In the ever-evolving sphere of fashion, there’s one trend that has held strong: oversized silhouettes. From Dries Van Noten to Céline, we’re still seeing this trend on the runway and in the city. Fast fashion brands like Zara and H&M have been quick to adapt to these high fashion trends, offering them at a more accessible price point. 

This week, we decided we had to add an oversized style to our free pattern collection! Enter the Veronica Blouse Free Sewing Pattern. Our delightful new Secret Garden collection features an array of delicate ditsy floral prints in viscose georgette, that work beautifully with our Veronica blouse pattern. This pattern features raglan sleeves—a style adopted from classic sportswear—injecting a relaxed vibe into the oversized blouse. Paired with an adjustable ruffle neckline and cuffs, this blouse takes on an added dimension of femininity, reminiscent of the Victorian era but with a modern touch. Isn’t it wonderful when a sewing project blends the realms of comfort and style, crafting a one of a kind fashion statement that’s effortless yet elegant?

Purchase Materials Used Below:

• 3 yards of Mood Exclusive Isola Bella Viscose Georgette
• 10pc Burnt Orange Silk Covered Buttons 16L
• 2 yds White Elastic 1/4″
• MDF343 – The Veronica Blouse Free Sewing Pattern

Alternative Recommended Fabrics:

• Charmeuse
• Gauze

If you haven’t sewn with our viscose georgette, and want to know more, keep reading! 

Viscose georgette, a semi-synthetic fabric, carries a touch of luxury in its feel, almost akin to silk, with a beautiful draping ability. Part of the crêpe fashion fabric family, georgette fabric is a woven textile that is translucent with a slightly puckered surface. Georgette has a nice (pebbly or sandy) texture and a sumptuous drape, particularly for dresses and skirts. 

Georgette can be layered on top of more solid fabrics to add dimension and create an eye-catching effect. This fabric is lightweight, breathes well, and with its slight sheen, gives off a dashing yet comfortable allure. Georgette fabric can be found in a number of different varieties, each carrying characteristics of their own. 

It’s important to remember that due to its delicate nature, this fabric requires special care. Always opt for hand-washing or use a gentle cycle on your washing machine with cold water to preserve the vibrant print and the softness of the fabric. Consider air-drying your blouse to maintain its shape and avoid potential damage from high temperatures. 

For more information, check out our article, Everything You Need to Know About Crepe Fabric. 

How to sew the facing and button placket –

1. Pin and sew down the v of the neck slit facing onto the button placket slit on the centerline of the front bodice, right sides together. Make sure the top edges of both the facing and shirt front are matching.

2. Cut a straight line down the middle of the slit. Trim the seam allowance, and clip into the fabric at the deep v.

3. Flip the facing towards the inside of the garment, and press firmly with the iron.

4. For the button placket facing, we recommend cutting out a piece of interfacing half the width of the pattern, and press it to the wrong sides of the fabric.

5. Finish the edges of the button placket facing. I used a zig-zag stitch.

6. When making the loop holes, cut out a rectangular shape 2” in length and 20” in width. Fold this right sides together and sew ⅜” from the fold. Trim the SA, and use a loop turner to bring the strip right side out. 

7. Cut out 10 strips each 2” long and sew onto the placket 1” apart to align with the buttons.

Note: The buttons used for this project were 16L/10mm. If your buttons vary in size, you may need to adjust the length that you cut the strips. Also, if you’d prefer fewer buttons, plan the spacing accordingly. 

8. Sew the end of the loops ½” from the folded side. Then sew the placket with loops to the front facing, leaving ¼” peeking out of the wearer’s side. 

9. Mark the placement of the buttons onto the other side and sew the buttons down to meet precisely.

How to sew the top:

1. Using ¼” french seams, sew together the front bodice with the back bodice at the side seams. If you are unfamiliar with this finishing seam, here is a tutorial on how to sew a french seam. 

2. Sew together the inner seams for both the sleeves, using ¼” french seams.

3. Sew the sleeves to the top, using ¼” french seams. Because these are raglan sleeves, you’ll only sew the U-shape of the armscye. This shirt does not have shoulder seams!

How to add the neckline ruffles and drawstring:

1. Fold the neckline frill lengthwise, right sides together, and sew the short ends together with a ½” seam allowance. Clip the corner, trim SA, and turn it right side out. Press. 

2. Pin the neckline frill onto the neckline, placing the right sides together, matching the raw edges, and sewing ½” all the way across the neckline.

3. Make a binding strip out of the neckline casing. To do this, fold and press the long edges of the neckline casing. Fold the short edges down ¼” and sew to prevent fraying. 

4. Sew the neckline casing along the inside of the neckline using 2 rows of stitching along the folded edges of the strip.

5. To make a drawstring for the adjustable neckline, sew the two strips together along one of the short edges, right sides facing. Trim the SA and press open.  

6. Fold the strip lengthwise, right sides together. Sew ½” from the fold and cut the excess from the seam.

7. Use a loop turner to flip this strip outward. Finish the edges of the drawstring. 

8. Use a small safety pin to get the string all the way through the casing of the neckline.

How to add the sleeve cuff ruffles:

1. Sew the two ends of a sleeve ruffle RST with a ½” SA to create a loop. Press in half lengthwise, WST.

2. Unfold the ruffle, and RST, align one of the raw edges with the sleeve’s. Be sure to match the seams. Sew together with a ½” seam allowance. Repeat on the other side.

3. Press the SA towards the ruffle, then refold the cuff. Press the cuff’s remaining SA down so it sits just beyond the seam you just stitched. Stitch in the ditch, then repeat on the other side. 

4. Measure the circumference of your wrist, subtract about an inch from the length, and cut 2 strips of elastic to that length. 

5. Gather the sleeve cuffs. To do this, baste stitch 2 parallel lines across the wrist, on the sleeve, not the ruffle.  Take a look at this gathering tutorial for more details!    

https://www.moodfabrics.com/blog/how-to-sew-gathers-free-download/

6. Pull the tail threads and gather until you’ve got double the circumference of your wrist measurement. 

7. Sew the elastic with a zig zag or stretch stitch, between the two rows of gathered stitches.  

Finishing the bottom hem:

For the hem at the bottom, fold over the raw edge ¼” twice and sew across the edge to complete this garment!