Dolls’ Madison

Pattern Markings

Before transferring your markings, you need to decide whether you want the left or the right of the shirt front to fold on top when you close the shirt.  The pattern is marked so that the left side is on top as you look at the shirt. However, you can switch this over if you prefer.

Traditionally, female shirts close with the left piece on top as you look at the shirt (or your right as you are wearing it). Men’s shirts close in the opposite direction.  The reason being is that ladies used to have ladies maids helping them get dressed and this enabled right-handed ladies maids to do up the ladies shirts more easily from the front.  Whereas men more commonly did their own shirts up. 

Nowadays (with a distinct lack of ladies maids!) both styles are common for either gender. If you would like your shirt to be traditional, for females, the left front piece needs to close on top as you look at the shirt (e.g. as per the pattern markings). For males, the right front piece needs to close on top.  If you don’t mind (or you are a left handed male or a right-handed female without a ladies maid!) you can do the opposite.  It’s up to you. Take note of which side you decide now before marking your fastenings as below.

Lay one Left & Right Pair of Front Placket pieces flat and using chalk or an erasable fabric marker, mark from the pattern where the fastenings will go.

BUTTONS OPTION – For buttons and buttonholes go for your size on the side of the shirt you want them to be. The buttonholes should be marked exactly as they are on the pattern piece. The buttons should be marked as a cross in the center of each buttonhole marking on the pattern piece.

SNAPS / POPPERS OPTION – Mark the center point of each buttonhole marking on the pattern piece as a cross on the fabric. This is where your snaps or poppers will go.

Transfer all pattern markings.

Interfacing

Fuse a strip of light weight interfacing onto the wrong side of one Front Placket Left and one Front Placket Right. 

Do not interface the other pair of Plackets.

This interfacing is important as it will give structure to the front part of the garment and prevent the buttons or snaps from pulling or tearing the Front Placket when undoing them.

TIP – Cut your interfacing ¼ inch shorter than the bottom of the Placket. This will reduce bulk in the seam allowance at the bottom of the garment when you hem it later on.

TIP – Label the back of your Plackets with tailors chalk or a disappearing fabric marker now. You will need to know which is the left and which is the right later on when you sew them on.

If you are doing either the Collar and/or the long Sleeve option, you can also interface 1x Collar and one left & right pair of Cuffs if you wish.  

This will give each of these bits a more structured look. It’s not necessary from a construction perspective though, so if you prefer a more relaxed look, skip this step.

OPTIONAL Bias Tape

You only need bias tape if you plan to bind the armhole in step 9.  If you do not plan to do this, skip to step 1. 

If you have purchased ready-made bias tape, check it is 1 inch wide when completely unfolded. If it is double fold bias tape, skip to step 1. If it is single fold bias tape, iron it in half lengthwise with the raw edges tucked inside. Its final width should be ¼ inch wide all folded.

If you have used the pattern piece provided to make your own bias tape, we are going to fold and press as if we were making double fold bias tape (don’t worry if you don’t know what that is, just follow these instructions). 

• Fold one bias strip in half wrong side to wrong side down its length. Press well.
• Tuck each long raw edge into the middle of the fold so that the long raw edges are all hidden.
• Open the central fold back out again.
• Press. 
• You now have ½ inch single folded bias tape. The raw edges should be folded into the middle.
• With the raw edges on the inside, fold the bias tape in half down its length again. You now have ¼ inch double fold bias tape.

If you get stuck, download our free bias tape tutorial and follow the instructions for ‘double fold bias tape’. 

Staystitch the Front necklines.

Staystitch using a regular length straight stitch and because it won’t be removed, make sure to stay just inside the ½ inch seam allowance. 

Stitch in the same direction of the arrows in the photo (from the center front towards the shoulders) 

NOTE – If you haven’t heard of it before, staystitching is a permanent line of stitches that we use around curves to prevent them from stretching while manipulating, sewing, or even wearing the garment. If you don’t do it, the neckline is likely to stretch and then the collar won’t fit properly when you try to stitch it on.  Doing ‘directional stay stitching’ like this (e.g. stitching in the direction of the arrows) helps preserve the grainline and stops the fabric twisting about while we are sewing the rest of the garment, before we get the collar on.

Staystitch the Back neckline in the direction of the arrows.

This means you’ll be starting your stitching at the center back and stitching out towards one shoulder. Then repeating and stitching towards the other shoulder.

SERGER / OVERLOCKER OPTION – If you are using a serger, follow steps 2.1 to 2.4 below. Remove the gathering stitches. Serge the seam allowance & press it upwards towards the Front Yoke. Optionally top stitch the seam allowance down onto the Yoke. Then skip to step 3.

NO SERGER / OVERLOCKER OPTION – Follow the steps below.

We are now going to stitch one row of gathering stitches between the notches.

To do this, set your sewing machine to a gather stitch. This will be the longest stitch length possible with no locking stitch at the beginning or end, and a loose tension. Depending on your machine you may also need to loosen your bobbin tension.

Stitch approximately ¼ inch from the edge.

Cut your thread, leaving a long tail of thread hanging off (like in the photo). 

TIP – Use a different colored top thread to your bobbin thread. That way you can differentiate them more easily later when you come to gather it. Plus, it’s a great way to use up all those left-over bobbin threads I find I have!

