Ruffled Shoulders Blouse

Nothing to get ruffled about with this sweet blouse.

It’s from BurdaStyle July 2010, #121.

He Cooks, She Sew’s fabulous red version got me fired up to make this….but first I had to hunt down the July 2010 issue, which I did via eeee-baaaay.

I made a few changes:

  • Eliminated the bust line seam by taping the upper and lower front sections together before cutting out. It just seemed superfluous.
  • FBA (note to self: make it slightly bigger next time). I’m really pleased with how much better the shoulders/back fit now that I have figured out how to add an FBA.
  • Pleated the sleeve rather than gathering it into sleeve band.  Gathering made my sleeves a bit too puffy. The pleats tuck in neatly behind either side of the ruffles.
  • Taking heed of He Cooks, She Sews’s Pattern Review comments, I cut the ruffles on the bias and sewed them onto the blouse ‘unfinished’ rather than narrow hemmed. This makes the ruffles softer and fluffier.

  • Inserted ‘snap’ tape rather than buttons. The jury is still out on this…I’ve hand tacked the tape to the front plackets…unfortunately when I move, the black tape shows and rather distracts….I may revert to the tiny buttons I originally had in mind. Nonetheless, I like the security of the snaps. They hold tight. A sewing buddy, Jenny, from my ASG Sewing Group (The Alexandria Achievers) applied this tape on a similar shaped blouse and it looked great.

Ruffle Shoulder Blouse 3

The fabric is a cotton voile from Spotlight. It’s heavenly to sew!

I like this one! It’s simple but the shoulder ruffles make it just that little bit edgier…

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41 comments

  1. That is so cute! I love the ruffles and I have that fabric too 🙂 Very well done, I love it with the belt, looks very chic!

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  2. I think this works really well.
    When I sewed on my exposed zipper, I used white bobbin thread and black top thread because the zipper was black and the lining was white. It worked although I did prick my finger and I’m still working to get the tiny spot of blood off my new dress

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    • Ow! Hope you got the blood stain out asap!. Your alternate top thread/bobbin thread colours could be a good solution for securing the snap tape to the plackets…thanks!

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  4. Ok, I remember this pattern and it left me less than cold- it’s always great to see a version that makes you rethink something and get inspired. I think this is fabulous- I hope the snap tape works out- you could be opening a new door for me!

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    • I agree PrettynPink. The line drawing (in particular) wouldn’t have registered with me, if I had just been looking at the magazine. However, He Cooks, She Sew’s red version quickly put this pattern on my radar!

      I definitely will use snap tape on other items, even if this one reverts to buttons….It’s so easy to apply!! And, as I said, holds quite firmly. I could only find black at the Remnant Warehouse yesterday, and wanted to test it out….will have a look online to see if it comes in a colour that’s closer to this fabric…or possibly just white might be better…and I need to work out a better way to attach…perhaps during construction rather than retro fitting…

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    • Thanks Tulle and Tweed! Funny how some of the most awkward looking patterns work out while others which seem like winners (ie The Parka That Carked It) turn out to be hideous! In both instances, the old adage of ‘don’t judge a pattern by its line drawing’ (or its photo shoot styling) applies!

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    • Thanks Mary, I think you’re right re: moving the snap tape a bit further away from the edge….the only problem is that the blouse ‘just’ fits as…I need to add a bit more width to the FBA if I make another of these.

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    • I found the voiles down at Rockdale Spotlight….I think they have the best ‘range’ at that store….more so than Lidcombe…but it really depends on the ‘day’, I think.

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  10. First, love your top even more on you. Second, gotta make one of ’em. I particularly love the ruffle detail, and if you tell me I need a ruffle foot I am going to scream, better start now I guess. And third, if you ever need a back issue of Burda, sing out, I have them going back to ’09, much cheaper borrowing. Oh, fourth, even though I eliminated 2,000 metres from my stash, calculator error, only have 700+, I DO NOT, repeat, need more fabric. Love it.

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    • Thanks Renata – appreciate the offer of Burda back-issues. You don’t need a ruffler foot for this blouse….It was pretty easy to make the ruffles with just a few lines of basting stitch, pulled by the bobbin thread.

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    • Hi Tracey – thanks! You know construction order and seam finishing techniques, so you’d be fine with BurdaStyle patterns. I tend to read their instructions and then wing it, using blogs/magazines/sewing books for help. I trace all my patterns, so I’m used to it. I like being able to add seam allowances – sometimes I make them 1cm rather than 1.5cm. These cool Seam Allowance rulers make it easy: http://sacurveruler.files.wordpress.com.

      PS – I’ve discovered another ‘unusual’ tracing medium…florist tissue paper…it’s more substantial than regular tissue, but still transparent enought to see through for tracing…it’s easy to fold or roll up for storage…the creases press out with a cool iron. And it doesn’t tear too easily. I ordered a big box, with sheets approx 0.5 x 0.8 m. This fits most blouse pieces – and I tape sheets together for larger pattern pieces. Really should write a post about this…

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      • Brilliant!! Thanks for the tips! I made a huge mistake the last time I sewed a muslin from the Burdastyle Mag and forgot those darned seam allowances! Whoops!!

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