May 01, 2019
The frilly PANAMA blouse
Hello! This is a blouse version of the PANAMA pattern that I am offering you today. The particularity of the blouse version (in addition to the very pretty back neckline) is the sleeve cutouts. This cutout allows you to use a different fabric, to add piping or to insert a braid, but also to add elements like... ruffles!!! 
It's been a long time since I added some frills to my designs, but I couldn't resist because the choice of lace fabric gives a too much side to the gathered ruffles. The loose fit with this very light fabric reminded me of Chloé blouses, a slightly bilitis look accentuated by the transparency. This pretty fabric comes from Pretty mercerie (cotton embroidered tulle). 
For the ruffles I based myself on the size of the mid-sleeve band, and I made 2 sizes of ruffles: first ruffle in front which is 1 1/2 times the band, and second ruffle (the furthest back) which is 2 times the length of the band. They are about 5 cm wide. I cut the tulle from the fabric with scissors in order to bring out the embroidery and give relief to my ruffles. Assembling the blouse: 1/Assembling the upper part of the bust : Assemble your front and back bust pieces right sides together by the shoulders and sides. There is no lining: I wanted to preserve the transparency of the fabric and I cut a bias strip from the same fabric that I placed on the neckline. 
2/sleeves: Gathering : on your machine, enlarge the stitch and release the thread tension as much as possible. Sew a first gathering thread 0.5 cm from the edge on the edge of your flounce. Leave plenty of unsewn thread margin so that you can then handle it. Make a second line of gathering thread 0.7 cm away. Each flounce is thus assembled on the back piece and the back piece right side against right side. I place a gathering thread on each flounce. I pin the ends and the middle of the strips on the sleeve piece then I gather by pulling on the bobbin thread. 
Then assemble the pieces as in the assembly instructions: Assemble the back sleeve piece right side to right side to the middle sleeve band piece. Overlock your seam, and iron on the right side. Then assemble the front sleeve piece to your back sleeve-middle sleeve band piece, right side to right side. Overlock and iron. You have your sleeve piece ready. Fold it back on itself right side to right side and sew to close the sleeve. Overlock. 
Pin your sleeve to the bust armhole right side against right side, using the assembly notches (one notch for the sleeve head that meets the shoulder seam, 2 notches in front and 1 notch in the back). Overlock your seam. 
3/assembly of the upper bust and flounce : Sew right sides together the sides of the flounce pieces, front and back . Overlock your seams. 
Pin your flounce to your bust right side against right side: start by pinning the flounce according to the middle front and back marks, and match the side seams of the bust and flounce. Pull on your gathering threads, and distribute your gathers, pin. Sew, and overlock your seam. Fold your flounce and iron well. For this step the fabric makes it hard to see, you can find this step illustrated and which is identical on the panama top tutorial. 4/the finishes : Sew the bottom hem of your blouse, and the bottom hem of the sleeve. Here I "opened" the flounces before making the hem so that they are flat on the bottom of the sleeve. Iron your blouse well but leave your flounces a little wild. 
And there you have it, a PANAMA blouse that gives you wings! Find the PANAMA pattern here , it's free until May 15th so take advantage of it! And you can participate in the contest that I'm organizing on Instagram with Eglantine et Zoé, Froufrou Paris, Les coupons de Saint Pierre, Dutchlabel shop and Coudre et broder, to try to win a mountain of fabrics, the patterns of the new collection, a set of labels to personalize to sign your sewing and a super Brother overlocker!!! terms described here ! See you soon for the launch of the new collection which will finally be on May 10th! 
It's been a long time since I added some frills to my designs, but I couldn't resist because the choice of lace fabric gives a too much side to the gathered ruffles. The loose fit with this very light fabric reminded me of Chloé blouses, a slightly bilitis look accentuated by the transparency. This pretty fabric comes from Pretty mercerie (cotton embroidered tulle). For the ruffles I based myself on the size of the mid-sleeve band, and I made 2 sizes of ruffles: first ruffle in front which is 1 1/2 times the band, and second ruffle (the furthest back) which is 2 times the length of the band. They are about 5 cm wide. I cut the tulle from the fabric with scissors in order to bring out the embroidery and give relief to my ruffles. Assembling the blouse: 1/Assembling the upper part of the bust : Assemble your front and back bust pieces right sides together by the shoulders and sides. There is no lining: I wanted to preserve the transparency of the fabric and I cut a bias strip from the same fabric that I placed on the neckline. 2/sleeves: Gathering : on your machine, enlarge the stitch and release the thread tension as much as possible. Sew a first gathering thread 0.5 cm from the edge on the edge of your flounce. Leave plenty of unsewn thread margin so that you can then handle it. Make a second line of gathering thread 0.7 cm away. Each flounce is thus assembled on the back piece and the back piece right side against right side. I place a gathering thread on each flounce. I pin the ends and the middle of the strips on the sleeve piece then I gather by pulling on the bobbin thread. Then assemble the pieces as in the assembly instructions: Assemble the back sleeve piece right side to right side to the middle sleeve band piece. Overlock your seam, and iron on the right side. Then assemble the front sleeve piece to your back sleeve-middle sleeve band piece, right side to right side. Overlock and iron. You have your sleeve piece ready. Fold it back on itself right side to right side and sew to close the sleeve. Overlock. Pin your sleeve to the bust armhole right side against right side, using the assembly notches (one notch for the sleeve head that meets the shoulder seam, 2 notches in front and 1 notch in the back). Overlock your seam. 3/assembly of the upper bust and flounce : Sew right sides together the sides of the flounce pieces, front and back . Overlock your seams. Pin your flounce to your bust right side against right side: start by pinning the flounce according to the middle front and back marks, and match the side seams of the bust and flounce. Pull on your gathering threads, and distribute your gathers, pin. Sew, and overlock your seam. Fold your flounce and iron well. For this step the fabric makes it hard to see, you can find this step illustrated and which is identical on the panama top tutorial. 4/the finishes : Sew the bottom hem of your blouse, and the bottom hem of the sleeve. Here I "opened" the flounces before making the hem so that they are flat on the bottom of the sleeve. Iron your blouse well but leave your flounces a little wild. And there you have it, a PANAMA blouse that gives you wings! Find the PANAMA pattern here , it's free until May 15th so take advantage of it! And you can participate in the contest that I'm organizing on Instagram with Eglantine et Zoé, Froufrou Paris, Les coupons de Saint Pierre, Dutchlabel shop and Coudre et broder, to try to win a mountain of fabrics, the patterns of the new collection, a set of labels to personalize to sign your sewing and a super Brother overlocker!!! terms described here ! See you soon for the launch of the new collection which will finally be on May 10th!