Change your sewing machine back to a normal length stitch after you sew the gathering stitch so it’s ready for the following steps.

Place the Front Yoke onto the Front, right sides together, matching long straight edges.

The Front Yoke should be upside down so that the long straight diagonal edge matches up with the diagonal on the top of the Front piece. The Front piece will be wider than the Front Yoke.

Pin one end together. Move the two pieces about so that the pointed edge of the Front Yoke sticks out slightly. You want the little triangle where the two pieces meet (where I’m pointing in the photo) to be ½ inch away from the raw edge. That way when you sew later the two pieces will meet exactly.

Pin the other two ends together, again matching the triangle so that the pointed edge sticks out slightly.

NOTE – The front is longer than the Front Yoke, so it won’t sit flat yet. This is correct.

Flip the pieces over so you are working with the Front piece up from now on.

Pull gently on the gathering stitches and gather the front so it is the same width as the Front Yoke.

Stitch using a ½ inch seam allowance.

Remove the gathering stitches.

Press the seam allowance up towards the Front Yoke.

TIP – I find it easier to press from the front of the garment to do this step. I hold the bottom of the front taut and press from the yoke downwards. Use the tip of the iron so you only press the seam, and not the gathers. That way the seam will sit nicely, and the gathers will still puff out gently (rather than be squashed flat).

We are now going to do a flat fell seam to finish this seam allowance.

Flip the Front Yoke down so the seam allowance is easily accessible. Carefully trim the seam allowance from the Front Yoke piece only in half. Do not trim the seam allowance from the Front piece.

NOTE – Usually a flat fell seam is done using a ⅝ inch seam allowance. As this is a blouse, we’re using a ½ inch seam allowance. This gives a more delicate look. However, it’s also a little more fiddly. If you prefer, you can follow the serger/overlocker instructions but just using a zigzag or overlock stitch on your sewing machine for an easier finish.

Fold the longer seam allowance from the Front underneath the shorter seam allowance from the Front Yoke and pin down.

This creates a clever little flap, with all the raw edges hidden inside.

Stitch from the wrong side of the garment, close to the folded edge. Make sure to keep the same distance from the seam the whole way along so that your top stitching looks great from the right side of the garment.

NOTE – If you are using special or contrasting thread for your top stitching, either make sure to thread your bobbin thread with it so it shows on the right side of the garment. Or alternatively you can stitch from the right side of the garment. It’s a little trickier to make sure you catch the fold nicely doing this, however if you use lots of pins and go slowly, it’s a good alternative.

Press the seam.

Trim the little pointy bit of the seam allowance that is sticking out.

Repeat steps 2.1 to 2.9 for the other Front and Front Yoke piece.

SERGER / OVERLOCKER OPTION – If you are using a serger, follow steps 3.1 to 3.4 below. Remove the gathering stitches. Serge the seam allowance & press it upwards towards the back yoke. Optionally top stitch the seam allowance down onto the yoke. Then skip to step 4.

NO SERGER / OVERLOCKER OPTION – Follow the steps below.

We are going to repeat step 2 to attach the Back Yoke to the Back.

Start by gather stitching the back between the notches.

Place the Back Yoke onto the Back, right sides together, matching the center point of the bottom of the back with the center V on the Back Yoke. Pin.

Pin each end together. The back is wider than the Back Yoke, so you’ll need to bring the ends together to pin.

Gather so the back is the same width as the Back Yoke. 

Stitch using a ½ inch seam allowance.

TIP – As you are matching a V shape piece of fabric, and an upside down V together you’ll need to manipulate the fabric gently to get the raw edges to match up nicely. Using lots of pins or clips helps to get the fabric to align neatly.

Remove the gathering stitches.

Trim the seam allowance of the Back Yoke only in half.

Press seam allowance up towards the Back Yoke.

Fold the longer part of the seam allowance under so all the raw edges are tucked inside the little fold you’ve made.

Stitch from the wrong side of the garment close to the fold, making sure to stay an equal distance away from the seam so that it looks pretty from the right side too.

Press.

Trim any little points sticking out of the seam allowance at the sides.

Set aside your non-interfaced pair of Front Plackets (1x left and 1x right). We will use these later.

Using one of your interfaced pair of Front Plackets (1x left and 1x right), turn under the inside edge seam allowance ½ inch and press.

If you have difficulty imagining which edge the inside one is, this is the long edge of the Placket that will be between the Placket and the blouse. It also has a notch on it on the pattern which joins up with a matching notch on the Front piece. 

If you imagine the Placket on the shirt, the outside of the curve is the bit closest to the center of your body. The inside of the curve is the bit that’s closer towards your arms.

TIP – If you are still having difficulty working out which side of the Placket to turn under, read through this section in full to understand how the Placket goes together. 

Place the Placket right sides together on top of the matching non-interfaced Placket.

Stitch using a ½ inch seam allowance.

Trim the seam allowance in half. 

This is to reduce bulk in the Placket so that it’s easier to add your button/buttonholes or snaps later.

Press the seam allowance towards the non-interfaced side of the Placket.

Turn the Placket so it is wrong sides together and press.

Try to make sure your seam line is exactly in the middle of the fold so that you can’t see it from the Front or the Back of the Placket.

TIP – The interfaced side is the side that will face inwards so if you can’t quite get your seam line right on the fold, roll it more towards the back/non-interfaced part. That way it won’t be visible from the blouse when you are wearing it.

