Tutorial---How to Draft and Sew a Peasant Blouse

The peasant blouse or peasant top is very easy to draft and sew. The pattern draft is based on the basic blouse pattern. A raglan style sleeve (a sleeve that begins at the neckline and has a diagonal (sloping) seam line that ends at the armhole) is used in this top.

Body measurements needed:

Length of the blouse

Bust circumference

Shoulder measurement (from one shoulder edge point to the other shoulder edge point)

Neck depth

Pattern draft:

Front:

A to B = Blouse length
A to C = Neck depth
A to D = 1/8 bust + 2.5 inches (or 1/4 bust - 1 or scye depth, i.e., armhole depth)

D to E = 1/4 bust + 0.75-inch ease (ease can be reduced when you use stretchy fabrics to sew this top)

B to F is same as D to E or plus 2 inches (4 inches for women's size) if you want flare at the hemline
A to I = Half of the shoulder measurement
H to I = 1 inch (reduce this to 0.50 inch to 0.75 inch for kids' sizes)
H to G = Blouse's shoulder width you prefer

(or A to G = bust/12 + 0.25 inch or the measurement from the center of the neck to where you want your blouse's neckline to sit on the shoulder at neck.) 

HE is the armhole curve, which is not required here.

Shape the front neckline GC.

Connect A and E. Mark point N where the line AE meets the neckline.

Draw a vertical line from I which meets the line DE at point J.
Mark point K 1 inch from J (for women's blouses) (this could be 1/2 inch for kids under 8 years and 3/4 inch for kids 9 to 12 years). Shape EKN.

C to L = B to M = 2 inches (for more fullness, you can increase this measure as per your preference.)


LM is where you keep the fold in the fabric when you cut the front piece.



Back:

Same as front except for this change: Mark point K 1.5 inch from J (for women's blouses) (this could be 3/4 inch for kids under 8 years and 1 inch for kids 9 to 12 years). Shape EKN.

LM is where you keep the fold in the fabric when you cut the back piece.






Sleeve:

A to B = 1/8 bust + 2.5 inches (or 1/4 bust - 1 or scye depth, i.e., armhole depth)
A to C = Neck depth
A to O = Half of the shoulder measurement
A to D = A to G in the front blouse draft
B to F = 1/4 bust + 0.75-inch ease (the same ease you kept for the blouse front) 
Draw a vertical line from O which meets BF at point P.
Connect A and F. Mark point Q where the line AF meets the neckline.
Mark point G where lines OP and AF cross.
G to I = 1 inch (this could be 1/2 inch for kids under 8 years and 3/4 inch for kids 9 to 12 years)
G to H = 1.5 inch (this could be 3/4 inch for kids under 8 years and 1 inch for kids 9 to 12 years)

Shape sleeve front armhole FHQ and back armhole FIQ.
D to L = Length of the sleeve from D plus 2 to 3 inches for fullness at the arm round of the puffed sleeve.

AL = BE

Connect L and E.

K to L = D to J = 2 inches for the fullness at the armhole of the puffed sleeve.
Join K and J.
L to N = Half sleeve round
Join F and N.
N to M = 0.75 inch
Join L and M with a curved line.

JK is where you keep the fold in the fabric when you cut the sleeve pieces.


Cut the front, back, and sleeve pattern pieces on fold.


Add seam and hem allowances:

For blouse front and back:

3/8 inch at the armhole.
3/4 inch for the neckline for creating casing for the elastic
1/2 inch or 1 inch on the sides.
3/4 inch at the blouse bottom hemline

For sleeves:

3/8 inch at the sleeve cap curve.
1/2 inch or 1 inch on the sides.

3/4 inch at the sleeve hemline.

3/4 inch for the neckline for creating casing for the elastic (The sleeves start from the neckline, so they make part of the neckline.)

I have posted a free PDF sewing pattern for kids' peasant blouse for sizes 1 year to 12 years at the link below:

Click this link for the free PDF sewing pattern for Kids' peasant blouse for sizes 1 year to 12 years.

How to Sew?

Step 1: Lay out the front, back, and sleeve pattern pieces.

Step 2: Attach the sleeves with the front and back bodices:

With right sides facing, attach the sleeves to the front and back bodices.


Step 3: Join the sides.

Step 4. Make casing at the hemline of the sleeves and at the neck and insert the elastic into the casing.

How to do this: Fold the allowance of one of the sleeves down the wrong side, first by 1/4 inch and then again by 1/2 inch, and sew, leaving a 2-inch gap to insert the elastic. Using a safety pin, insert a 1/4-inch-wide elastic into the casing through the gap.

The length of the elastic should be equal to the sleeve round at the hemline. I have marked the length needed (can you see the blue mark on the elastic in the photo below).

Pin a safety pin at one end of the elastic. Feed the elastic through the entire casing, while holding the safety pin tightly while moving it through the casing.

When you get to the other end, take off the safety pin and overlap the two ends of the elastic by 1/2 an inch. Sew two or three rows of stitches to hold the elastic ends in place. Then snip off the excess elastic and close the opening in the casing by folding under and then hemming. Repeat this for the other sleeve as well as the neck. 

For the neckline, measure NC on the blouse's front draft and DQ on the blouse's sleeve draft. This is one fourth of the neckline. Four times this measurement gives you the neckline circumference. Take a 1/4-inch-wide elastic with length equal to the neckline circumference you calculated now. 

Now, create a casing in the neckline by folding the neckline down the wrong side by 1/4 inch, then again by 1/2 inch. Sew along the folded edge, leaving a gap of 2 inches to place the elastic in. 

Now, insert the elastic as you did for the sleeve hemline.

Step 5. Sew the side seams.

Step 6. Hem the bottom of the blouse.

Fold down the hemline to the wrong side by 1/4 first, and again by 1/2 inch and sew along the folded edge. Attach laces or satin ribbons along the hemline and decorate the neckline with bows made of satin ribbon (if you prefer).

That's it! Done. Easy, ain't it? Please leave your comments and questions in the comments section under this post. I will be happy to answer.

Click here for the free PDF sewing pattern for Kids' peasant blouse for sizes 1 year to 12 years.

You can find lots of free PDF printable sewing patterns on this page on my blog. You can download and use them to create your own clothes.

You can also click the Free Sewing Patterns Page at the top of this blog page (under the blog title) to find more free sewing patterns.

Click the below links to browse through all the pattern drafting and sewing tutorials on my blog.

pattern drafting tutorials 

sewing tutorials