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1. Cut little 1/4" slits in the neckline of your bodice pieces. Do not cut deeper than that.
2. Take your bias tape and sew it to each neckline. Sew it so that either side of the bias tape is on either side of your neckline, hiding the raw edge of your fabric. See step 3 before you sew onto neckline...
3. NOTICE THAT YOUR BIAS TAPE HAS A SHORTER SIDE. That is side you want on the right side of your fabric. That is also the side that you want to sew on. Sew as close to the edge of the tape as possible. Go slow. I do. Don't get impatient. The reason that one side is shorter is so that you catch both sides of the bias tape when you are sewing.
ALSO BE SURE TO KEEP THE RAW EDGE OF YOUR NECKLINE INSIDE THE BIAS TAPE. Since the bias tape is so thin, it's easy to accidentally move the raw edge of your fabric out from inside the bias tape as you sew. It's a little tricky but go slow.
4. Iron. Your neckline might seem a little funky after you sew the bias tape because you've stretched and pulled it so much. I usually spray some starch and position it the way it should look on the ironing board and iron in place.
5. Do steps 1-4 for the armholes.
6. Sew the front bodice to the back bodice, right sides together at the shoulder seams and side seams.
DONE FOR TODAY. It's starting to look like a dress!
Like not spending money?
37 {comments}:
I'm using a knit which I haven't worked with before. I have the right needle but I don't know much more than to use that.
Do I want to use bias tape with my knit??
Killer fabric - as usual :)
One question - I, not knowing any differently, do my bias tape after sewing the shoulders and sides together... Is there a particular reason you've done the bias tape first? I don't want to flub anything up :)
GuysGirlKnits,
I wouldn't use the regular bias tape. But there's a couple things you could do.
The best thing I would recommend is fold over elastic. That is used with knits a lot like for tank tops. Here's an example:
http://www.craftstylish.com/item/19131/how-to-use-fold-over-elastic
Or you could do is make your own knit bias tape. But that might be difficult as it is stretchy. But here's a tutorial for making your own bias tape:
http://www.savvyseams.com/techniques/biastape.php
Finally, the easiest thing you can do is if you have a serger I'd serge the edges, pin then fold over and hem by 5/8". If you don't have a serger just fold over, pin and hem all the edges.
Sarah,
You can do that too. The reason I do it before is that I can avoid trying to stretch it to the curve of my neckline at the shoulders and the underarms. This pattern has an especially sharp curve at the neckline by the shoulders and using bias tape after you've sewn the pieces together might get a little trickier.
Ahhh... Makes sense! Thank you!
thank you so much for all the effort you put into this!!!!!
take care!
XoXo
Lulu
Where do you get most of your fabric? I've been having a hard time finding prints that are not the same allover.
Kathleen-
I really wanted to put a v-neck into this dress because this neckline isn't super flattering for me. How does that work with bias tape? Is that drastically more difficult? I hope that's not a silly question, I've never used bias tape before and I'm a little nervous!
This one might be simple enough for me to attempt. I'm a newbie/admirer only so I'm not skilled at all (yet?).
Question- where oh where did you get your fabric??
Thanks for the help!
On the front (I think) piece, there's a little kink right at the armpit. How did you sew that such that everything lines up? Do you stretch it so the right angle lies straight when you pin it to the other side?
Leah,
Here's a good photo illustration of how to use bias tape to make a v neck.
http://nikkishell.typepad.com/wardroberefashion/2009/06/bias-tape-makes-a-v-neck.html
Michelle & Anna,
Actually I found this at JoAnn's. They might have some at a local JoAnn's near you. Occasionally I get stuff off etsy or ebay too.
On the back piece there is an odd V shaped bit that sticks out on the side right below the armhole. How do we line that up with the front piece?
Is it a dart of some kind?
Rachel,
You're right. I made another kink in the other side. BUT if I had to do it over again I would have just pulled the kink straight. I think that's the right way to do it.
I've decided to be bold and use a charmeuse...I've never sewn with one before. Would you recommend making your own bias tape with charmeuse scraps? I'm using the thinest needles I have and silk pins. Any other pointers you could offer?
Thank you!!
Lisa,
I made another kink in the other side. BUT if I had to do it over again I would have just pulled it straight when I was sewing down the side. I think that's the right way to do it. It is strange.
