Chiffon Pussy Bow Blouse

The pussybow blouse is an iconic garment that takes you from a day at the office through to an evening out. Polyester and chiffons are perfect for Amanda Walker's design, giving you the opportunity to practise sewing lightweight fabrics. Don't be tempted to skip matching the pattern notches at the sleeve heads and neckline, as this will help to ensure a professional finish.

Essentials

Get started

Fabric, 2m (1.5m wide)
Fusible interfacing, 30cm
Five buttons

Dimensions List

Front: cut one pair
Back: cut one on the fold
Sleeve: cut one pair
Neck tie: cut two 36cm x87.5cm rectangles
1.5cm seam allowance used throughout.

1

Download and print the pattern at sewmag.co.uk/templates, then use it to cut all the pieces according to the cutting guide. Fuse interfacing to the facing parts of the front pieces, then press inside and neaten the edges, plus those of the front and back pieces. Pin the shoulder seams of the front and back pieces, stitch, then press open.

2

Shape the neck tie pieces (see Core Skill panel), then pin them at the short straight edges, stitch, then press open. Clip the seam allowance around the neckline curve. Match the centre-back neckline of the back to the neck tie seam. Match one long edge of the tie to the clipped neckline, joining the centre-front notches, then pin and stitch between the notches.

3

Fold the tie in half lengthways, right sides together, then pin and stitch, leaving the neckline open. Turn right sides out, then press. Clip the seam allowance on the notches in line with the ends of the stitched part so that the seam allowance protrudes from the sewn and turned part of the tie.

4

Unfold the facing along the fold line indicated on the front pattern. Clip the neckline curve of the facing piece, then pin the neckline to the outside of the shirt. Stitch, then fold the facing back to show the right side. Tease out the corners and press flat. Turn in 1.5cm along the neck tie and back edge, then press the raw edges of the neckline should sit inside the tie. Machine or slip stitch this edge in place.

5

Neaten all remaining raw edges, then lay the front and back right sides together. Pin at the side seams, stitch, then press open. Sew around the head of the sleeves from the front to the back notch with a gathering stitch. Pin and sew the underarm seams right sides together, press open, then turn the top right sides out.

6

Pull the gathering threads up slightly, then place the sleeve at the armhole. Match the side and underarm seams together, and then the sleeve and shoulder notches, adjusting the gathers to fit the armhole. Pin, stitch, and neaten the allowances together.

7

Press the sleeve cuff to the wrong side by 1cm then 2cm, then pin and edgestitch. Hem the base in the same way. Edgestitch the bottom of the facings down on top. Make five buttonholes on the right front facing, then hand sew the buttons on the left.