How to attach chains to your shoulder seam

This look is quite easy to accomplish! It only involves a bit of hand sewing and mostly relies on the beautiful finish the bias tape gives the sleeve line.

What you will need:
1) Bias tape. It can be the same color as your shirt or a different color for contrast!
2) about three and a half meters of chain - if you learn from my mistake. (I'll explain later)
2) thread, sewing machine and basic sewing supplies.

Measure your shoulder seam (If you're making the shirt from scrap, all you need to do is measure the shoulder seam in you pattern, if you're adding the chain to a ready made shirt, measure the shoulder seam and add about 1/2 seam allowance so that you can hem the bias tape on both sides to create a nice finish)

Cut two strips of bias tape measuring to your shoulder seam (with or without the seam allowance).

Cut your chain in to six pieces (or more if you like, but make sure you have to pieces in every length). I made the chains 40cm long, 50cm long, 60cm long. I kind of regret making the 40cm strip as it is quite short. I'd suggest making:
Two pieces of 50cm chain
Two pieces of 60cm chain
Two pieces of 70cm chain
You now have six pieces of chain that you can pair into pairs according to their size.


Mark your bias tape: Each bias strip should have three markings, I marked mine, 5 cm from the edge and then another two spaced 3 cm apart. (the 5 cm edge is the part that's close to the neckline).

Attach the chains to the bias strips: attach the 50cm chain to the 5cm marking, in a loop formation (attach the two ends of the chain to the bias tape). Now attach the next size up chain to the next marking and so on:

Next pin the bias tape to your shoulder seam with the 5cm marking closer to the neckline:

Make sure you arrange the chain in the correct manner so that when you sew it down the chain will hang from both sides of the bias tape.


Sew your bias tape to your shoulder seam with the chains stretched out on both side of the bias tape.
Then finish the blouse as you would regularly!


Admire your creation!

Also posted here.