Simple Peasant Blouse Construction~

Ok! Now that your blouse is cut, it's time to sew.

Note: If you are not using any lace or trim along the edge, start with the step that shows sewing armholes.

Step 1: Find your sleeves and cut a length of trim for each one. I chose an embroidered cotton trim.















Step 2: Either with a serger (as I am) or with your sewing machine, sew the trim to the edge of your sleeve. If you are using a sewing machine, follow the instructions for a flat-felled seam and when you trim, trim away the excess edging, not the sleeve fabric.












That's what you want it to look like if it's serged. Don't forget to make sure you find the right side of the trim and make it "kiss" the right side of the fabric if you are serging.

If you are flat-felling, then make sure you use the WRONG sides kissing. The right sides need to be out.

There you go.














Step 3: Once your trim is attached, topstitch it. This is one place that I insist on topstitching. Otherwise, the trim tends to look sloppy as it flips back and shows itself.

I like my seam to be about 1/8" away from the seam edge. It can be wider or narrower, but that's the width that really looks the most polished to me.








And there you have it. A nice simple topstitched edge.

I know, it's an extraneous picture. You don't need to see it.

Think of it this way, it's just a fun way to show you that the end result is always a nice thing to look forward to!









Step 4: Here it is! The part you've been waiting for! (Follow the instructions for adding elastic to a finished garment on the peasant gown if you are hemming your blouse sleeve).

Cut two lengths of elastic to fit the arm or wrist of who will be wearing it. If you don't know, I have a generic way to do it.

For upper arms on children, I use my forearm. For upper arms on toddlers or babies, I use my wrist.

For wrists, I use my wrist but tight.

It usually works!
Step 5: Measure where you want it to go. Usually, you'll want the elastic to be a presser foot's width away from the trim seams, but I wanted a ruffle made by it for a more bohemian look. So, I did it 3" away from the seam.


First, backstitch with you sewing machine to get the edge of the elastic stitched down. I usually go back and forth two or three times.

Then, on your WIDEST zig-zag and pulling slightly on the elastic (hold the back in place so that you don't pull it away from the machine) zig zag OVER the elastic. Do not catch the elastic

with your needle once you've tacked it down. Take your time, it's not a long stretch, so don't stress. Just zig-zag over the elastic.

Pulling on it slightly does two things. First, it makes the elastic skinnier which is easier to zig zag over, but also, the elastic will be too short for the piece, so stretching it will help make it fit across. When you get near the other end, you'll likely find that there isn't enough elastic. Just put the needle down into the fabric, pull the elastic and let the parts you've sewn slide back on the elastic, and you'll have enough. It's just like a gathering thread. You slide the fabric along the elastic and keep sewing.
And there you have it.

Remember: Do not stitch down into the elastic except at the ends. Stitch with STRAIGHT stitches at each end, and then zig-zag OVER the elastic without catching the elastic in your stitches. If you catch the elastic in your stitches, it won't slide through them to create a perfect thread casing.

People have asked why I don't stitch straight through the middle like you see on some commercial garments. Well, I don't because that weakens the elastic and it ends up being completely ineffective. This method, after being washed through a few children will also go flat (elastic doesn't last forever), but you can just add more if you need to.

As you can see, it looks fine from the front too. While being worn, it's almost impossible to see the stitching.

This is truly the easiest and most direct method of stitching down 1/8" elastic on a garment.











Step 6: Ok, it's time to construct the garment! Lay down a front or back blouse piece. Then grab your sleeves. It's time to sew them down.

You must sew a sleeve to each side of the blouse piece you're working with. So, I always start on the right side. It's easier for me. I lay the right side of a sleeve on the right side of the blouse piece.

That's what you see there.





Then sew or serge. I'm serging here. (And I'm being very real. Notice the dirty machine? Time to clean up, isn't it! EEK)

Just sew around that curved part only. It's a small spot-- about 6-9" or so.

Then, when you are done...







Now, repeat for the other sleeve and the left side of the bodice. You lay the left side of the SECOND sleeve on the left side of the SAME blouse piece.

