The brand new Puff Sleeve Pattern from Made for Mermaids comes with tons of options, is designed for knits, and includes several cool hacks. Enjoy this look at the latest Made for Mermaids pattern: Pepper Top.
Pepper Puff Sleeve PDF Options
- Both Women’s and Girl’s Sizing (Women’s Hip Measurements available from 34-64″)
- Slim Fit or Puffed Banded Options
- 4 necklines (scoop, v-neck, boatneck, and Mock Turtleneck)
- 3 sleeve options (short, half, and long sleeves) & cuff options
Girl’s Pepper in Leopard 
Women’s Pepper in Leopard
Sleeve Details
The Pepper pattern is a gathered sleeve. To create the puff you run a line of gathering stitches and pull up rather than the pleats I featured on my previous puff sleeve top here. Using gathering stitches is much quicker than pleating, however, the result is not as full of a puff. Here is a look at the longer sleeve cuff vs the shorter sleeve cuff. I prefer the look of the longer cuff and feel it really pronounces the puff detail.
Short Cuff 
Button Back Hack 
Long Cuff
Fabric Suggestions
This pattern is designed for knits. Look for light-medium weight knits with at least 40% stretch. Fabrics with good drape and recovery will look best. Here I used a sweater knit from Hobby Lobby for the matching looks. This particular sweater knit was difficult to use because it stretched out easily without recovery. To fix the stretching I stabilized the shoulder seams and scoop neckline with clear elastic.
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I also used Rib Knit and a Double Brushed Poly (snake skin fabric)- these fabrics are great options for this pattern
Snake Skin 
Double Brushed Poly 
Puff Sleeve
This olive knit is a seasonal fabric from Hobby Lobby. There are many amazing rib knits out there like Telios and these from Mily Mae.
Pepper Pattern Hacks
A favorite feature of Made for Mermaids patterns is their hacks post. You can find more options to hack your Pepper Pattern on this blog post. I created the instructions for lengthening the turtleneck and adding a faux button placket. I was inspired by this look and love the way it turned out.
Final Thoughts
The Pepper Pattern is great for those looking to add a puff sleeve pattern that is easy to sew and wear. The options of a fitted top or a looser puff top option create versatility for those that don’t want their clothes fitted to the body. The instructions are easy to follow and beginners will be able to sew this top. As always, I recommend using my serger video for help or the stretch and honeycomb stitches on your sewing machine discussed here for your knit tops. Use hem tape to get flat, secure stitches on your knits.
How to Use Your Machine to Attach Buttons
Find the tutorial for adding buttons by machine HERE.
Thanks so much for reading.
Until Next Time,
Happy Sewing
About 18 years ago I decided to teach myself how to sew. Long before blogs and resources available today which meant it was often disastrous. But I never gave up because I loved it so much. Today I love helping others get started on their own sewing journey. You can read more about my family and I