Free Pattern Month Day 1 - The Sew Convert: The Sunny Resort Blouse Pattern

(Today's featured pattern above see below for tutorial)

I found Adey of The Sew Convert through my flickr group. I believe the first thing she ever posted was her Merry-Go-Round Jumper back in July 2010 (featured below) and I fell in love. Since then she's made SO MANY more amazing dresses, blouses, shorts, etc. She never ceases to amaze! Seriously. She's talented.

Not to mention prolific!

Adey, is a former kids’ television channel manager turned stay home mum. She gets the name of her blog from her 'conversion' to sewing.

Says Adey, "I hated sewing since I attended my first home economic class at the age of 14. In 2007, something miraculous happened when God blessed me with a second pregnancy. I discovered that I was expecting a baby girl. That changed everything. First I went crazy shopping for handmade clothes for her on etsy."
"Then I decided I needed to make something for her on my own. I was a month from my due date when I took an intensive 4 day sewing class from an American lady living in Singapore. In Dec 2008, I made a dress for my princess before she was born and have not stopped sewing since. Now, I’m a busy fabric crazy mum of two!"

 Now without further ado, I would like to introduce Free Pattern Month's FIRST pattern: The Sunny Resort Blouse Pattern courtesy of Adey of The Sew Convert!

This pattern is fabulous for a vacation to the Greek isles or a weekend to the farmer's market. I love the way Adey used a white trim on the orange fabric.

Materials Required
Fabric: I would recommend light weight fabrics such as cotton voile, lawn, gauze, lace or chiffon. The yardage depends on how long you want the blouse to be. I am 5 feet 7 and used one meter of fabric. The width of the fabric determines the length of the sleeves.


This blouse variation adapted from my 1-hour Kaftan tutorial is finished with bias tape instead of facings and comes with loopholes for a belt. You can use any belt or make your own by refering to my belt tutorial at http://sewconvert.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/behind-the-seams-the-40s-sweetheart-dress/


Embellishments (Optional) and contrasting bias tape
Scissors, Thread, Pins, Erasable Fabric Marker and Measuring Tape
A top/tee with round neckline

See diagram for reference through steps.

 Step 1: Identify the Shoulder ‘Seam’
Fold your fabric into half (selvedges at the sides) and iron. The fold you have just ironed will be your shoulder ‘seam’. Use an erasable fabric marker to mark the centre of the shoulder ‘seam’. Cut the fabric across the shoulder seam.You now have one front piece and one back piece. Place your tee over the fabric, matching centre of tee to centre mark on fabric as shown.

Step 2: Create the neckline (also see pics below)
Place pins around the front neckline of your tee. Use the erasable marker to mark points on the fabric. Join the points with the erasable marker. That is your front neckline. Match the back centre of the tee to the centre mark and trace your back neckline.

Step 3: Create sleeves
Measure the widest part of your hip/ bust (whichever might be wider). For instance, mine is 37” so take 37”+3”/ 4=10”. From the middle of the front piece, measure 10” to each side (total 20”) and mark. You need to mark at two points. First, right at the bottom of the fabric (Point A) and second at the armhole level (Point B).






Step 4 (below two pics): Using a fabric marker, draw an arc from Point A to the top corners. Repeat for the back. Now your cut fabric pieces should look like these.

Step 5: Pin and sew bias tape around the front and back necklines. Add any embellishment or trim as you wish.

Step 6: Join shoulder seams
Sew the front and back shoulder seams together, right side facing.
Step 7: Pin and sew bias tape along both sides of the joint front/ back piece

Step 8: Create Armhole
Measure yourself from the shoulder seam to below your armpit and add an inch. If you are making this for someone else, you can also measure her tee and add an inch. Measure from the shoulder seam of the Kaftan, mark this point. It is the base of the armhole. Mark the point where the base of your armhole meets Point B.

Step 9: Draw the lines down the Kaftan (or you could pin needles like I did) on both sides below the armhole mark meeting their respective Point A. Pin and stitch along the drawn lines, down the front of the fabric, catching the back fabric.














Step 10 (below two pics): Finishing the hem and create belt ‘loophole’
Finish the hem. Put on your new blouse and mark the point at the narrowest part of your waist. Ensure that it is wider than your belt buckle.
Step 11: Create ‘loophole’ for belt using your buttonhole foot. Insert the belt.
Wipe off all the markings you have made cos’ you are done!

THANK YOU ADEY FOR ALL YOUR HARDWORK WITH THIS AMAZING PROJECT! IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO FEATURE HER PROJECT ON GROSGRAIN!


STAY TUNED TOMORROW FOR CHRISTIE OF A LEMON SQUEEZY HOME AND HER LOYALTY CARD HOLDER PATTERN!

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