When you're done serging/sewing that curve, you'll have one bodice/blouse piece with two sleeves attached.

Then, you attatch the other sides of those sleeves to the other bodice piece keeping right sides together at all times.

What you want, when you're done sewing all four pieces together, is a circle of fabric all sewn together.

Step 7: Lay the garment out with sleeves together, bodice pieces together, and make sure you're going to have two long seams on each side. One seam will go from the edge of the sleeve and down the right side, and the other will do the same down the left. If it doesn't look like the picture on both sides (mirror image of course for the other side), then adjust until you figure it out. If you don't have trim on the edge of your sleeve, it is easy to accidentally fold bodice pieces together and leave sleeves as the bodice piece. Make sure, before you sew, that you know you're sewing sleeves together and not blouse pieces.
Tip: When you are serging the edge of something like this trim, take the tail of the serger threads and pull them toward you, serging over them as you sew. This keeps the tail from needing to be tied off or cut off.

Another Tip: When serging over stitched down elastic, make sure you DO NOT let your blade cut off your stitching or the elastic will release and you'll have to do it all over again. Keep the blade from trimming that small section where the elastic is to protect it.



Step 8: Sew or serge from the edge of the sleeve all the way down the side of
the bodice/blouse to the bottom. Repeat for the other side.

When you're done, it should look a lot like the picture.


Isn't it pretty.


All serged and ready for me to do the other side.

Trust me, I did it. I'm not showing pictures of it, but I did it just like I told you to. I don't tell you to do what I won't do. I'm not that cruel.

And here it is all done. Isn't it looking like a perfect peasant top now? That's what you wanted wasn't it? There are only two seams left! (ok, two seams and tacking down some elastic, but that doesn't count.

At least now you have the look you wanted, right?

















Now you need to make the casing for the elastic. I'm using 1/4" elastic so I made a casing that is just a bit bigger. I'll call it a "scant" 3/8". I folded 1/4" under and then folded it over 3/8". Then I stitched it down just inside the folded part. Voila. "Scant" 3/8" casing.

Leave about 5/8" open in the middle of what you want to be the back so you can insert the elastic.







Step 9: Cut your elastic the length that your pattern tells you. I think on this one it was 23.5" but don't quote me on that.

Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and thread through the casing. Just be careful not to let the free end slip into the casing!









See the other end! All ready and sitting there saying, "Hey, stitch me together and sew up that hole in my neck." Well, that's what you do.

I like to overlap each one into a flat piece and stitch down but you can stitch them together and let them flop any way you want. Do whatever is easiest for you. Then poke them inside and stitch that hole closed.

Hint: If you aren't sure how it'll fit, save sewing that hole closed until your wearer tries it on. Once you have it adjusted how you want it, then you can sew that shut.

Step 10: Ok, hem the bottom by folding the edge up 1/4" and then folding over again. Basically, you're recreating that casing but at the bottom and you're not going to leave any of it open.

I added a little ribbon at the center of mine and voila! It's done.

I have no idea what I'm going to do with it, but it's done! Welcome to peasant blouses! Enjoy making them!

Isn't it pretty?

Perfect Peasant Garments

Few garments so clearly say "sweet girlhood" as simply as a peasant top, dress, or gown. Whether under a square necked jumper (too sweet for words in my opinion, as a casual or vintage-inspired dress, or even as a nightgown, peasant necklines are one of the easiest things to sew. They require little work, no true skill, and thanks to the gathered appearance, they hide any flaws beautifully.

The only drawback is trying to find a peasant pattern that isn't a "Bible Bodice". A message board I used to frequent called anything too deeply cut to be modest "Bible gowns" because they are "low and behold!" Peasant patterns have a tendency to be cut a little like that so moms, in their desire to improve on the modesty, tend to over tighten the neckline, making the sleeves cut in the armpit, and then the girlies don't like them. Well, all that is over now. I've found what I've dubbed "The world's best peasant pattern ever." It's not cheap. You won't find it on sale at JoAnn's for .99 on their super sale days, but then you won't spend any gas going to get it, don't have to pay for shipping, and can print as many copies as you need at home removing all need for storage space for it.

