Sew-Along #23 - Addison and Addison Mini Dress - Lesson #2

The Addison and Addison Mini Dresses by Modkid

Today we will sew our bodice and sleeves of the girl's dress. This dress ahs a beautiful vintage look to it but is fairly easy to construct.

NOTE: Please sure to read through today's lesson in the pattern before begins as well.  This girls dress also is sewn with a 1/2" seam allowance.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or tips to share; please make sure to post them on our Facebook group.  Also, if you would like to see any of the images larger that are posted in this blog, just click on them to enlarge. 

Let's get started!!

Bodice Construction: 

1. Take your  two front main bodice pieces and the two interfacing pieces. Place the interfacing onto the wrong side of bodice pieces against front edges on both sides with the interfacing shinny side down. Press onto fabric using hot dry iron. The interfacing will give extra support for the buttonholes and buttons.

2. Take your main bodice piece and lay it down with the right side facing up. Now place your main front bodice pieces onto the back bodice with right sides together matching up the shoulders. Pin the shoulders and stitch in place. *the front bodice pieces are shorter than the back bodice* Trim the shoulder seams to a 1/4" and press open. ( I trim mine to help reduce the bulk in the seam areas.) Repeat these steps with the lining bodice pieces. 

3. Place your lining sewn bodice down with right side facing up and place the main bodice over top of the lining right side down. (The right sides of both bodice main and lining are facing each other now.) Pin together along both front sides and neck line. Stitch around the front using an 1" seam allowance on the edge of the interfacing you fused onto you bodice front pieces and a 1/2" around the neck line. 

4. Trim corners and seam allowance along neck line. Clip into neck line as well so the front and neck line will lay flat when turned and pressed. Turn and press along the sewn area. 

5. Edge stitch around the front bottom edge, neckline and down the other front edge. Stitch button holes at this time and cut buttonholes open as well. 

6. Take the two front bodices and over lap the wearer's right side by an inch and pin in place. Pin the front bodice main to the front bodice lining. Pin all the way across the bottom edge of the front bodices with the main and lining bodices together. Baste these together all the way across the bottom of the front bodice. 

7. Now take the back bodice and pin together the bottom edge of the lining and main back bodice. Baste all the way across the bottom back. 

8. This is what the front and back bodice should look like now. Both front and back main/lining basted together. This way the bodice pieces will not shift in the next couple of steps sewing. 

Sewing the Waist Band:

1. Take the front waist band piece and place it with wrong side facing down. Take the interfacing piece and place it with the shinny side down. Fuse, or press onto waist band using a hot, dry iron. 

2. Take the lining waist band and main waist band with wrong sides together. Pin in place.  

3. Stitch a basting stitch across both the top and bottom of the waist band. (the two long sides only) This will keep the pieces together nicely for attaching onto the dress and the skirt. 

4. Place the waist band top onto the bottom of the front bodice with right sides together. Pin in place, stitch. Finish raw edge of this seam with either a zig zag stitch or serge edge. Press this seam towards the waist band.

5. Stitch the seam in place to the waist band by top stitching the waist band close to the edge of the waist band itself. 

Sewing the Ties:

1. Take your tie pieces and fold in half with right sides together and pin along angled edge and the long side, leaving the short straight side unpinned for turning. Stitch. Clip corners and trim, turn and press. Top stitch around the ties.

2. Pin the ties onto the front dress bodice on both sides leaving matching up the top of the ties to the top of the front band and leaving about a 1/2" on the bottom of the front bodice free, baste in place. (The 1/2" space below  the ties will be the seam allowance for attaching the skirt.) 

Sewing the Sleeves:

1. Sew a gating stitch between the dots you transferred on the top and bottom of both sleeves. 

2. Take the top of the sleeve and match the center of it to the shoulder seams, pin in place. Gather sleeve to fit armscye and pin along the both sides.  Stitch in place, finish seam, then press seam towards the sleeve. 

3. Fold the front bodice and back bodice with right sides facing and matching up under arm seam, pin in place. 

4. Stitch side, then finish seam. I used a serge seam so I pressed my seam to the back of the dress bodice. 

We all done with today's lesson, come back tomorrow to finish up the little girl's dress!

* If you would like to enter the prize drawing, please make sure you submit a picture of your completed lesson two to the Facebook Album by 12:00 noon CT, Monday, March 30th.  Also, if you have any questions the Facebook Group is a great place to ask.

Sharon