Sew-Along #29 - Fairy Tale Dress - Lesson #4

The Fairy Tale Dress by Oliver+S

** If you would like to see an image on our blog in a larger format, just click on it to enlarge.

Note: Links to products within this post are either links to our website or affiliate links.

Welcome to Day 3 of the Oliver+S Fairy Tale Dress sew along!

If you do not have your pattern yet you can purchase it from the shop. It is in PDF format so you can print today and be ready to start. You can also purchase a kit as well from the shop. It has everything you need, other than thread, to make a gorgeous dress.

Fairy Tale Dress PDF Pattern 

Fairy Tale Dress Kit 

Before you begin today's lesson please read all of the pattern directions. In today's lesson we will be finishing up our dresses! We will make the slip skirt with crinoline, add the belt to View A, hand sew the lining onto the zipper and add the hook and eye to the top back of the dress.

1. Finish the back center edges of the skirt lining.  

2. Then, transfer the dot from the skirt pattern. We are going to measure ½" down from this mark and mark as second spot. The line (the newest mark we just made) will be our new sewing starting point on the skirt lining. 

3. Take the two back skirt lining pieces and pin them together with right sides facing. Stitch them together starting at the mark we made, stitching down to the bottom of the skirt.

4. Press the seam open all the way to the top of the skirt back, even the un-sewn part of the skirt. This will make it easier to add the crinoline onto the dress.

5. Take your lining skirt front and sew it onto the lining skirt back with the right sides facing. Finish your seams and then press open.

6. To hem the lining skirt, sew a basting stitch ½" from the raw edge all the way around.

7. Press up your bottom edge at the stitch line all the way around. 

8. Take your hem and fold it over so that the raw edge is sandwiched inbetween the fold. Press in place. This will make for a ¼" hem. Press well all the way around, then machine stitch in place.

9. Sew the tulle crinoline in the very same manner as the lining skirt, but do not hem or finish the edges as the tulle does not unravel. 

10. Pin the tulle crinoline skirt to the lining skirt with the two wrong sides facing together. Pin along the top and the back opening with the two skirts flush with each other.

11. Now, stitch the two together all the way around, including the back opening part for the zipper, pivoting at the bottom of the opening and continue sewing up the other side. 

12. Next, sew a gathering stitch all the way around the top of the lining/crinoline skirt.

13. Turn the dress inside out and pull the lining bodice up away from the main dress.

14. With the lining skirt right side facing the lining bodice right side, pin together starting at the folded edge of the skirt and bodice. Do not unfold these but rather pin them together as is.

15. Working your way around, match up the notches on the skirt lining to the side seams, darts, and notches of the bodice. Gather the skirt up evenly and pin in place. 

16. Sew together. Finish the seam allowances.

17. For this part of the dress I tuck my serger threads through the top of the overlocked threads with a tapestry needle for a clean look. This is how I finish all of my serger ends that are visible, like View A's sleeves.

18. Press the seam on the dress lining up towards the bodice.

For View B Skip Down to Step 39.
19. View A Only - Take your belt piece that was cut along the bias and fold it in half lengthwise, with the right sides facing together. Pin as you go. 

20. Stitch the long edge of this piece, stretching it slightly as you sew.

21. Trim the seam down for turning.

22. Turn your belt piece. I use a sturdy safety pin for mine,but you can also use a bodkin.

23. Take your turned belt and roll it with your fingers to help the seam to lay flat. Do not press the tubing flat. Leave it as is so it has some depth to it.

24. To add the belt to the dress, take the one raw edge of the belt and tuck ½" of the end inside the tubing.

25. Pin this to the back edge of the dress, but do not but it up against the very back edge, pull it out about a 1/16" so that you can still unzip/zip the dress easily. Pin the belt around the entire dress to the opposite back edge. 

26. Cut the belt a ½" longer than where it meets the back edge. Tuck a ½" of the raw edge back into the tubing as before. Pin in place.

27. Hand stitch the belt into place. I use a ladder stitch for this as well. I start on the short back end of the belt and stitch it to the dress, taking lots of very tiny stitches.