We will now attach the Placket to the blouse. 

Place the Placket next to the front piece so that the interfaced part of the Placket is on top, and the inside curve of the Placket matches the outside curve of the front.

Pick the Front & Placket up and pin them wrong sides together. Make sure you are only pinning the non-interfaced Placket to the Front.

To check if you’ve got this correct, the non-interfaced side of the Placket should be right side against the wrong side of the blouse. The top of the Placket will curve away from the front.

TIP – Start by pinning the bottom of the Placket upwards. When you get to the curve, stop. Then pin the tops together. Then match mid-way through the curve. Then pin in between. You will need to ease (gently stretch) the fabric ever so slightly but not too much.

Unfold the interfaced part of the Placket so it is open and out of the way.

Stitch this seam using a ½ inch seam allowance.

Do not let the Placket catch in the stitches. You are only sewing the non-interfaced part of the Placket to the front of the blouse.

To minimize bulk at the seams when sewing your collar or necktie and hemming, you can trim this seam in half.

Keeping the Placket open, press the seam allowance towards the Placket.

Fold the Placket closed, making sure to tuck the seam allowance inside so all the raw edges are hidden.

Pin in place. The fold of the interfaced part of the Placket should line up with the seam line where you stitched the Placket to the blouse. Make sure this is just covered so you can’t see it.

Top stitch in place approximately ⅛ inch from the folded edge.

Top stitch the outside edge of the Placket approximately ⅛ inch from the edge.

Trim the little pointy bits of seam allowance at the top of the Placket.

Repeat steps 4.1 to 4.12 for the other Placket.  

SERGER / OVERLOCKER OPTION – If you are using a serger, sew the shoulder seams right sides together using a ½ inch seam allowance. Serge the seam allowance (stitching then serging gives a stronger finish on the shoulders which are a high-stress area of the garment). Press seam allowance towards the back. Then skip to step 6.

NO SERGER / OVERLOCKER OPTION – We are going to do French seams to stitch the shoulder seams together. The reason we will be doing a French seam is because it hides all the raw edges and gives a much cleaner finish. If you haven’t done these before, don’t worry, all the steps are below so you can just follow along.  

With the wrong sides together (right sides outwards), pin the Fronts to the Back at the shoulder seam.

Stitch ¼ inch from the edge. Backstitch at both ends.

Trim the seam allowances approximately in half.

TIP – You are trimming here so that when you encase the seam in the next step all the threads and raw edges are hidden. I generally try to trim my seam allowance in half as I like to make sure absolutely nothing is sticking out. However just neatening up the edge here will also suffice.

Press this tiny seam allowance to one side. Turn the seam inside out and press from the other side as flat as you can. Make sure that the seam line is at the exact center of your fold.

Pin and stitch again approx. ¼ inch from the edge. Press. This will encase the raw edges so you can’t see them (a French seam).

If you are doing the Long Sleeve option, follow the steps below to create a slit in the bottom of the Sleeve.

If you are doing the Puff Sleeve or Short Sleeve option, skip to step 7.

There are numerous ways you can create a Sleeve Slit. This method is not a traditional ‘men’s shirt’ method. This one is easier than some other methods and creates a pretty point with the bottom of the Sleeve crossing over to make the bottom of the Sleeve narrower. If you would prefer to use another method you know, do this now and then skip ahead to step 7. If not, all the steps are here so you can follow along with this one:

Transfer the Sleeve Slit marking from your Sleeve pattern piece to the wrong side of the Sleeve using tailors chalk or a disappearing fabric marker.

NOTE – There is a left & right Sleeve so the marking will be on the opposite side for each one.

Draw a straight line ⅜ inch from your marking. Do this to the left, right and above it to form a little box. 

These lines will be our stitch lines in steps 6.4 and 6.5.

Cut up your slit marking.

Then carefully snip from the top of your slit marking into each corner. Do not go beyond the corner, just as close to it as you can.

We are now going to stitch the Sleeve Slit to the Sleeve, using the stitch lines you drew. It will go up one side of the slit, across the top and back down the other side. If you have difficulty visualizing this, skip ahead to step 6.6 and have a look at what it will look like when complete, then come back and continue.

Place the Sleeve Slit piece facing right sides together with the sleeve.

The raw edge of one side of the Sleeve Slit piece should match up with the cut you made along the Sleeve Slit marking.

Then from the wrong side of the Sleeve (where your markings are), stitch along the first straight stitching line. When you get to the end, do not finish the seam but instead lower your needle down ready to turn.

NOTE – In the first photo for this step you can see how it looks from the right side of the fabric. You won’t be able to see any lines on your Sleeve as the markings are all on the wrong side of the fabric. However, I’ve drawn on this photo where the markings are so it’s clear what we are doing in this step. The pink markings are the box you drew in step 6.2. The yellow line is what you will be sewing in this step.

Keeping your needle down, turn your presser foot a quarter turn (90 degrees) so it is now facing along the short stitching line you drew in step 6.2.

Lift your Sleeve fabric up so you can see underneath it and rotate the remaining part of the Sleeve Slit so it also points in this direction (see the second photo in this step). Make sure when you lower the Sleeve fabric again that the raw edge of the Sleeve Slit piece is parallel to your stitching lines. The point created by the two cuts at the top of the slit marking should match up with the raw edge of the Sleeve Slit piece.