A,
I made my own bias tape for this dress too. And my fabric is very flimsy and silky and difficult to control. I have a bias tape gizmo that helps. Here's a picture of what it looks like:
http://creativelittledaisy.typepad.com/creative_little_daisy/images/2007/11/22/dscf3934.jpg
I also used a LOT of spray starch.
If you don't have that little bias tape maker here's a great tutorial for making your own bias tape:
http://www.savvyseams.com/techniques/biastape.php
hey...do you think that you can just sew the bias tape the regular way that you use it to do necklines and sleeves if you don't want to have the exposed bias...would that work out fine on this dress you think?
I love your fabric. Its going to make one pretty dress!
♥Michelle
Jennifer,
Could you explain a little more for me, I was a little confused, do you mean like facing? And then you want to iron it down? What kind of bias tape do you have? Is it double folded?
Thanks for the tip on the starch, it saved a lot of trouble.
After reading a tut on Burda last night, I think I'm going to try a French seam on the sides since the fabric is semi-sheer. Hope it works out.
yeah like the facing i guess....normally when i do armholes like on a sleeveless dress i use bias tape to do them...i sew it down to the right side adn then turn it back over to the wrong side of the fabric or the inside of the armhole on the dress and sew it down so what i am wondering is can i do that on this dress as not to have exposed bias tape it will be folded in to the inside and sewn down??? i am terribile at explaning things!!! i can make matching bias if needed but was thinking that i would rather not to have the exposed bias if possibile???...
Jennifer,
That sounds fine and it sounds like you've done it before so I would just go ahead and do it for this dress if you do not want your bias tape to show. Just secure it to the seams at the shoulders and the underarm or topstitch on the rightside along the seam.
I've decided that bias is a four-letter word for a reason. I think I got a bad strip of tape... its next to impossible to figure out which side is bigger than the other, and since my thread matches the fabric, not the bias tape, I was trying to sew it on the other way (open it, sew it down, then close it back up and stitch in the ditch) so the thread wouldn't show and I could NOT get it to work. Bah!
So instead I've been ironing the back of the tape open, and its fiddly stuff. I've only got the neckline done. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the kids will nap tomorrow. :)
Hi Kathleen, thanks for doing this tutorial! I was just wondering, why do you cut the little slits in the neckline before adding the bias tape? Thanks!
on going around the curve, do i need to make sure not to straighten out the dress and also not stretch out the bias? i'm sorry if this is a really basic/obvious question but trying to learn. thanks!
Lori,
You don't have to, I just did this so that it might be easier to adjust with the bias tape.
Would it be possible to make neck and sleeve facings instead of using bias tape?
Also, I have really sheer fabric. How would I make a lining for this dress?
Thanks so much - this is a great idea! There are four of us working together on this project at our end.
Nina,
I think stretching is inevitable. But of course, try not to as much as you can. When you're done, lay it on the ironing board in the shape it should look and iron it. If you have spray starch use that too. If you don't use the steam setting on your iron.
Karin,
Yes, you could make your own facings. Someone else decided to do that. I would just take the front and back pattern and make a 4" facing from the neckline of those patterns.
As for a lining, I would just cut a lining material from the same pattern as the dress and lay it underneath the sheer fabric as if it were one piece.
Also, if you decided to do a lining you wouldn't have to do a facing. You could just sew the front piece to the front lining at the neck right sides together. Then the back piece to the back lining at the neck, right sides together.
Sew the ends of the sleeves to the lining, right sides together.
Clip curves on necklines, turn both pieces right side out and iron.
Then sew the front piece to the back piece at the shoulder seams and side seams, right sides together. Then turn right side out.
Thanks so much for your tip on making a lining! I've never done one before, and that is a really simple explanation. It will be perfect for my somewhat sheer fabric.
Im not seeing the seam allowance ...is it 5/8"
Susan,
Yes, 5/8".
Should I be working with right sides of the fabric together?
Anonymous,
Yes.
I don't know what I'm doing wrong with such a simple pattern, but I can't get the sleeves to come together right at the bottom- because of that extra little V- shaped piece on one pattern side. Are you saying you added a V-shaped piece to the other side of the pattern? Do you think it would work if I just cut two copies of the front pattern?
Thanks!
cat,
If you are having problems then just cut another little notch like I did on the other side of the pattern. You don't have to cut a whole new piece.
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