Fitting the Fast & Easy way with... Sure-Fit Designs High Cowl Neck/Shirred Split Sleeve Pg. 1...Kind of a Cold-Shoulder with Cowl Neck. You'll love this new downloadable Fashion Leaflet detailing how to draw and sew the pattern for a high, modified cowl neck line and add a split sleeve which is really a fun part of the design. The elbow area of the sleeve is shirred, but that process is totally optional. Additionally, you'll be shown 2 optional styles for the front. The blue version features a blouson style finished with a high hip band, whereas the black and white stripped sample offers asymmetrical shirring on the left side seam. It's all fun and a great way to use your Dress Kit bodice blueprint. Pattern Preparation: Bodice Front 1. Trace a copy of your bodice/skirt Blueprint (skirt portion to include high hip circumference and blouse length) without seam allowances. Size down if intending to sew the blouse from knit fabric. How many dots you size down will depend on how stretchy the knit is and how tight you like to wear your blouses - see page 8 Dress Kit instruction book 'Sewing with Knit/Stretchy Fabrics'. 2. Drop shoulder line from neck point ¾ (1.9cm). Mark as point A. Mark center front neck point as B. From point A mark C ¾ (1.9cm) from point A on shoulder line. Draw a perpendicular line from apex to center front. Measure halfway between this line and neck point, mark point D. 3. Slash from D to apex. Close side bust dart thereby transferring dart fullness to CF.
Fitting the Fast & Easy way with... Sure-Fit Designs Pg. 2 4. Draw new CF line straight up from point D. 5. Slash from B to C but not through C. With C as a hinge/pivot point, raise B until the A-B line is now perpendicular to the new center front line. Extend the A-B line toward the new center front. 6. Fold tracing vellum over on A-B line toward body of bodice front. Draw facing 2 ½ (6.4cm) wide blending the shoulder line at point C. Unfold. Or to give a heavier facing drape on the inside you can extend and widen the facing shape as shown. Then unfold facing. 7. Draw a 45 true bias grainline as shown. This is extremely easy to do using the Sure-Fit Designs Line Drafter. 8. Widen hip level by about ½ (1.3cm) if desired. 9. Trace the opposite side and add seam allowance on shoulder, armhole and side seams, and hem edge. Add front single armscye notches. Alternative Side Front and Hem Treatment. Rather than 'straight' side seams, if you prefer an asymmetrical side seam with shirring, follow the directions on page 4.
Fitting the Fast & Easy way with... Sure-Fit Designs Pg. 3 Pattern Preparation: Bodice Back 10. Mark point B ¾ (1.9cm) on shoulder line down from neck point. Redraw back neck curve as shown. 11. Trace remainder of Bodice Back widening the hem at hip level if you widened the front. Lay the back over the front to trace the same side seam shape and hem level. Add 5/8 (1.6cm) seam allowances as shown. If sewing with a woven fabric plan for a center back seam (with seam allowance for zipper application). 12. Lay a piece of tracing vellum on top of back neck area. Draw back neck facing. If you have a back shoulder dart, fold it into finished position, then trace facing shape 5 (12.7cm) long at CB and the same shoulder length as the bodice front facing at shoulder line. Pattern Preparation: Bodice Sleeve 13. Trace a copy of Stretchy Sleeve blueprint. Draw a line from the top of the sleeve cap to desired hem level approximately 2 (5.1cm) above wrist level. Mark matching notches A 1 (2.5cm) down from cap notch, and B 1 (2.5cm) up from elbow level. 14. Draw separate front and back sleeve patterns with seam down the center. Add 5/8 (1.6cm) seam allowances, front and back cap notches and 1 (2.5 cm) hem allowance. 15. Use ribbing or self fabric if stretchy enough 7 (17.8cm) wide by your high hip circumference less 1 3 (2.5 7.6cm) depending on how stretchy and resilient your fabric is. Add seam allowance to all edges.
Fitting the Fast & Easy way with... Sure-Fit Designs Pg. 4 Alternative Side Front & Hem Treatment: Rather than straight side seams, you could design an asymmetric side seam with shirring. 1. Since this variation will not be finished with a hip band, lengthen the hem level at least 3 4 (7.62 10.16cm). 2. Add matching notches approximately 4 (10.16cm) down from underarm and 6 (15.24cm) up from hem line on both left front and left back side seam. 3. On left side front, draw 4 slash lines across to right side front. 4. Cut slash lines through left side, but not through right side seam. Right side seam provides hinge/pivot points. Spread left side open at least 2 2 ½ times the space between the notches. 5. When sewing, gather left side front until notches on front side seam match with notches on left back side seam.
Fitting the Fast & Easy way with... Sure-Fit Designs Pg. 5 General Sewing Construction Steps: 1. Edge finish, serge/overlock upper edge of bodice neck facing. 2. Fold front facing toward inside on fold line. Keep shoulder edges even. Baste together. This stitching will also act as staystitching. 3. If you have back shoulder darts, sew and press in place. 6. Open out back neck facing at shoulder edge. With right sides together, match front to back bodice shoulder seams. Clip to stitching on front shoulder seam if necessary allowing the seam allowance to spread open to match the length of the back shoulder seam. Baste. 7. Seam finish shoulder seam with serger if available. Turn back facing over shoulder seam on bodice front. Stitch through all thicknesses of shoulder seam. 8. Trim and grade shoulder seam if it hasn t been serged. Turn back neck facing toward inside enclosing a portion of the shoulder seam. Press with shoulder seams folded toward back bodice. 4. Interface back neck facing. Edge finish, serge/overlock lower edge. With right sides together, pin facing to bodice back neck edge matching center back. Stitch seam. Trim and clip neck curve. 9. If sewing with woven fabric insert a long zipper at CB using either a centered application or an invisible zipper. Turn CB facing edges to neatly cover top of zipper tape. 5. Understitch back neck facing. Turn facing to inside and press. 10. With right sides together, stitch front to back bodice at side seams.
Fitting the Fast & Easy way with... Sure-Fit Designs Pg. 6 11. With right sides together, join short ends of hip band. 12. Fold band wrong sides together enclosing previous seam. Pin and quarter hip band. Pin and quarter hem edge of bodice. With right sides together sew hip band to bodice hem edge. Stretch band as needed. Serge to seam finish if desired. 15. If elastic shirring is desired in the center near the hem level of the sleeve, prepare hem edge. Press a fold line where the hem will turn inside. Mark a start and stop cross mark the length of the distance to be shirred. The length to be shirred in this example is 6 (15.24 cm). The shirring elastic is 3 ½ (8.89 cm) long. a. Cut narrow 1/8 (3mm) wide elastic half the length of the distance to be shirred, plus ½ (1.3 cm) which allows ¼ (0.6 cm) on either end to secure elastic to the fabric. b. Secure elastic at one end. Stretch elastic as you zigzag over top being careful not to catch the elastic in the stitches. Secure at opposite end. 13. With right sides together, stitch the center seam from hem to first notch with regular stitch length. Baste in between the notches. Then with regular stitch length complete the center seam from the upper notch to the sleeve cap. Press seam open. 16. Right sides together, stitch underarm seam of sleeve. Hem sleeve. 14. For decorative purposes and to hold the seam allowance in place, top stitch ¼ (0.6cm) from on either side of center seam in between notches. Remove the basting stitches. 17. Stitch sleeve into bodice with your preferred method.