Sew-Along #12 - Olivia Top and Girly Skirt - Lesson #1

The Olivia Top and Girly Skirt 

Welcome to the Olivia Top and Girly Skirt sew-along.  If you have any questions, suggestions, or tips to share; please make sure to post them on our Facebook group.

Please read the directions in your Olivia Top and Girly Skirt patterns all the way through before you begin.  It's probably a good idea to read through this lesson once too before you begin.

I also want to remind everyone that if you would like to see any of the images posted in this blog larger, just click on them. Let's begin now.

Day 1 - Trace and Cut

Depending on which view you chose to make, cut your pieces according to the chart below.  Too see which fabric is Fabric #1, #2, and #3 please look at the listing for the kit you purchases.  Click here to see all of the kits.

View A	View B
Girly Skirt Main - Fabric #1	Girly Skirt Main - Fabric #1
Girly Skirt Hem Band - Fabric #2	Girly Skirt Hem Band - Fabric #3
Girly Skirt Waistband - Fabric #3	Girly Skirt Waistband - Fabric #3
Olivia Top Main - Fabric #2	Olivia Top Main - Fabric #2
Olivia Top Sleeves - Fabric #1	Olivia Top Sleeves - Fabric #2
Olivia Top Ruffle (optional) - Fabric #3	Olivia Top Ruffle (optional) - Fabric #2

The Olivia Top - Begin by either cutting the actual pattern pieces or transfer the desired size to freezer paper. If you are transferring your desired size onto freezer paper follow the steps below.

First, fussy cut around your pattern pieces.  Next, iron your pattern pieces to remove any wrinkles or creases.  Then, place the pattern pieces on a flat surface, lay the freezer paper on top with the glossy side down, and trace around the pattern.  I use a sharpie marker to trace. 
 If you are having trouble you can always use a sharpie to darken the lines on the original pattern.  I usually have to do this for tissue paper patterns.

Make sure you transfer all markings to your freezer paper pieces.  I also write all of the information I need on the freezer paper, such as pattern name, size, how many to cut, etc.

Next you will iron your freezer pattern pieces onto your fabric. Please make sure when you iron the freezer paper onto the fabric that the glossy side is down on the fabric.

DO NOT touch the iron to the glossy side of your freezer paper! It will melt and make a mess of your iron.

Run the iron along the freezer paper until it is stuck to the fabric.  Then, place your fabric on a solid surface and carefully trim off the excess fabric with a sharp pair of shears or a rotary cutter.  

The Girly Skirt - You can use a rotary cutter and mat or scissors are fine also. If you use a rotary cutter, the seams and hems are much cleaner and more accurate.  Most of the time I don't use a rotary cutter but I found it came in handy for the skirt.  Cut one skirt panel using the given measurements.

Note: If you have prewashed your fabric (which is a VERY good idea to do) your fabric might not be wide enough for what the pattern calls you to cut it on the main skirt panels and hem band pieces. For instance, a size 7 hem band is to be cut 22" wide on the fold.  Since the fabric started at 44", when folded it becomes 22".  But, when prewashed the width shrinks.  Do not worry about this.  Just cut your pieces to the width of the fabric.  I've made MANY of these skirts and they always turn out adorable even when the width is a little short.  This is a very full skirt with lots of gathers so the inch or two missing will not even be noticed.

Most of the time, it is really important to line up the pattern on the fabric.  This particular fabric is very difficult to line up perfectly because of the repeat.  If you were to line it up perfectly, you would be wasting a lot of fabric.  Let's line up the fabric the best we can.  Start with the panel of fabric that is already cut and iron a 3/8" seam.

Using the ironed edge, place it on the spot that you think looks the best.  Most of the time, I choose the exact spot where the fabric pattern matches up.  This fabric is almost impossible to match up exactly, so I placed it where I thought it looked the best.  Once you are happy with the fabric placement, cut the second skirt panel.

When the cutting is complete you will have the following.

The Girly Skirt:

Drop Waistband (1)

Main Skirt Panel (2)

Hem Band (2)

Elastic cut to size

The Olivia Top:

Sleeve (2)

Bodice Front or piece #1 (1)

Bodice Back or piece #2 (1)

Ruffle, optional (2)

Headband, optional (1)

Come back tomorrow to complete the skirt!  Yay!

* If you would like to enter the prize drawing, please make sure you submit a picture of your completed lesson to the Facebook Album by 8:00 AM CT, Tuesday, February 25th. Also, if you have any questions the Facebook Group is a great place to ask.