Josie Blouse Dress

These instructions are completely free and let you extend your Josie Blouse pattern into a dress. And there’s no zipper required.

These steps assume you already own a copy of the Josie Blouse. If you don’t, you’ll need to get a copy before you start. You can choose between a PDF Version or Paper Version.

Extra fabric requirements:

SizesAdd to your original fabric requirements
Ava – Cara (31″- 35″)0.5m (0.55yds)
Dee – Gia (37″- 43″)1m (1.1yds)

Step 1: Fold Bodice Pieces

Cut or fold along the “Below Waist Lengthen Line” on both the front and back bodice pieces.

If you’ve cut it you can then tape the section back on when you are finished with the dress version.

The hem is not dipped on the dress version.

Step 2: Print the dress extension pieces (A4)

Note: These measurements are for a height of 5’7″.

If you are taller than 5’7″: And would still like it to be knee length, you might consider ordering a bit more fabric than suggested above.

If you are shorter than 5’7″: I would suggest trying it on before choosing to remove excess fabric from the hem.

Step 3: Pairing the extension pieces with the bodice

Tape the front bodice extension to the bottom of your folded front bodice pattern piece and then do the same for the back bodice and its extension.

You can still use the same fabric layout suggestion that is in your main instructions but shifting down the bodice pieces as necessary to allow for the extra length both pieces require.

That’s it! There are no other changes to make. Hemming will be exactly the same as the instructions for the bottom of the original style blouse but it’ll be a straight line so even easier! Wear it loose or with a belt to add a bit more shape.

Making a Josie Blouse Dress? Share it on Instagram with #xsJosie

Or if you have any questions at all please get in touch.

Happy Sewing!
x Andrea

Note: These are steps to extend your Josie Blouse into a dress. If you do not already own the Josie Blouse you can get a copy below:

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Check out the Josie Blouse Gallery

The Josie pattern tester group covered every size in the pattern range using all sorts of different fabrics and now we’ve put these all into a gallery!

Take a look for lots of inspiration!

Heleen’s Gorgeous Josie Blouse

Click here to check out the gallery of blouses made by the Team Josie testing team!

Josie Blouse Sew-Along

All of the videos from the sewalong have been saved below so you can work along at your own pace. If you would like to participate in a future sewalong, make sure you’re signed up to the newsletter to receive updates on future dates!

29th January – 7th February

Signup is now closed but watch out for future dates!

We are having a sew-along where, from the comfort of our homes, we’ll sew up our Josie Blouses together. Everyone can work at their own pace and with whatever time they have available.

How it works: There will be a community hub where we’ll all pop in as and when we want to check up on others progress, chat sewing things, and share details or ask questions about our own Josies-in-progress. I’ll be on hand the entire time to answer questions on fabric, sizing, grading, instruction questions, or whatever else you can throw at me. There’s absolutely no pressure to progress at any pace and you can chat as much or as little as you like. It’s not video chats so you can be in full pyjamas and no one will know! The Sew-Along videos will be released throughout the week, and you can watch whenever you’re ready.

What you’ll need: By the 29th of January, try to have your fabric washed and dried and your chosen buttons at the ready. If you don’t have a copy of the pattern you can buy a paper or PDF version here.

Sew-Along Video Guides

Continue to reference the pattern instructions as well as using the videos below for further tips:
Page 6 – Marking the Shoulder Pleats (Video)
Page 7 – Prepare the Cuffs (Video)
Page 8 – Assembling the Shoulder Pleats (Video)
Page 9 – Attaching the Neckband (Video)
Page 10 – Assembling the Sleeve Pleats (Video)
Page 10 – Binding the Sleeve Vent (Video)
Page 12 – Attaching the Cuffs (Video)
Page 13 – Attaching the Sleeves (Video)
Page 14 – Marking the Buttonholes (Video)

Marking the Shoulder Pleats

Wondering about those markings on the shoulders? If you need any help understanding them or finding which ones are for your size it’s all explained in the video below:


Prepare the Cuffs

Want some help on prepping the cuffs? This video will walk you through all of the steps:


Assembling the Shoulder Pleats

Time for the pleats! This video shows the full assembly of pleats from marking to pressing so if you’re only interested in a particular section of the video you can skip to the following time:

  • Marking the pleat lines: 0:00
  • Sewing the first pleat: 4:15
  • Sewing the centre pleat: 6:42
  • Pressing the pleats: 9:00

Attaching the Neckband

Time to attach the neckband! The video walks you through every step from how (and why) to quarter the neckline to pressing your final beautiful neckline.


Assembling the Sleeve Pleats

Ready to put the sleeve pleats in? The video guide shows how to mark the pleats, assembly, and ironing them to get a nice flowing pleat line on your sleeves.


Binding the Sleeve Vent

A full walk-through on how to cut and then bind the sleeve vent so it has a nice clean finish.


Attaching the Cuffs

Showing how to attach the cuff to the sleeve.


Attaching the Sleeves

The video shows how to align the sleeve to shoulder pleats and easing the sleeve in.


Marking the Buttonholes

A quick guide on how to mark the buttonholes and checking they are put on the correct side of the cuff.



Josie Blouse
Sewing Pattern (PDF)

Josie Blouse Sewing Pattern: PDF Version

FAQs

Fabric suggestions:

A viscose, rayon, crepe, georgette, or any light to medium weight woven fabric with a nice drape.

Fabric requirements using 1.4m (55″) wide fabric:
(See size chart in image gallery above)
Ava – Cara 1.5m (1.7yds)
Dee – Gia 2m (2.2yd)
Hana – Mia 2.5m (2.7yds)

Other materials:
– Fusible Interfacing: 35cm x 30cm
– x6 3/8″ (10mm) buttons

High Bust: 31″ – 53″ (approx. UK 6 – 30)

Use your High Bust to get the best fit across your neckline and shoulders.

To get your High Bust measurement, measure around your body, directly under your underarms.

Fitting tips for larger busts/cup sizes: You would then do a Full Bust Adjustment (FBA) only if your full bust measurement is in a higher size category to your high bust.

Beginner-Improver

You’ve sewn a top or two and want to learn a few new techniques.

Ready to learn a few new techniques?
Guides you through making french seams & shirt cuffs.

  • A4 (print at home) PDF – 31 pages
  • US Letter (print at home) PDF – 30 pages
  • A0 (copy shop) PDF
  • Pattern instructions PDF

As soon as you’ve purchased the PDF pattern you will receive an email with the link to your PDFs and the instructions.

Please note: You will not receive any paper materials with this option, however, if you would prefer a physical copy click here to view the paper version.

A PDF pattern lets you print the pattern yourself (use A4/US Letter for this) or send to a copy shop(A0 size).

First of all, for print at home options, print only page 1 and check the box measures 10cm x 10cm. When you print the pattern, print at 100% (make sure it isn’t scaling). If this measurement is correct you can print the remaining pages. Assemble by cutting along the dotted lines & tape the pages together.

You can send (email or upload) your A0 file to a copy shop and they will print it for you on a large piece of paper similar to if you had bought the paper pattern.

Or, you can just buy a copyshop version from here and we will do the printing and posting for you.

See & share Josie Blouse photos on social media: #XSJosie #XSPatterns

Josie Gallery

Sew-Along Video Guides

How to Make the Dress Version