Stitch along the short straight stitching line (the yellow line in the first photo in this step). At the end of the seam, again do not finish your seam but instead lower your needle ready to turn.

NOTE – Your Sleeve Slit piece should now be stitched up one side and across the top of the slit.

Keeping your needle down, turn your presser foot a quarter turn (90 degrees) so it is now facing along the last long stitching line you drew in step 6.2.

Lift your Sleeve fabric up so you can see underneath it and rotate the remaining part of the Sleeve Slit so it also points in this direction. Make sure when you lower the Sleeve fabric again that the raw edge of the Sleeve Slit piece matches up with the cut in your Sleeve Slit.

Stitch along the short straight stitching line (the yellow line in the first photo in this step). At the end of the seam you can finish your seam.

The second photo is what it will now look like from the wrong side of the fabric.

The third photo is what it will look like from the right side of the fabric.

Cut the excess Sleeve Slit off. Cut it at a right angle through the fabric where it meets the raw edge of the sleeve.

TIP – If you prefer, you can skip this step, complete the Sleeve Slit entirely, then cut off the excess at the end.

From the right side of the Sleeve, straighten out the Sleeve Slit piece.

Carefully trim the seam allowance all the way along to about half its width.

From the wrong side of the Sleeve, fold the other raw edge of the Sleeve Slit under by ⅜ inch.

Fold the Sleeve Slit over again, this time in half so the folded edge matches up with the seam. The raw edges should now be hidden inside.

Top stitch approximately ⅛ inch from the seam to secure. 

TIP – Use lots of pins to secure the fold. Then do your top stitching from the right side of the Sleeve so that you can make sure you get a nice neat line of stitching parallel to the seam. If you find when you are finished that you haven’t quite caught all of the folded edge of the Sleeve Slit on the wrong side in your stitching, hand stitch this down using a needle & thread.

Hold the two sides of the Sleeve Slit together and press the top of the slit into a point.

Top stitch the point in place approximately ⅛ inch from the edge by stitching a little triangle around it. 

Repeat steps 6.1 to 6.11 for the other Sleeve and Sleeve Slit.

There are two options for the sleeve heads, gathers or pleats. You can do either with any sleeve. I.e. the long sleeve, short sleeve or puff sleeve can each have either pleats or gathers. It’s up to you which you prefer.

If you wish to use pleats in your sleeve head, follow the steps below.

If you wish to use gathers in your sleeve head, skip to step 8.

Transfer each of the pleat markings onto your sleeve head using tailors chalk or a disappearing fabric marker. 

There are four pleats, so 8 markings in total (one for each side of each pleat).

From this point onwards, it can be difficult to tell which is the left and which is the right Sleeve. For the long Sleeve version, the Sleeve slit will be towards the back of the Sleeve. For the short or puff Sleeve, place a pin or clip on the back of the Sleeve at the hem so you know which is the front & back edge of the Sleeve so you then attach the correct Sleeve to the correct armhole later. 

Bring the two markings for each pleat together and pin.

From the back of the fabric, press the fold for each pleat towards the center of the Sleeve. Pin in place.

Baste the pleats in place approximately ¼ inch from the edge. 

Baste them again approximately ¾ inch from the edge.

NOTE – Basting two rows like this helps us keep the pleats neatly in place while we finish the seam. Then we will remove the basting stitches later. 

TIP – If you are using a particularly sheer fabric, or a fabric which does not recover from pin holes, only do the first row of basting. You will need to be more cautious as you finish the seam to keep the pleats folded correctly but that way the holes from the stitching will be hidden inside the seam allowance.

TIP – If you haven’t done basting stitches before, they are long, loose stitches that are designed to be removed later. If you have a basting stitch on your machine, use this. Otherwise use the same gathering stitch setting you used in step 2.1. Make sure to leave the threads long at the ends so that you can grasp them to pull them out again later.

Fold your Sleeve in half lengthways and mark the center of the Sleeve head with a pin.

Line up the Sleeve with the correct armhole on your blouse. 

Remember, there is a left & right Sleeve. If you are doing the long Sleeve, the Slit is towards the back of the Sleeve. If you are doing a short or puff Sleeve, use the pin or clip you placed in step 7.1 to know which part of the Sleeve is the back. The back of the Sleeve attaches to the armhole on the back part of the blouse, the front of the Sleeve attaches to the front.

Flip the Sleeve over onto the blouse so they are right sides together. Match the pin at the center of the Sleeve with the seam part of the shoulder seam (not where you stitched the seam allowance down, but the center point where you stitched the seam).

Pin the Sleeve to the rest of the armhole.

You will need to ease the Sleeve into place. To do this, start by pinning each end of the Sleeve to the armhole, then the bits in between.

NOTE – If you find your fabric does not ease well, you may need to adjust your pleats. To do this, pin the pleats to hold them, remove your basting stitches and adjust the pins as needed. Take extra care in step 7.7 when stitching to check your pleats don’t move as you sew as the basting stitches won’t be holding the pleats, only your pins will be.

Stitch the armhole using a ½ inch seam allowance.

Repeat steps 7.1 to 7.7 for the other Sleeve.

Skip to step 9.

If you followed step 7 and did pleats on your Sleeve head, skip to step 9.

