Pattern Fitting for Blouses

Learn to sew blouses that fit you.

Have you ever finished a blouse only to think, “It’s okay…but something just isn’t quite right?” Maybe the shoulders feel too wide, the bust pulls, the sleeves are snug, or the fit just isn’t as flattering as you imagined.

You’re not alone.

The good news is that the problem usually isn’t you—it’s simply that commercial sewing patterns are designed for one standard set of measurements. Once you understand how to adjust a pattern to fit your body, garment sewing becomes far more enjoyable.

That’s exactly what this class is all about.

Using New Look 6483, we’ll focus on the fundamentals of blouse fitting by creating and evaluating a muslin (test garment). Rather than racing to finish a blouse, we’ll spend the majority of our class time learning how to identify fitting issues and practicing the adjustments directly on your pattern.

As we work through the course, you’ll also be encouraged to construct your muslin so you can immediately see how each adjustment affects the fit. Construction techniques will naturally be covered as they relate to the fitting process, but the primary focus of this class is developing your fitting skills—not completing a finished garment.

Over this course you’ll learn:

• How to “read” a muslin and identify common fitting issues
• Basic garment fitting principles
• How to raise or lower a bust dart
• How to perform a Full Bust Adjustment (FBA)
• How to perform a Small Bust Adjustment (SBA)
• Common shoulder and back adjustments
• How to complete a Full Bicep Adjustment
• How to sew accurate bust darts
• How to apply a bias facing

By the end of class, you’ll have:

• A customized blouse pattern tailored to your measurements
• A fitted muslin to reference for future projects
• A clear understanding of how common fitting adjustments affect garment fit
• The confidence to evaluate and adjust future blouse patterns on your own

Pattern: New Look 6483

Length: 9 weeks

Dates: Saturdays this fall | Sept 12, 19, 26 | Oct 10, 17 , 24 | Nov 7, 14, 21

Class Schedule

Saturdays 12:00pm – 1:15pm

Begins September 12

Questions? Email us at ThimbleBees@gmail.com, we’re happy to help.