Or a total redesign in this case?

I fell in love with an off shoulder blouse on Pinterest.

This one here in fact!

Fab, right?

I definitely want to make my own but where to start?

My trusty Simplicity 1366 blouse of course!

Basically I picked this because I wanted a top with plenty of ease and as few complicated bits as possible. I also happened to have my traced copy right next to me when I was planning my design…

I pretty much just used it as a pattern block, using it as a gauge for sizing and ease, as I ended up completely redesigning the neckline, hemline, sleeve and cuff… That’s pretty much the whole top by the way. Apart from those bits, it’s pretty much just a big rectangle.

Onto my pattern alterations! I cut across the bodice about 7″ from the shoulder on the front and the back. I measured what was left of the armscye and made sure to mark that distance on the sleeve pattern for the front and back to make sure the pattern pieces would all meet up.

The sleeve head was chopped off in a nice curve between those two marks. Don’t do a straight line between the two! I lengthened the sleeve by 2″ and took it in slightly at the seam to reduce some width. I marked on a position for a cuff placket and added some pleats.

I created a casing for elastic on the neckline and also made ties instead of cuffs for my sleeves.

I lengthened the bodice and created a dipped front and back hem and a hem facing for a really crisp finish.

It went together really easily. I think I’ve done a lot of the techniques I used here recently so no need to look anything up and no confusing bits!

Of course I wasn’t sure how it would actually look until I put it together to try it on…

But luckily I think it turned out OK!