If you are going to do gathers in your Sleeve head instead, follow the steps below.

Stitch two rows of gathering stitches between the first and last notches. The first row should be ¼ inch from the edge. The second row should be ¾ inch from the edge. Use the same settings for your gathering stitches as you did in step 2.1.

From this point onwards, it can be difficult to tell which is the left and which is the right Sleeve. For the long Sleeve version, the Sleeve Slit will be towards the back of the Sleeve. For the short or puff Sleeve, place a pin or clip on the back of the Sleeve at the hem so you know which is the front & back edge of the Sleeve so you then attach the correct Sleeve to the correct armhole later. 

TIP – If you are using a particularly sheer fabric, or a fabric which does not recover from pin holes, only do the first row of basting. You will need to be more cautious as you finish the seam to keep the gathers even and neat but that way the holes from the stitching will be hidden inside the seam allowance.

Fold your Sleeve in half lengthways and mark the center of the Sleeve head with a pin.

Line up the Sleeve with the correct armhole on your blouse. 

Remember, there is a left & right Sleeve. If you are doing the long Sleeve, the Slit is towards the back of the Sleeve. If you are doing a short or puff Sleeve, use the pin or clip you placed in step 8.1 to know which part of the Sleeve is the back. The back of the Sleeve attaches to the armhole on the back part of the blouse, the front of the Sleeve attaches to the front.

Flip the Sleeve over onto the blouse so they are right sides together. Match the pin at the center of the Sleeve with the seam part of the shoulder seam (not where you stitched the seam allowance down, but the center point where you stitched the seam).

We are now going to pin the rest of the Sleeve to the armhole and gather the Sleeve head.

To do this, pin one end of the Sleeve to the edge of the armhole. There will be a big bubble of fabric between the center of the Sleeve and the edge until we have gathered this.

Then pin from the edge of the Sleeve towards the center until you reach the gathering stitches. Leave the bubble of fabric between here and the center of the Sleeve for now.

Gather the Sleeve to match the rest of the armhole and pin in place.

Stitch the armhole using a ½ inch seam allowance.

Repeat steps 8.1 to 8.6 for the other Sleeve.

SERGER / OVERLOCKER OPTION – If you are using a serger, serge the seam allowance. Press seam towards the blouse. Optionally top stitch the seam allowance in place approximately ¼ inch from the armhole seam. Then skip to step 10.

NO SERGER / OVERLOCKER OPTION – Follow the steps below.

There are two ways you can finish the armhole, either with a flat fell style seam, or with bias tape. Both work for both Sleeve head styles (pleated or gathered), and for all three Sleeve styles (long, short, or puff) so you can choose whichever you prefer. The flat fell style is a more traditional finish for a blouse, however it’s also a bit fiddlier than the bias tape.

For the bias tape method, skip to step 9.4.

For the flat fell method, trim the seam allowance from the blouse only in half. Do not trim the Sleeve seam allowance.

Then using the very tip of your scissors make little snips into the shorter blouse seam allowance. Do not snip past the stitching line or you will make a hole. Just snip inside the seam allowance. This will help the seam sit correctly later. Do not snip the Sleeve seam allowance.

Press the seam allowance towards the blouse.

Tuck the raw edge of the armhole seam allowance in half under the shorter blouse seam allowance. Press and pin.

Stitch in place close to the folded edge. 

Make sure to keep approximately the same distance from the seam the whole way around as this is also your pretty top stitching around the armhole when you look at it from the right side of the blouse.

Remove your basting or gathering stitches by pulling gently on them. 

Skip to step 10.

Remove your basting or gathering stitches by pulling gently on them. With the flat fell method, we keep these in until the armhole is complete as it keeps the pleats/gathers in place, however with this method it’s not necessary so you can remove them now.

Open out the fold on one side of your bias tape.

Align the fold on the right side of your bias tape with the seam on the wrong side of the Sleeve.

Pin the bias tape all the way along the seam line of the shoulder.

Don’t align the edge of the bias tape with the raw edge of the armhole. Keep the fold of the bias tape aligned with the seam on the armhole.

Stitch in place by stitching along the fold on the bias tape. Your stitching should be directly on top of the armhole seam.

Trim the excess bias tape. Make sure to trim at a right angle where the tape meets the armhole.

NOTE – If you prefer, you can finish the armhole binding and trim this later at the end of step 9.

Trim the armhole seam allowance approximately in half. This is to reduce bulk in the armhole binding. It’ll make it easier to sew, and also more comfortable while wearing it.

Then using the very tip of your scissors make little snips into the seam allowance. Do not snip past the stitching line or you will make a hole. Just snip inside the seam allowance. This will help the seam sit correctly later.

Press the bias tape up towards the seam allowance.

OPTIONAL – Understitch the seam allowance to the bias binding ⅛ from the edge or as close as you can.

NOTE – Understitching is where you stitch the seam allowance to the bias binding. This will help your bias tape stay rolled to the inside so you can’t see it and will add crispiness to the armhole edges.

Fold your bias tape in half so it encloses the seam allowance. The raw edges will all be tucked inside. Pin.

Stitch in place close to the folded edge.

Press the bias tape towards the blouse.

Fold your Necktie in half to find the center point. Mark this with a pin and unfold. 

Mark either side of the center point with the notch from the pattern piece. 

Fold your Necktie in half lengthways with the right sides together so it is the same length but narrower.

