‘Cholakaapta’ – Blouse Adjuster for fitting Sari Blouses

Introducing the concept of easily fitting any sari blouse bodice with an easy blouse fitter panel named ‘Cholakaapta’ – the Blouse Adjuster, its types and usage tips.

Namaste Dear Tantu Enthusiast!

Are you always ‘festival ready’? Or do you often sit and try ‘to get that good fit on your blouse’ in the last moment?

Most of us fall under second category. I always thought how to get rid of frequent blouse adjustments. I have got solutions too. We have talked about temporary solutions to sari blouse bodice adjustments for slight weight gains in our previous article. This post is an introduction to the permanent solutions with the concept of Cholakaapta.

Cholakaapta – The Blouse Adjuster

What is a Cholakaapta?

Cholakaapta is a rectangular panel for blouse bodice adjustment with hooks and eyes fastening to attach with blouse at its fastening. The blouse hooks are fastened with eyes on the blouse adjuster and blouse adjuster hooks are fastened to the eyes in the blouse to increase bodice size. Size variation is achieved by adding either shirring, tucks or eyes.

Cholakaapta – Idea and Name

It was a ‘Eureka’ moment when the thought of a Blouse Adjuster came to me. It was after Vallabhi was born. I was badly in need of adjusting my blouses like every new mother. After reconfirming N times with Amma, I knew the adjustments needed were temporary. So, undoing side seams was a waste. Then, the idea of Cholakaapta flashed.

The idea came to life in April 2016. I named it as ‘Cholakaapta’. ‘Cholaka’ refers to blouse and ‘Aapta’ refers to friend in Bharatiya (Indian) languages. Cholakaapta can be abbreviated as ‘Aapta’. Wearing a blouse with ‘Cholakaapta’ (blouse adjuster) was so comfortable that I don’t know how I resisted my eagerness to share it with you. Finally, the time to share the idea has come! May we have a quick overview of the types of blouse adjuster?

Cholakaapta Types 

Shirred Cholakaapta

This Cholakapta is a shirred rectangular panel having hooks in one side and eyes in the other side. Shirring controls the amount of fabric stretched at various points.

This is the first Cholakaapta I designed thinking of expecting moms and new moms. But, anyone can use this to adjust bodices. Read how to make a Shirred Cholakaapta here.

Eye-controlled Tucked Cholakaapta or Cholakaapta with Tucks 

This Cholakaapta is shaped with tucks. This thin layered blouse adjuster gives more shaped fit. In blouses, the size change is more in the prominent part of the bust than in the other parts. So, tucks are used to shape the panel. Then, as the size varies time to time, extra eyes are added at desired points. Since, tucks and eyes control the bodice adjustments, the name eye-controlled tucked Cholakaapta is given. 

This is the refined blouse adjuster designed after sewing a shirred Cholakaapta. This adjuster is useful when size changes are not much and are not much frequent. This type of Cholakaapta goes well with plain sari blouses and princess cut blouses.

Anyone can use this adjuster for blouse bodice fitting. Those who experience frequent size changes may add eyes to the adjuster time to time.

Eye-controlled Cholakaapta or Cholakaapta with Eyes 

This is a simple rectangular panel designed for blouses with back fastening. This can be used with front fastening blouses too, when the size variation is equal from upper bust to the lower part. The eyes control the shaping and sizing in this Cholakaapta with Eyes.

Cholakaapta  – Some Styling Tips

• Cholakaapta is a solution to the fitting issues due to weight gains when sleeves don’t need adjustments.
• Cholakaapta may be paired with both front opening and back opening blouses.
• Visibility of the Cholakaapta depends upon the sari draping style. A lehnga style sari draping reveals Cholakaapta while a Gujarati style draping doesn’t. Design, colour and style variation may be done in adjusters.
• Skin colour/beige is the best choice for a Cholakaapta. It can be used with blouses of almost any light colour. Brown colour recedes and blends well with skin colour. This is suitable for dark coloured and autumn coloured blouses. Black coloured adjuster goes well with most dark coloured blouses. This tip is for the sari blouse worn with Nivi style draping in which Cholakaapta is invisible to the viewers.
• You may follow these tricks for a temporary solution to adjust blouse bodice slightly.

Dear Tantu Enthusiast, hope you like the Cholakaapta. Please feel free to use any adjuster for your personal use. You may want to take the idea to your dress-maker too. Detailed instructions of different types of Cholakaapta making will be discussed in the coming posts. You may use them for your personal use too. I am happy to share the idea. All I want is a smile on your face. Let’s be festival ready! Thank you!