Sewing Instructions – Model 81 Blouse (Supplement 341)
Supplement No. 341 – Model 81. A relaxed short-sleeve shirt blouse with shirt collar, button front, one chest pocket and turned-up sleeve cuffs. Draft the pattern with the Lutterloh System from your bust and hip measurements, then add seam allowances before cutting.
▶ Watch the sew-along video for Model 81 · Back to Supplement No. 341
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What you need
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fabric for the blouse (NN) | 120 x 150 cm – 1⅜ yd of 58/60″ wide fabric |
| Fusible interfacing, light | about 50 cm (½ yd) for collar and front facings/button bands |
| Buttons | 6–7, about 12 mm (½″) |
| Thread | 1 spool, matching |
On the supplement page, NN = blouse and Z = trousers (the Z amount, 180 x 150 cm, is only for the trousers shown with it). Amounts are length x width. Suitable fabrics: cotton poplin, chambray, linen, viscose or lightweight shirting. Pre-wash and press the fabric before cutting.
Pattern pieces and cutting
Add 1.5 cm (⅝″) seam allowance on all seams and 3 cm (1¼″) at the hem, unless your drafted pattern already includes them.
| Piece | Cut | Interfacing |
|---|---|---|
| Back | 1 on the fold | – |
| Front (with grown-on facing or button band) | 2 | Facing / band |
| Sleeve | 2 | – |
| Collar | 2 | 1 (upper collar) |
| Collar stand (if the drafted collar has one) | 2 | 1 |
| Chest pocket | 1 | – |
- Fold the fabric selvage to selvage, right sides together.
- Place all pieces on the straight grain, back on the fold.
- Transfer all marks: notches, button positions, pocket placement, sleeve cap center and the fold line of the front band.
- Fuse the interfacing to the upper collar, the stand and the front facings or bands.
Sewing steps
Sew right sides together with 1.5 cm seams unless noted. Finish each seam allowance with serger or zigzag right after sewing, and press every seam before crossing it with another.
- Stay-stitch the neckline. Stitch 1 cm from the edge on front and back so the curve does not stretch.
- Chest pocket. Fold the top edge under 1 cm, then 2 cm, and topstitch. Press the other edges under 1 cm. Pin the pocket to the left front at the marks and topstitch close to the edge, reinforcing the top corners with small triangles.
- Shoulder seams. Sew front to back at the shoulders. Finish together and press toward the back.
- Collar. Sew upper and under collar together along the outer edges, leaving the neck edge open. Trim, clip the corners, turn and press; topstitch 5 mm from the edge. If the collar has a stand, sandwich the collar between the two stand pieces and sew, then trim and turn.
- Attach the collar. Fold the front facings or bands to the right side along the fold line. Pin the collar to the neckline, matching center back and the shoulder marks, with the facings on top. Sew through all layers, clip the curve, then turn the facings to the inside. Close the inner collar or stand edge by hand or by stitching in the ditch.
- Sleeves. Ease-stitch the sleeve cap between the notches. Pin the sleeve into the open armhole, matching the cap center to the shoulder seam, and sew. Finish together and press toward the sleeve.
- Side and underarm seams. Sew front to back in one seam from the sleeve hem up through the underarm and down to the blouse hem. Finish and press toward the back.
- Turned-up cuffs. Finish the sleeve edge. Fold it to the inside along the hem line and stitch. Then fold the sleeve end to the outside to the depth shown on the page and tack it at the underarm and shoulder line so the cuff stays in place.
- Hem. Fold the hem under 1 cm, then 2 cm, and topstitch. At the front edges, turn the facings back to the right side first, sew across the hem line, then turn them in so the corners are clean.
- Buttonholes and buttons. Mark 6–7 buttonholes on the right front (left front for menswear), the first 1.5 cm below the neckline. Sew vertical buttonholes, cut them open, and sew the buttons on the left front.
- Finish. Topstitch the front edges if you like, remove all marks and give the blouse a final press.
Tips
- Make a quick test version from cheap cotton first to check the fit at shoulders and bust.
- On slippery fabrics like viscose, use a fine needle (70/10) and spray starch before cutting.
- Press the collar points out with a point turner, not scissors.
- Watch the full sew-along for this model by Mari Gold: Model 81 sew-along video.