Thank you very much.
Do you have to use a stretchy fabric? I have a wonderful purple polyester that would be perfect for this pattern, but it has no stretch.
Hi Ylva, it’s not totally required, but having some stretch in the lower portion of the shirt does make it nicer to fit and wear. You may be able to cut your polyester on the bias to have some give!
This is so beautiful it kinda reminds me of the 280$ Lirika Matoshi shirt, which is so cute, but wayyyyyyyyyyy to expensive for me I’ll definitely try this out it’s beautiful ❤️ and thank you for the detailed instructions I absolutely love this website and I wish we had a store here in Klagenfurt too love from Austria
Puedes usar la tela licra para la parte de la blusa del busto y las mangas, y la parte de la cintura colocarle interlon ojalá dos capas para que quede ajustado. Sería chevere te ormaria tu cintura y arriba suelta y elegante.
I’m struggling with these hook and eyes. I think I’m going to add a zipper instead
Thanks for the pattern. A question.. if I use a strech fabric like jersey I can avoid using the buTtoms?
Hi Sofi! Due to the boned lower bodice, a closure such as buttons is necessary for this top. Alternatives include zippers and snaps, if you prefer not using buttons.
Would a crepe work for this shirt? I am new to garment sewing and garment fabrics but have a gorgeous crepe!
Hi Sarah, we’re sorry for the delay in responding to your question! We get dozens of comments and questions each day, and so many questions get buried and, unfortunately, unanswered. We are now focusing user support on patterns 2 years and newer. We hope this will prevent questions on our more current patterns from going unanswered. Although this is late, we wanted to respond in case anyone else has the same question: yes you could use a crepe!
Hi Camille
This pattern is gorgeous. I’m not using a stretch fabric and I’d like to add buttons instead of the hook and eye tape. What would be the best way to do this?
Hi Delia, we’re sorry for the delay in responding to your question! We get dozens of comments and questions each day, and so many questions get buried and, unfortunately, unanswered. We are now focusing user support on patterns 2 years and newer. We hope this will prevent questions on our more current patterns from going unanswered. Although this is late, we wanted to respond in case anyone else has the same question: You can use a non-stretch fabric. To use the buttons, you would need to extend the placket by 1 inch and sew the buttons and buttonholes like you would with a button down shirt!
Bonjour, les marges de couture sont elles comprises dans le patron ou faut il les rajouter? Merci
Bonjour, tous nos modèles ont une marge de couture de 1/2″ incluse.
Do I have to use boning? Because I really want to make this top but I have no idea where I’d get that
Hi Jinke, boning definitely helps the top keep its shape. A good boning substitute is zip ties!! I’ve used these plenty of times in corsets and other garments that require boning. We sell rigilene, which is a type of boning, by the yard! 🙂