Ruffle Collar Bloom Hack

To achieve this whimsical look we made a few small adjustments to the pleated collar instructions that come with our Make By TFS Bloom Shirt pattern. We first changed the width to measure 7cm (including the seam allowance for the collar) and used a smaller 6mm double turn hem for a delicate finish for the ruffly collar of our dreams.

Instead of sewing in the pleats as per the original pattern, we made two rows of stitching 6mm apart and then pulled the threads to create a gather. After attaching the collar to the stand pieces we trimmed down this seam allowance and then hand basted the collar stand to the collar, to keep all the layers in place before topstitching it closed. We also extended the ruffle around the curve of the collar stand for a truly unique top button closure.

As for the rest of the shirt, we shortened the length in the body by 3cm and took 5cm off the sleeve length to better suit Bianca's measurements, no other adjustments were made. For this project we used 1.7m of our Kelly Small Candy Stripe Cotton as well as approx 15cm x 70cm of White Stretch Weft Fusible Interfacing and 8 of our Ivory Trocas Shell Buttons.

Bloom is our take on a classic button-down shirt. The pattern comes with a shirt and dress view, as well as three collar options designed to compliment your existing wardrobe — a classic pointed collar and stand, a half penny collar and stand and an exaggerated box pleated collar with a narrow stand. It features a casual a-line shape with a subtle swing through the body, a back yoke, front button placket and patch pocket, collar and stand, and long sleeves with button cuffs and placket. The dress view features side seam pockets and a deep hem. The pattern also offers a sleeve length shortening indication line, if you wish to customise for each season!

Our Bloom shirt/dress pattern can purchased as a downloadable PDF, or in paper format from our Online Store. Our New Zealand and Australian stores hold a small amount of our printed patterns in stock so please call ahead if you'd like to grab one when visiting our a bricks and mortar store.

You can learn more about our Make By TFS patterns here.

We found our Kelly Small Candy Stripe Cotton to be an ideal choice for this project! We'd recommend using a light to midweight shirting that is tightly woven, for the right amount of structure to give the collar enough body. Luckily enough, a huge amount of exciting stripes have recently arrived that would be fantastic for a ruffle look, take inspiration from our selection below, browse online or visit your nearest store to explore their unique range of shirtings. All sorts of stripey ideas are coming to mind, think cute PJ sets, crisp summer dresses and billowy blouses! We can't wait to see your take on our new season stripes.