Sew-Along #25 - Sarah Top and Tess Skirt - Preparations

The Sarah Swing Top and Tess Twirl Skirt by Bella Marie Boutique

Items to Collect

1. You must have the Bella Marie Boutiqe Sarah Swing Top and Tess Twirl Skirt patterns to be able to take part in this sew-along.  If you have not yet purchased these, please do so here ASAP. Both patterns are PDF instant downloads.
   
2. If you do not have fabric for the project you will want to purchase that also.  At the time of this writing we do have fabric kits available.  We also have lots of fun fabric selections on our website.
   
3. The pattern is a PDF pattern.  You will need a printer, paper, and tape to print and put together your pattern pieces.  We will go over how to piece your pattern together in the first sew-along lesson. 
4. The skirt requires ¾" wide elastic for the waistband.  If you purchased a kit, you will have received the elastic you need.  If not, please make sure to have some on hand.
5. The top require 3-6 buttons. Again, if you purchased a kit from us you will have received them in your kit. 
   
6. You will need coordinating thread to complete this project.  It's good to have a couple of spools on hand.
7.  And finally, you will need pins (or wonder clips), a sewing machine, a good iron (a steam iron is preferable for sewing), a pair of fabric shears or a rotary cutter and mat (a rotary cutter and mat is a lifesaver!), a ruler, and a fabric pen or chalk. 
   
   

Optional Items to Collect - The following items are totally optional. 

1. We will be making ruching strips for the top and skirt.  While this can be done on a sewing machine, if you have a serger that can do a rolled hem, it's the recommended method. No need to own a serger though if you don't already have one.
   
   
   
2. We won't be going over it for this sew-along, but you might want to trace the pattern pieces onto freezer paper.  It makes cutting out your fabric super simple.  If you desire to make freezer paper pattern pieces please make sure to have some freezer paper on hand.  You can find freezer paper at most grocery stores where the wax paper and aluminum foil. 
   
3. A sharpie or other permanent marker for tracing your pattern pieces onto the freezer paper is helpful if you choose to do this step.  I recommend a black sharpie as the colored ones, though more fun, can tend to transfer onto your fabrics when you iron over them.

Things to Do

1. Make sure to prewash and preshrink all of your fabrics.  I wash my fabrics on warm or hot and then I dry my fabrics in the dryer with no softeners.  I always preshrink in this way when I am using fabric for clothing construction. I would hate to work hard on something only to have it shrink and not fit when I was done. Smaller cuts of fabric can be washed in a lingerie bag to help prevent the fabric edges from unraveling.
2. Press all of your fabrics (but not your fusible interfacing) well.  I try to do this straight out of the dryer so that the wrinkles come out easier.   
3. Make sure to download the pattern and tutorial onto your computer, tablet, or smart phone. Your pattern will be located in your order history on our site.  Log into your account, then click on the My Account at the very top right hand side of our site.  You will then see a list of your orders.  Click on the correct order and a download link will be available. 
4. Don't forget to join our Facebook Sew-Along Group so you can post your progress pictures. Everyone who posts completed lesson pictures, on time, to the Facebook Group, will be entered into drawings to win some awesome prizes!

The Prizes

Check out these awesome prizes we will be giving away on the Facebook Group during the sew-along!  Over $100 in prizes!

1. The Sun & Surf Pattern by Modkid - $11.70 shipped value.
2. The Sun & Surf Pattern by Modkid - $11.70 shipped value.
3. $10 Gift Certificate to WhimsicalFabric.com - $10.00 value.
4. $10 Gift Certificate to WhimsicalFabric.com - $10.00 value.
5. $10 Gift Certificate to WhimsicalFabric.com - $10.00 value.
6. $10 Gift Certificate to WhimsicalFabric.com - $10.00 value.
7. Your choice of any Bella Marie Boutique PDF Pattern - $9.95 value.
8. Your choice of any Bella Marie Boutique PDF Pattern - $9.95 value. 
9. 1 yard of Hayley Crouse's Color Me Fabric - $14.75 shipped value.
10. 1 yard of Hayley Crouse's Color Me Fabric - $14.75 shipped value.

We will give out entries for the prize pool drawing during the sew-along. There are three different ways to earn entries into the prize drawing.

1. Each day that you turn in an assignment on time you will receive 1 entry per item you create. Thus, the more items you make, the more entries you will receive.
2. We will also award 1 entry for purchasing the BMB Sarah pattern and 1 entry for purchasing the BMB Tess pattern using the coupon code SewAlongSavings.
3. In addition, if you purchased a fabric kit from the Sew-Along #25 Category, using the coupon code SewAlongSavings, we will award you another 2 entries for each kit.  *Note: Patterns purchased within the kit count as pattern purchases outlined in step #2 above.

Happy Sewing,
Danielle Storm
www.whimsicalfabric.com