Behold, the Best Peasant Pattern Ever!
Available from The Handmade Dress, this pattern is a modest $9.95 to download or $10.95 (plus $1.50 shipping) to purchase printed. As I said before, I recommend buying the download and saving your home's storage space.

The pattern comes in sizes 6 months-4 years or 5-10 years as shown.

Samantha Caffee's instructions are very simple to follow even for a beginner.

The Handmade dress has other patterns I'll be recommending from time to time, but this is the first. I want you to notice that I am not using it as the picture indicates. We're not doing a separate skirt, bubble or otherwise. I'm turning that bodice into a lovely blouse and a nightgown by adding extra length to it.

Are you ready? Let's do this thingie!



Peasant Blouse:

Ok, as you can see from the picture, I added paper to my pattern to create a blouse length. However, I just used a scrap piece and I didn't cut it to any predetermined length. This is because the pattern doesn't give one. This is where common sense meets pattern piece. Are you ready for a simple formula for creating a blouse out of a bodice?

1. Use the pattern chart to determine your size. I'm cutting a size 10 here because it's what I want. Go by chest measurements and if necessary, size up, not down.

2. Measure from the shoulder to where you want your blouse to hit. Usually just barely above the hip for under jumpers.

3. Then, simply cut your blouse about 1-2" longer than that. If it's going under a jumper, don't be too worried about getting the blouse too short. After all, you don't need it to cover a stomach that is covered by a jumper anyway. If you're going to wear with a skirt, then be sure it is at least about 4" longer than the waist so that when your little girl raises her arms, she's not flashing belly buttons to the world.

Here we go. First, I like to make things as easy as possible. This pattern really does that well since the bodice fronts and backs are identical. So, what I did was lay the fabric on my cutting surface exactly as if I'd just rolled it off the bolt. (So 44" wide fabric is folded in half with selvedges together on one side and a long fold on another.) Then, I folded it over again. Now I have four layers of fabric and about 11" wide (this'll vary based upon the width of your fabric but it's about average).

Now, the next thing we do is lay down the bodice front.

Notice that I'm putting it on the fold? Notice I'm not putting it on the fold where the selvedges are? Both pieces (front and back) need to be cut on the fold (as the pattern indicates). As you can see, I left about 3" below the pattern because it wasn't long enough. For the record, about half of that white space on the bottom half of that pattern piece I added. I think if you folded from top to bottom, you'd have the true bodice pattern for this peasant blouse if you wanted to make it a dress instead of blouse. Me, I'm doing the top, so it has extra taped on as well as that extra fabric on the bottom.

Now, when I cut that out, I'm going to have two pieces cut on the fold. Those two pieces will make up the front and the back of the garment! Yep. One cut of the pattern on the fold, and I have both front and back cut out. All I'll need at that point is to cut the sleeves and the garment will be cut! But, let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Let's cut away the extra fabric first.

And look! There it is. See those curves that connect the short straight piece to the long straight piece? Those are your armholes. Those are two of the 10 seams that this garment requires. Yep. We're only talking 10 seams/hems. Pretty simple, isn't it?

See those extra lines? Those are other sizes. I've cut on the size 10 line, but there are several other size options for you on the pattern. That's another great thing about this printable pattern. You can cut each size out as you like and print the next size when you're ready for it. No fuss, no muss. Ready to go when you are.

Now we cut the sleeve. Again, the pattern was for a short sleeved dress, but I wanted a 3/4 length sleeve for a country look. So, I taped more paper on there. I think if you look closely you can see where I taped on extra. That extra was at the bottom of where the sleeve should have been.

To be sure of how long your sleeve is, measure from the armpit to wherever you want it to fall and add another inch or two. Then on your fabric, from that point parallel to the word "fold" on your pattern, measure down and make your sleeve seam that length. Voila.

Mine will have 1/8" elastic about 3" above the hem for a nice basque look to it.

