Byrdie Button-up Sewalong, Part 5: Button Plackets and Bust Darts

Before we start assembling the Byrdie Button-up bodice, we need to install the Button Placket and bust darts. The left and right bodices have a different placket construction. The Right Front Bodice has a sewn-on placket and the Left Front Bodice has a folded placket and will be underneath the right placket when buttoned up.

Because the left placket is folded, it will have a wider front edge than the right placket before everything is installed. So be sure to trim the Right Front Bodice where indicated on the Front Bodice pattern piece to prep for the sewn-on Button Placket installation.

Right Front Bodice Button Placket

Lay the Right Front Bodice (when worn) face up, and align the Button Placket face down on top along the straight edge, right sides touching. Sew the placket to the bodice with a 5/8” seam allowance along the entire edge.

Note: for this shirt sample, I interfaced the entire Button Placket with light weight interfacing. If interfacing half of the placket, the interfaced edge will be aligned and sewn in this step.

Next, flip the bodice over, face down, and press the seam allowance toward the placket

Trim the seam allowance to about 1/8” to 1/4”.

Press the unsewn edge of the placket to the wrong side, then fold the placket in half to the wrong side, aligning the edge fold with the placket/bodice seam. I like to actually overlap the seam by just a hair…about 1/32” or less.

From the exterior side of the bodice, edgestitch the placket in place, making sure to catch the folded edge of the placket on the interior side to secure the placket on both sides.

Left Front Bodice Button Placket

With the Left Front Bodice (when worn) facing down, fold and press the straight edge toward the wrong side by 5/8”. Then fold and press once more by 1”.

From the wrong side, edgestich the placket/center front fold in place. Then edgestitch the folded interior edge in place to finish. And that’s it!

Here’s how the two plackets should look side-by-side:

Sew the bust darts

Fold each bodice at the dart locations, with the fold of the dart toward the wrong side of the bodice. Sew the dart in place and press toward the bottom of the blouse (I always press darts down, but you can also press them up if that works better with the shape of your bust).

Now we’re ready to start assembling the bodice!