New Look 6163, My ‘Go To’ Blouse Pattern

The Pattern

This is my ‘go to’ blouse pattern.

New Look 6163 is a pattern, consisting of a jacket, trousers, skirt and sleeveless top. All are classic in design, and are perfect to use as the basis to make any of these garments your own. Only your imagination can limit you.

This time I’ll use the sleeveless top as a base for hacking into a blouse.

The Fabric

I keep going back to Gingham. Even if I live in Morocco and the climate is warm, fashionable cotton fabrics are not easy to come by. They are mostly available for simple furnishing fabrics, such as kitchen tablecloths, children’s accessories and large-width sheet fabrics.

Fortunately, I can get gingham in a wide range of colours and scales as a great price, just £2.50 per metre. I adore it because it washes well, is easy to iron and of course, it is cool to wear in a warm climate. It is always helpful to wash the fabric before doing so because it may shrink during the first wash.

The Blouse

I have used the pattern for this top for many projects. It is prefect to use as a base to make a variety of stylish tops and blouses. For this occasion, I decided to add a three-sleeve with a ruffle trim. I keep going back to Gingham. Even if I live in Morocco and the climate is warm, fashionable cotton fabrics are not easy to come by. They are mostly available for simple furnishing fabrics, such as kitchen tablecloths, children’s accessories and large-width sheet fabrics.

Making The Blouse

This is a great project for someone with little sewing experience as the construction is simple, with just four pattern pieces. It comes together quickly, and you can make it in an hour.

This top is self facing around the neck and sleeves, and there’s a surface button closure at the neck. However on making the first top, I quickly realised that the button closure is unnecessary.

The top can be easily be placed on, and taken off without the need of a button closure. This of course eliminates the need to join the back, making the construction even simpler! If you are making the top in a check or obvious pattern, then the other advantage is that no pattern matching is required.

I always serge every piece before making a garment, especially if it’s a fabric that frays easily. The clothing appears immediately finished and it is washing machine ready!

As I was adding sleeves, then only a neck facing was required.

Hacking The Blouse Pattern

I decided to add three quarter fitted sleeves. This was easy to do, by using a pattern piece of another purchased pattern. You may of course add short sleeves, long sleeves, or even Bishop sleeves!

I then simply cut two strips of fabric 15 cm deep double the circumferences of the sleeve. For ease, I joined the seams and finished the hemline before finally gathering and attaching them to the sleeves.

Conclusion

I must say that this is my favourite blouse since I made it for many reasons. It is comfortable to wear, easy to layer and can be dressed up or down. Whether it’s worn with jeans, shorts or a skirt, it’s certainly a top I love to wear over and over again!