Don't worry about cutting things too long. You can try them on before you hem them and cut off the extra. That extra can be saved to make adorable little doll skirts, small pieces in doll quilts, or even used to tie around a bundle of cards for a gift. Don't be afraid to "waste" a little fabric now and then. You can always repurpose it for something else.

Object Lesson: Here is the sleeve pattern on the fabric before I cut it out. Don't ask why I showed it to you all cut out first. I don't know why it was that way but I'm not redoing it. See, take a lesson. Just because something isn't precicely perfect, doesn't mean that you have to fix it right then. It might save time to simply move onto the next step and incorporate the correction into it. This'll save you doing things like ripping out a seam all the way instead of maybe just an inch or two so you can connect the prior pieces first and then resew it. Better to rip 2" than 20!

Peasant Nightgown/Dress:

Ok, as you can see from the picture, I used the same pattern as for the blouse! . Are you ready for a simple formula for creating a gown out of a bodice?

1. Use the pattern chart to determine your size. I'm cutting a size 5 here because I'm making this for Lorna and that's what she wears in this pattern. Go by chest measurements and if necessary, size up, not down.

2. Measure from the shoulder to where you want your gown/dress to hit. Gowns are usually longer than dresses. Now, Lorna wasn't awake and my measuring tape was in the bedroom when I did this, so I decided to use a length of fabric I had that I knew would be close and if it's too short, I'll add a ruffle. It'll be an adventure!

3. You need to cut your gown about 2-3" longer than your measurement length by the time you take into consideration seam allowances and hem curvature. I'll explain what that is when we get there. No stressing now!

Ok, this is a piece of fabric laid out as if it was just rolled off the bolt. Then, I folded it in half again with cut ends together. Technically I have two folds. The long side that runs parallel to the selvedges and the one at the bottom.

Warning: If you have a directional print, do not fold it over like this! You'll have one of your pieces running upside down! For directional prints, cut them both the same length and make sure they are running the same direction!

Now, look at how silly that little piece looks with all that extra fabric! I've laid the "place on fold here" edge on the fold like I'm supposed to. See that "Fold" in the middle of the pattern? Normally that'd be cut off and added to another pattern but I didn't do it that way. The fold that is on the actual edge of the pattern is the one I'm talking about.

Ok, we're going to start cutting. First you cut the top excess off and then cut around that armhole. After that is where we deviate from the pattern.

See how I cut at a steady diagonal? You can cut all the way to the selvedge side if you want it really full. Normally, I would. However, since I know I might be adding a ruffle, by doing that, I can ensure a nice full ruffle with only 4 pieces of fabric. Excellent!

Note: in order to make the bodice fit right, I like to cut down it slightly straight under the armhole for a couple of inches before I try to flare it toward the sides. Be careful when doing that though. You do want it to graduate smoothly from that side or it won't hang correctly.

On a silly side note, isn't that print pretty? Won't Lorna look adorable with her little doll at Christmas time and maybe a mop cap to cover her chopped hair? Giggles.






Ok, if you haven't already done it, now is the time to cut that fold or cut off the excess fabric you want. Measure, cut away, do what you need to do, but you need to have the edges of your gown cut now. If there are 20" of folded fabric below where you need your hem, cut it straight. If you folded it, as I did, at the exact spot where you want it cut, then cut the fold as shown.

The point here is to have that cut edge because the next part is probably the trickiest part of making the whole gown and it's easiest if this is just a nice square edge. (P.S. THIS IS NOT HARD.... it's just the trickiest part. It's kind of like saying that wiping your nose is the trickiest part of sneezing.)

Once that fabric is cut, you need to round the edge. If you don't, you'll have "handkerchief points" on the sides of your gown. It's funny, but that's how these things work. When things aren't a straight line, you have to adjust for it. When you cut on the diagonal like that, the fabric stretches too so you have to account for that as well.

Now, I'm not going to give you all kinds of perfect and precise measurements. The fact is, I don't know how. I just eyeball things and so far, they've always worked. So here's what you do.