Stitch each short end and along the long side, using a ½ inch seam allowance, leaving a large gap between the two notches either side of the center point.

The gap is where we will stitch the tie to the neckline, so it needs to be a little longer than your neckline to allow you to get it stitched on easily later in step 10.7. This is approximately 4 ¼ inches either side of the center point for the doll size.

Trim the corners off each end.

Cut close to the stitch line but not all the way up to it. This is to reduce bulk and help turn the corners out in the next step, but you don’t want to make a hole.

Turn the Necktie all the way through so it is right sides out. Use a point turner, or a blunt but pointed object such as a chopstick to poke the corners out.

If you’d like to have a blouse-y, relaxed looking necktie (and your fabric works with this), do not do this step but instead skip to step 10.5.

If you wish to have a crisp looking Necktie, press. Do not top stitch it at this point. We will do this later.

Fold the blouse in half to find the center back. 

If you still have your center point pin from 10.1, this is the center back of the Necktie. If not, fold the Necktie in half and mark with a pin too.

Matching the two center points, pin the right side of the Necktie to the right side of the back of the blouse.

NOTE – As the Necktie is double sided, there is no front or back to it. You just need to pin from the inside of the necktie to the blouse.

From the inside of the blouse, pin the Necktie all the way along the neckline. 

NOTE – The opening on the Necktie is deliberately longer than the neckline. This is to allow you to get your presser foot all the way to the end of the neckline when you stitch in the next step. Do not try to stretch or ease the neckline to fit this gap. Just pin along as you would normally, leaving the gap on either side at the ends.

Stitch along the neckline using a ½ inch seam allowance.

Press the seam allowance up into the Necktie.

Fold the other raw edge of the Necktie over by ½ inch. Pin down over the seam allowance on the gap.

Top stitch the gap closed, approximately ⅛ inch from the edge. You will need to extend your stitching all the way along the gap so it is completely closed. This will go past the neckline on both sides.

If you want a blouse-y look to your Necktie, skip to step 12.

If you want a crisp edge to your Necktie, continue stitching all the way around the Necktie in a large rectangle. Skip to step 12.

If you have interfaced your Collar, pick the interfaced piece. If you haven’t interfaced your Collar, pick either of your Collar pieces.

Turn the bottom edge of the Collar under ½ inch and press. The bottom edge is the longer, straighter edge.

Place the two Collar pieces right sides together. Stitch around the upper edge using a ½ inch seam allowance.

Trim the seam allowance approximately in half.

Then using the very tip of your scissors make little snips into the remaining seam allowance all the way along it. Do not snip past the stitching line or you will make a hole. Just snip inside the seam allowance. This will help the seam sit correctly when we turn it through.

Turn the Collar right way out and press. Make sure to turn the corners all the way through.

Fold both the Collar and the blouse in half to find the center points. Mark each with a pin.

Matching the center points, pin the Collar with the non-folded side down onto the right side of the blouse.

Pin each end of the Collar to the blouse, matching the raw edges.

Continue to pin the rest of the Collar to the blouse. You will need to ease the Collar and blouse together (gently stretch), so they fit neatly.

Make sure to follow the full seam allowance line ½ inch from the edge on both the Collar and neckline to ensure the Collar is not too long for the neckline.

The ½ inch seam allowance helps the Collar stand up when the blouse is complete. However, it can also make the fitting of the Collar a little tricky with some fabrics. Most woven fabrics will stretch slightly so you can ease them on. If yours does not, make a few small snips into the seam allowance to help open it up. Take care when doing this to go no further than ½ way into the seam allowance (maximum ¼ inch), otherwise you could end up with a hole in your Collar as the fabric moves while attaching it.

Stitch using a ½ inch seam allowance. Make sure to open the Collar up as much as you can to get all the way into the corners with your stitching.  Go slowly and be careful not to catch the other side of the Collar or any other part of the blouse with your stitching.

TIP – It can be tricky on the smaller sizes to get your presser foot into the very corner of the Collar. If you have difficulty, you can finish this by hand stitching if you prefer. You may also find using a smaller presser foot like a zip foot attachment can help.

Press the seam allowance up into the Collar.

Fold the Collar down over itself so it is closed. Make sure the raw edges are all tucked up inside the Collar.

Pin in place. The folded edge from step 11.1 should just cover the stitching from where you sewed the Collar on.

Top stitch in place all the way around your Collar.

If you don’t want to do a faux bow, skip to step 12.

If you wish to do a faux bow, skip ahead to step 16, and complete your fastenings. Then continue below.

Fold your Necktie in half to find the center point. Mark this with a pin and unfold. 

Mark either side of the center point with the notch from the pattern piece. 

Fold your Necktie in half lengthways with the right sides together so it is the same length but narrower.

Stitch each short end and along the long side, using a ½ inch seam allowance, leaving a large gap between the two notches either side of the center point.

The gap is where we will stitch the tie to the neckline, so it needs to be a little longer than your neckline to allow you to get it stitched on easily later in step 10.7. This is approximately 4 ¼ inches either side of the center point for the doll size.

Trim the corners off each end.

Cut close to the stitch line but not all the way up to it. This is to reduce bulk and help turn the corners out in the next step, but you don’t want to make a hole.

Turn the Necktie all the way through so it is right sides out. Use a point turner, or a blunt but pointed object such as a chopstick to poke the corners out. 

