Hello! So I don't know about you but my Instagram lately has been flooded with tie-front blouses inspired by a viral Ganni top. Of course I had to join in and make one for myself, and wanted to show you how you can too, very easily, using the Bakerloo pattern as the base. You will need about the same amount of fabric as the Bakerloo Blouse with mid-length sleeves.
Pattern piece alterations:
You won't be using the Bakerloo Blouse bodice for this top, but instead, the Dress bodice.
Start with shaving off the centre-back seam allowance from the Bodice Back, so it can be cut on the fold. The original Bodice Back has a shaped centre seamline, but in order to cut the Back on the fold it needs to be straightened. So draw a line down the CB that measures 1.5 cm / 5/8 inch from the top section. This straightens the CB without shrinking the neckline.
The next alteration is to the Bodice Front. This needs the opposite treatment to the Bodice Back - we are adding seam allowance. Tape some paper behind the CF and measure out a 1.5 cm / 5/8 inch extension. Cut around the extension to create your new Bodice Front.
New pattern pieces:
We need several adapted pattern pieces for this blouse: the front and back bodice facings, the peplum (based on the Bakerloo Skirt pattern piece) and the ties.
For the facings:
Start with the Bodice Back and using a separate piece of paper, track around the neckline a facing around 6.5 cm / 2.5 inches deep. Draw a 'cut on the fold' grainline.
For the Bodice Front you'll want to do the same, only this time extending the facing down the CF. Draw a nice curve where the neckline section meets the CF. Draw a straight grainline, marking 'cut 1 pair'.
For the peplum:
Take your Bakerloo Skirt pattern piece (unfolded - for the front skirt) and trace off the top section to your chosen depth (mine was 18 cm / 7 inches - bearing in mind that 3 cm / 1 1/8 inches will be lost into seam allowance). Add a 1.5 cm / 5/8 inch extension along the CF for seam allowance.
Fold the side of the pattern piece back to form the Back Skirt and repeat the tracing off process. Shave off the CB seam allowance. Mark your Back Peplum with a 'cut on the fold' grainline and your Front Peplum to 'cut a pair'.
For the ties:
Cut 6 strips 4 cm by 33 cm / 1.5 inches by 17 inches wide. Press these in half lengthways, right sides together, then stitch down the long edge and across one short end using a 5mm / 1/4 inch seam allowance. Overlock or trim with pinking shears the seam allowance. Turn each strip the right way out (I pushed mine through using a chopstick) and press again.
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Now cut out your new Front Bodice (one pair), Back Bodice (on the fold), Facings, Peplums and Ties from your fabric, as well as the mid-length Bakerloo Sleeve pattern piece and the mid-length sleeve facing. Interface both your facings and finish their outer edges with an overlock or zigzag stitch.
Assemble the blouse:
I'm only giving light instructions here as I presume you can see from the original Bakerloo instructions more fully what to do regarding pressing, seam finishing etc. Sew the darts in the Front Bodice, then stitch the shoulder seams and side seams. Stitch the side seams of the peplum and then hem the CF edges and the long bottom edge.
Gather the long raw edge of the peplum.
Stitch the peplum to the bodice, ensuring that each end of the peplum finishes 1.5 cm / 5/8 inches from the raw edge of the bodice CF. Press the seam allowance up into the blouse, including the raw CF section.
Insert your sleeves. If you want to copy the Ganni sleeve finishing (as I've done) then take your sleeve facings and trim off a strip from the upper edge to make it narrower. I trimmed off the seam allowance.
Stitch the facing to the sleeves as per the original instructions, but instead of stitching a channel in from the edge, you'll create a channel along the edge by stitching around at 1.5 cm / 5/8 inch in. Don't forget to leave a gap for your elastic insertion. Insert a length of elastic into each sleeve as per the original instructions.
Next pin your ties in place with the raw ends against the raw edges of the CF – 3 along each side of the CF. One at 1.5 cm / 5/8 inch down from the neck, one at the bottom edge (folded under), and one in the middle. Tack these in place.
Then lay your facings around the bodice neckline and CF, right sides together, matching the raw edges. The facings should extend below the bodice at the waistline by 1.5 cm / 5/8 inch.
Stitch the facings to the bodice all along the raw edge, using a 1.5 cm / 5/8 inch seam allowance. Clip the curves and trim the corners.
Turn the facings to the inside and understitch the seam allowance to them as far as you can (you won't be able to get right into the corners).
Finally, fold under the seam allowance along the bottom of the facings, at the waistline. Hand-stitch the fold along the waistline to secure it. You can also secure the facings to the shoulder seams with a couple of hand stitches if you wish.
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(I know I did not photograph every step – sorry. I hope that overall the process is straightforward enough to not really need detailed instructions but if you do want to follow along and get stuck anywhere, comment below or message me directly at nina @ ninalee.co.uk.)
I really love the finished top so much! I honestly would make another right away. But instead I have other tutorials and pattern hacks to prepare for you AND three patterns currently in the works, so this one will have to do for now!
