Construction Refer to Techniques A to Z (pages 17–31) for specific information on the techniques used in this project.
1. Fold the bottom edge of a sleeve 1/4˝ to the wrong side of the fabric; then fold another 1/4˝ and press well. Stitch close to the edge. Repeat with the second sleeve.
7. To finish the neckline, follow Classic Peasant Top/ Dress Construction Steps 9–11 (pages 70–71).
8. Match the right side seams of the bodice front and back, with right sides together and unfolding the underarm edge. Sew the sides together with a 1/2˝ seam; finish and press.
9. Refold the sleeve’s underarm edge and topstitch from the edge of the attached sleeve, around the curve of the arm, to the other side of the sleeve.
Hem edge
Hem sleeve.
2. Match the front sleeve edge of 1 sleeve to the upper arm edge of the front bodice, right sides together. The top edges will align, but the sleeve will not extend the full length of the armseye (the armhole opening). 3. Pin and sew with a 1/2˝ seam allowance. Repeat with the second sleeve. Finish the seams and press toward the bodice, including the raw edge of the armseye below the sleeve.
4. Match the back upper sleeve edge of 1 sleeve to the upper arm edge of the back bodice, right sides together. Pin and sew. Do not repeat with the second sleeve at this time. Finish the seam and press it toward bodice.
5. Fold the neckline edge 1/4˝ to the wrong side of the bodice/sleeve unit and press. Fold another 1/4˝ and press again. Do not sew the fold down yet. With your fabric marking pen and ruler, mark a line all the way around the neckline 1/2˝ down from the edge. This will serve as your guide for shirring the neckline.
Topstitch under sleeve.
10. Reload your sewing machine with elastic bobbin thread, adjust the stitch length and tension, and use the previously drawn lines on the bodice to shirr 4 rows of elastic around the chest, with the fabric right side up. The empire line should be the bottom row of shirring. When you are done, change the bobbin back to regular sewing thread. Then readjust the stitch length and the thread tension to their normal positions.
6. Follow Classic Peasant Top/Dress Construction Steps 6 and 7 (page 70) and the shirring instructions (page 27) to sew 3 lines of shirring around the neckline.
Flutter-Sleeved Peasant Top
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