Next, tuck the raw edges from the turning hole inside the tie and press. Then top stitch all the way around using a ⅛ inch seam allowance.

Fold the Necktie in half to find the center point. Pleat or scrunch this slightly with your fingers so it’s narrower. Secure this with a pin.

Identify the front Placket that goes on top when the blouse is closed. If you are using buttons/buttonholes, this will be the side you did the buttonholes on. Or if you did snaps, this will be the upper snap.

Pin the center part of the tie to the Front Placket Right, above your top pattern marking. 
SNAP OPTION: This can be directly above the pattern marking. 
BUTTON OPTION: This needs to be approximately ½ inch above the pattern marking to give space below the bow for you to do up the button.

Stitch a little rectangle to hold the tie on.

TIP – If you prefer, you can tie the bow first then stitch it on by hand. It does require hand sewing, but it means you can tie the bow exactly how you want it without working around the machine stitching.

Do up your bow and arrange how you want it.

Either stitch again through the center of the bow to hold it securely so it doesn’t undo, or hand stitch around and under the bow to hold it in place.

NOTE – For baby and young child sizes especially, make sure your stitching in this step really secures the bow so it cannot come undone and be hazardous to the child. If you need to stitch in a few places, please do this. 

There is an optional side slit for the dress version. If you wish to do this, follow the ‘dress’ instructions below. If you do not wish to do this, follow the ‘blouse’ instructions below. The instructions for this section are the same regardless of which Sleeve option you are doing.

FIT CHECK – Before completing this step, try the blouse on and pin or clip the side seams together. Check it fits how you wish it to. Make any adjustments you need to then continue.

SERGER / OVERLOCKER OPTION 

• For the blouse, serge the side seams right sides together all the way down in one line from the hem of the Sleeve down the Sleeve, under the arm and down to the hem of the blouse. Press towards the back. Repeat for the other side seam. Skip to step 13.
• For the dress, serge the front seam allowance all the way down one arm and side seam. Then serge the back seam allowance separately. With right sides together, stitch down the arm & side seam, stopping at the side slit marking. Press the seam open as best you can. Top stitch up, over and around the side slit approximately ⅛ inch from the edge. Press. Repeat for the other side seam. Skip to step 13.

NO SERGER / OVERLOCKER OPTION – We are going to do French seams to stitch the side seams together. The reason we will be doing a French seam again is because it hides all the raw edges and gives a much cleaner finish. Again, all the steps are below so you can follow along if you haven’t done this before.

With the wrong sides together (right sides outwards), pin the front to the back all the way down the arm, underarm and side seam.

BLOUSE – If you are doing the blouse length, stitch all the way along this seam ¼ inch from the edge. Backstitch at both ends.

DRESS – If you are doing the dress length, start at the hem of the Sleeve and stitch all the way along this seam ¼ inch from the edge but stop at the marking for the side slit.

BLOUSE – Skip to step 12.3.

DRESS – Snip on a diagonal into the seam allowance down towards the end of the seam. Try to get as close to the tip of the seam as you can.

BLOUSE – Trim the seam allowances approximately in half.

DRESS – Trim the seam allowances approximately in half above where you snipped only. Leave the seam allowance below the snip intact.

Press this tiny seam allowance to one side. Turn the seam inside out and press from the other side as flat as you can. Make sure that the seam line is at the exact center of your fold.

BLOUSE – Pin and stitch again approximately ¼ inch from the edge. Press. This will encase the raw edges so you can’t see them (a French seam). Press towards the back as best you can. Repeat steps 12.1 to 12.4 for the other side seam. Skip to step 13.

DRESS – Pin and stitch again approximately ¼ inch from the edge above where you snipped only. There will be a little pointy seam allowance stuck up inside the seam from where you snipped on a diagonal. Flip this out (using a pin if needed). Press. The seam above the snip will be a completed French seam. Below the snip will be incomplete still.

Press the seam allowance open (½ inch each side) below the snip.

Snip the new part of the seam allowance so that the seam is open all the way into the original seam from step 12.1 again.

Fold the raw edges of both sides of the slit under and press.

If you can, flip the pointy bit at the top of the slit under and down inside the fold so it is hidden. Some fabrics will fray, and you’ll find these little pointy bits will have all but disappeared. They’ve still helped as the cutting angle hid much of the bottom of the seam allowance from the French seam above the slit. If it’s frayed like this, just snip the threads off so it’s nice and neat.

Top stitch close to the folded edge all the way around the slit. Press again.

Repeat steps 12.1 to 12.7 with the other side seam.

Take one of your Cuffs, turn the seam allowance under ½ inch and press.

NOTE – This photo shows a non-interfaced Cuff. Interfacing for the Cuffs is optional so you may have interfaced yours back in the preparation step.

Fold both the Cuff and Sleeve in half and mark the center points with pins.

Pin the Cuff right side to right side to the Sleeve, matching the center points.

Pin the ends of the Sleeve to the Cuff. The Cuff should be approximately ½ inch longer than the Sleeve on either end. Let these bits hang over the edge.

Stitch along this edge using a ½ inch seam allowance. 

Press the seam allowance up into the Cuff.

Fold the Cuff in half right sides together. The edge you folded in step 13.1 should match up with the seam line from your stitching in step 13.4.