On the side of the gown where the under arm goes (opposite the fold. DO NOT START AT THE FOLD), about 1.5- 2" from the edge, cut a very long skinnyish pieshaped wedge off the bottom. As you cut toward the fold, it needs to get skinnier until somewhere about 6" from the edge, you stop.

This isn't an exact science. It doesn't matter if it's perfect or not. Just cut some off the side, taper toward the middle where the fold is, and call it good. I promise it'll work if you don't stress out. If you stress out and overcomplicate it, it's not my fault. Of course, if it's just a nightgown and you don't care about the handkerchief points on the sides, leave them. Me, I like to cut some off. Just cut from about 1.5"-2" on the diagonal edge, curve it toward the center front, and let it fly. You'll be happy.

Next come the sleeves. Again, you need two cut on the fold, so as with the Peasant Blouse up there, I just took one piece of fabric as if it was right off the bolt, folded it in half lengthwise again (so selvedges are laying on top of the fold) and cut on the new fold that I just made.

I can't wait to sew this thing up. It's so fast and simple that I tend to recommend it as a first project for a young girl just learning. With this particular pattern (no, I do not get any thing at all from the pattern maker for recommending the pattern. She doesn't even know I'm doing it), it is a simple thing to create a lovely garment. And, as you'll see with her other patterns in the future, she knows both how to design an easy one to use, something versatile, and feminine. I love her patterns.
All cut out and ready to sew. Wasn't that easy?

There are a few simple things to remember with this particular (and most) peasant patterns.

1. They almost always need to be cut on the fold.

2. If your front and back are not identical as this pattern is, you need to keep track of which armhole is front and back on both the sleeve and the bodice pieces. "Big Three" patterns (Such as McCalls, Simplicity, or Butterick) will always have a deeper armhole in back than in front so the sleeve pattern will have one shorter side than the other for the armholes.

This is what the gown pieces look like when opened flat. (I have them laying on top of each other for the picture).

The sleeves will look like shorter versions of it.

Oh, wait, I think I have a picture of them. Let me look.








And there it is. One sleeve.

Tomorrow (Lord willing) I'll sew one of these up and show you how to sew them now that you have them cut.

Machine Blind Hem Tutorial

When hemming skirts and dresses, it's common to use the blind hem option on sewing machines. So, to show you how easy it is to use this option, I hemmed this jumper with a blind hem.


Step 1:

Measure your hem and press as you go around the skirt. Here, I did 2.5"





Excellent!

Now, find your blind hem stitch on your machine. It should look a little like this.


Step 2:

Fold the raw edge under about 1/4". Then, fold the entire hem under the skirt leaving only 1/8"-1/4" showing to the right of the fold as shown.


Under that "wrong side" fabric is the rest of that hem.


Here, let me show you in this picture.



















There. See how it's folded under? That's what you're looking for.


Step 3:

There, take your time and stitch. What you want to do is have your straight stitches almost on that far right fold and the main skirt 1/8"- 1/4" or so away so that the needle catches it on the left

When you're done, this is what it'll look like if you flip it over.

Do you see the zigs and straights?

That's what creates the blind hem.






Press well.

There you go! Here's the view from the inside of the garment. It's clean, no raw edges, nothing.

Use lots of steam! Steam is the dressmaker's friend!








And, the final effect! From the right side, there you go! One hem, that hardly shows (well, it won't show much once you master the 'barely catch it' technique but even if you don't, look at that. It's at the hem. The only people who will see it are crawling babies and they really don't care. It's fast, easy, and usually a very neat hem.

Perfect Gathers

If your skirt is wider than your bodice, you have three choices.

1. Pleats

2. Darts

3. Gathers.


Learning to make beautiful gathers is easy and a very rewarding way of making a garment extra lovely.

First, you must have a sewn skirt. If you don't have a sewn skirt, sew your skirt first.


Step 1:

Yes, I cheated. I used another picture that doesn't quite apply to this step. See the presser foot? You want it right along the raw edge of fabric. (About 1/4" to the right in that picture)

With your stitch LENGTH at its longest, stitch around the entire skirt (unless it's wider than 90" total. If it is wider, then see the full skirt tutorial).

