Tunic "Bluebell"

Let's start with the yoke.

Please make sure that you get two mirror-reversed yokes!

There are two markings at the top and bottom. The right marking indicates the centre, the left one is a pleat marking. Fold the fabric to the back at the left marking, then fold in the seam allowance, iron over it once and sew the button placket along the folded edge. You can also topstitch the outer edge once close to the edge.

With very thin fabrics, you should reinforce the button placket with an iron-on interfacing before folding it.

Attach buttonholes to one of the two yokes. Please refer to the instructions for your sewing machine to find out exactly how to do this on your model. Alternatively, you can also use press studs.

Then place the two pieces on top of each other so that the two centre markings are aligned and sew them together at the bottom edge so that they can no longer slip.

Fold the front piece so that the right side is inside and sew two or three cm at the marking. If you now unfold it and flatten it out, you can already see the box pleat. Pin the centre of the pleat to the centre of the yoke, then bring the two ends of the yoke and front piece together and pin the three pieces together. Distribute the length of the front piece as evenly as possible over the bottom edge of the yoke.

Then sew the yoke and front piece together and neaten the edges.

Depending on the ratio of waist circumference to hips, the back section may have one or even two darts. You can always leave these out if you want to make it even more casual. Otherwise, transfer the darts to the fabric. Fold it up along the dart and sew the dart. It then has the shape of an elongated triangle. This seam is not pinned, but secured with a knot at the beginning and end.

Now sew the back piece and the two yokes together at the shoulder and neaten the seam allowances separately. Then press the seam allowances open.

The sleeves are then inserted. Note that the sleeves are not symmetrical, the back part is slightly wider, this is the part with the double snap (double circle) in the seam allowance. Of course, this also belongs on the back of the tunic.

Lay the front and back pieces in front of you, with the right side facing you and the armhole opening upwards. Place the sleeve on top with the right side facing you. Position the notch at the top of the sleeve on the shoulder seam. Then bring the four corners and then the snaps together. The double snips are joined to the double snips, the single snips to the single snips.

Distribute the remaining fabric evenly and pin everything in place. The sleeve is slightly wider than the armhole, which is correct. Simply divide the width evenly.

When sewing together, the sleeve lies at the bottom of the stitch plate. Sew slowly and keep smoothing out the creases.

You can finish this seam together.

The neckline is bound with bias tape. Leave two to three cm overlap at both ends and pin the bias tape to the outside all the way round. Sew once all the way round. Then fold over the excess ends. The iron is very helpful here: first fold the protruding end inwards, then fold the bias tape to the centre and then fold it to the back of the neckline. Pin everything in place and sew close to the edge of the bias tape on the inside to secure it.

Let's move on to the hems: First press the seam allowance of the bottom hem inwards and then fold over another two cm. Sew these in place.

For the sleeve hems, 1.5 cm is enough for the second fold-over. However, leave a small opening (two to three cm) here when sewing on so that you can pull in the elastic. Try out the length of the elastic band to see which length is comfortable for you. It should not be tight, as there is still fabric to be added. The elastic should overlap by about two cm.

Use a safety pin to pull the elastic through the sleeve hem. Check that it has not twisted and sew the two ends together. You can then sew the opening closed.