Stitch the ends of the Cuffs closed from where the Cuff meets the Sleeve along the edge of the Cuff. Make sure your stitching runs parallel to the raw edge of the Cuff. The seam allowance should be approximately ½ inch. 

NOTE – The seam allowance may vary slightly size to size depending on how accurately you cut & attached your Sleeve Slit back in step 6. The most important thing for these seams is to stitch from where the Sleeve meets the Cuff. That way you’ll have a nice straight line when you turn your Cuff through.

Clip the corners of the seam allowance at the top and bottom of the Cuff off. Get close to the stitching but do not go all the way up to it. This reduces bulk and makes it easier to turn the Cuff through, but you don’t want a hole.

TIP – If you’re unsure, cut less off then try the next step. If you can’t turn it all the way through neatly, come back and clip a little more off. 

Turn the Cuff right way out. Poke the corners out with a point turner or a blunt pointy object like a chopstick.

Press.

Make sure all the seam allowances are tucked up neatly inside the Cuff. Then pin the Cuff down. The folded edge from step 13.1 should just cover the stitching line from where you sewed the Cuff on. 

Top stitch in place close to the folded edge.

Then continue your top stitching all the way around the Cuff, approximately ⅛ inch from the edge.

SERGER / OVERLOCKER OPTION – If you are using a serger, serge the hem of the Sleeve with a ¼ inch seam allowance & turn under and press. Then skip to step 14.2.

NO SERGER / OVERLOCKER OPTION – Follow the steps below.

The instructions for the first part of this step are the same for both the short and puff Sleeves option.

Turn hem on bottom of each Sleeve under once approximately ¼ inch all the way around and press.

Fold the Sleeve hem over a second time approximately ½ inch this time. Press & pin.

SHORT SLEEVE OPTION – Stitch all the way around the Sleeve hem close to the folded edge (approximately ⅛ inch from the edge). Repeat steps 14.1 to 14.2 with the other Sleeve. Skip to step 15.

PUFF SLEEVE OPTION – Stitch around the Sleeve hem close to the folded edge (approximately ⅛ inch from the edge), however leave an opening of approximately 1 inch near the side seam. This will create a casing so you can feed the elastic through to gather the Sleeve later on.

Pin one end of your elastic to the Sleeve securely just above the hemline. This stops it slipping into the hem as you feed the elastic through.

Attach a safety pin to the other end of the elastic.  Then feed the elastic through the little opening you left and all the way around the Sleeve.

When your safety pin gets back to the beginning, feed it back out of the hem through the same hole. Gently ease the fabric around the elastic so it is gathered all the way around the Sleeve. 

FIT CHECK – If you are able, try the blouse on and make any adjustments you would like to the snugness of the elastic.

Decide how gathered you would like it to be and cut any excess elastic off. Be careful to keep hold of the end of the elastic.

Pin the elastic ends together and stitch using a zig zag stitch on your machine several times. Let the elastic slip inside the hem.

Find the gap you left in the Sleeve to insert the elastic through, and stitch the gap closed. You may need to pull the gathered fabric away from this area to be able to stitch without catching any other fabric inadvertently.

Repeat steps 14.1 to 14.5 with the other Sleeve.

If you did the blouse length (no side slit) or dress length without side slit, follow the below instructions for all the way along the hemline.

 If you did the dress length with side slit, follow the below instructions for each of your three sections of hemline (left front, back and right front).

SERGER / OVERLOCKER OPTION – If you are using a serger, serge the hemline to neaten and finish it (do not take any seam allowance off though). Turn it under by ½ inch then topstitch close to the serged edge. Then skip to step 16.

NO SERGER / OVERLOCKER OPTION – Follow the steps below.

If your hemline is a bit raggedy after moving the fabric around to sew all of the previous steps, trim off the loose threads so the hem is even and neat all the way around.

TIP – If your Placket or your side seams don’t meet smoothly at the hemline, carefully trim these the bare minimum required for your hemline to be smooth. If you trim too much you will shorten the blouse, however the hemming step will be easier if it’s smooth.

Turn the hemline under by ¼ inch and press.

Turn the hemline under again by another ¼ inch and press. Top stitch close to the folded edge.

Press again.

If you have done the long Sleeve option, apply either a button & buttonhole or snaps, as per the manufacturer’s instructions, to each Cuff. The Cuff should cross over slightly at the base. Your button or snap should be centered in the middle of the Cuff, approximately ¼ inch from the edge.

If you have done the short or puff Sleeve, skip to step 16.2.

Using the fastening markings you transferred from the Placket in the preparation step, apply either snaps or a button & buttonhole to each one as per the manufacturer’s instructions.

NOTE – If you are using buttons, your buttonholes can be aligned either vertically up & down, or horizontally across the Placket. Shirts nowadays are a mix of the two techniques and its often personal preference. I prefer my buttonholes horizontal as it means the Placket cannot move up and down against itself, but it does mean the Placket can open and close slightly while buttoned. To counter this, many blouses have the very top one running horizontally, and the rest vertically. However, the other consideration is the size of your button. If your button is wider than ½ inch, you may find your buttonhole ends up being wider than the top stitching if you do it horizontally. In which case, you will need your buttonholes to run vertically. 

Do a test buttonhole on a scrap of fabric first to check it fits your button, and your Placket in the direction you want it to.