When you get to where you started, stop! Pivot the needle, take a couple of stitches down into the skirt, pivot again, and then stitch back around the skirt 3/8" away from the first stitching. At the starting point, pull enough thread away with the garment to give you some to pull.

This should be what it looks like when you're done.


Step 2:

With two threads from the SAME SIDE OF THE FABRIC (usually the bobbin side), pull the gathering threads gently, sliding the fabric along the threads. Don't let yourself jerk too hard. You don't want to break those threads.














What you want to do is gather the fabric enough to be able to tie it off the same width as the bodice.






I tie all four threads together when I do this.



Look closely. Can you see where I stitched back to where I started, sewed down, and then went back again?

Do you see it?


Simple isn't it?





Step 3:

Next, shift the gathers until the side seams are at each side of the skirt evenly.

Then, start sliding those gathers around until there are no blank spots-- no bunchy spots. Just sit back, slide it around, and get it to where you want it.






See! All even.


To sew to your garment, sew at 3/8"-5/8" (depending on your style and seam allowance built into the pattern). You want to sew between those two rows of stitching because then you get a perfect gather.

You will have to remove the lower gathering threads. But, it's totally worth that work to ensure that you have perfect gathers. They look so nice!



And, if you're making a flat-felled skirt seam, this is the very best way to ensure even gathers without too many flat spots with that technique.

This works for sleeves, (upper and around cuffs) skirts, shirring-- anything that requires gathers!

Tackling the Flat-Felled Seam

There are basic seam options when making a skirt (whether a simple skirt or the skirt of a dress or jumper).

1. French. French seams are fully encased seams inside the garment. These seams are great for heirloom clothing, sheer garments, and other light to medium weight fabrics. French seams aren't the best choice for corduroy or denim.

2. Serged. This, of course, requires a serger but is another way to make a non-bulky seam that hangs inside the garment.

3. Zig-zagged or pinked. With these, the raw edges are either cut off in a way that makes it difficult to fray or machine sewn to have the same effect.

or

4. Flat-felled. This is similar to a French seam but shows on the outside of a garment. Most people see flat-felled seams every day. Nearly every pair of blue jeans on the planet uses flat-felled seams on the out seam. It is also common in menswear, outerwear, and ladies' skirts. This is perfect for medium to heavyweight fabrics.

This tutorial is designed to help you with creating flat-felled seams. The advantage of these seams is that they are very strong, flat, and hide the raw edges perfectly. You don't use these seams where you don't want to see stitching. These seams show stitching.

Step 1:

Unlike most sewing, with flat-felled and French seams, you sew with wrong sides together. Regardless of your pattern's seam allowance, you must always use 5/8" allowance for a flat-felled seam.

Don't forget to back stitch!









See! One 5/8" seam!

Repeat for the other side.















Step 2:

Trim away ONE side of the seam to around 1/8"

Don't stress about having a perfectly straight cutting line. It's going to be hidden anyway. You just want to get rid of some of the bulk.

Repeat for the other side.







Press the larger piece over the smaller to make it nice and flat. (Hence the flat of flat-felled)














Step 3:

Fold the fabric into the seam as shown.

You want to turn the raw edge under and then press it well.

See how it's pressed under?









I like to try to make the fabric fold exactly in half. It isn't necessary, but it does look nicer if you do.















Repeat for the other side.


This is what it looks like as you cut away the excess fabric.













Step 4:

Then, with the needle just inside that fold of fabric, stitch the fold down.

Most machines have some way to follow the edge clearly. Find a way to position the needle so that you can stitch straight and along that edge.

Write it down if it isn't something you're sure you'll remember. It doesn't hurt to have a little notebook of little tips like that so you don't have to reinvent the seam next time.



Voila!

A perfect seam that is strong, beautiful, and that will hold up to wash after wash without any raveling at all!


See the Flat-Felled skirt for how to attach a gathered skirt to a bodice with this method.

With sewing techniques like this, you can sew a perfect garment without the use of a serger. This can also be done completely by hand but it is time consuming and difficult.


Now, go make that skirt!