28. To sew it to the long side of the bodice, insert the needle into the belt and pull it back out, making an 1/8" stitch.

29. Take the needle and push it into the dress at the bottom of the bodice seam line right where the needle came out of the belt. Pull the needle through an 1/8".

30. Now, push the needle into the belt again right above where the thread came out of the bodice. Pull the needle through 1/8" again.

31. Pull all these threads taut. This is what it should look like. Repeat this stitching all the way around until you reach the other side of the zipper opening. Stitch the short end of the belt down, then come back up and ladder stitch the top of the belt in place.

32. To make the bow for the belt, take the left over piece that you cut form the belt and cut it to 7½" long. Mark the ¼", 2½" and 5" spots on the tubing.

33. Then, fold up your tubing, matching the markings you just made.

34. Stitch these together to hold them in place.

35. Take the long tail and fold it up at an angle and wrap it around the bow (this side that is pictured will be the back of the bow). Fold the raw edge of the tail up and wrap it to the back side of the bow. 

36. Stitch the folded edge of the tail to the back side of the bow.

37. Now we have a bow! "Fluff" the bow up a little.

38. Hand stitch the bow to the belt of the dress. Now this really does look like a dress. We are almost done!! If your little girl is anything like mine she had to try it on at this point. Yes, my little girl gets just as excited as I do about sewing dresses.

 

39. All Views - Flip the dress inside out and pin the dress lining to the zipper tape. Notice how the lining does not go all the way to the edge of the zipper tape. This is so the zipper can go up and down without being caught in the lining bodice. Ladder stitch the lining bodice and the top of the skirt lining in place.

40. Lastly, sew the hook and eye onto the top back of the dress. (Mine looks crooked, but it was the angle of the photo. Sorry.) That's it! We are all done!!

Try the newly sewn dress on your little girl {or get it in the mail off to your granddaughter(s)} and admire your work!! 

Thank you so much for joining us for our Fairy Tale Dress Sew Along! 

 

Happy Holiday Sewing ladies!!!
Sharon

* If you would like to earn entries into the prize drawing, please make sure to submit a photo of your completed Lesson Four to this Facebook Album by 12:00 noon CST, Monday, December 14th. If you have any questions the Facebook Group is a great place to ask.

Happy Sewing,

Danielle Storm

www.whimsicalfabric.com

Sew-Along #29 - Fairy Tale Dress - Lesson #3

The Fairy Tale Dress by Oliver+S

** If you would like to see an image on our blog in a larger format, just click on it to enlarge.

Note: Links to products within this post are either links to our website or affiliate links.

Welcome to Day 3 of the Oliver+S Fairy Tale Dress sew along!

If you do not have your pattern yet you can purchase it from the shop. It is in PDF format so you can print today and be ready to start. You can also purchase a kit as well from the shop. It has everything you need, other than thread, to make a gorgeous dress.

Fairy Tale Dress PDF Pattern 

Fairy Tale Dress Kit 

Before you begin today's lesson please read all of the pattern directions first. In today's lesson we will be sewing the collar, attaching the bodice lining to the main bodice, sewing the sleeve or arm binding (depending on which view you are making), and sewing the skirt hem. You can machine stitch your hem and arm binding but I will show you how to hand stitch them.

1. Grab your collar pieces for either view A or B. Using a hot iron, apply your interfacing pieces to the wrong side of two collar pieces only. (I have both views show here.)

2. Take your other two collar pieces and place them on top of the interfaced collar pieces with the right sides together. Pin around the collar, leaving the top (or the neck side) unpinned.

  

3. Stitch around the collar where we just pinned, leaving the the top of the collar un-sewn. Trim the seam allowance and clip the corners. This allows for sharper points and smoother edges when turned. The collar piece on the left is before trimming and the one on the right is the trimmed collar piece.

4. Turn and finger press. Be sure to push the corners out well. This will insure a nice and evenly pressed collar. Then, press with a hot iron.

  

5. Baste the top of the collar (neck side) to hold the two collar pieces together. Do this with both views.

6. Take your dress and unzip it. Then, turn it inside out. Take your collar pieces and match them up to the center front of the dress at the center notch mark. Pin in place. Match the notches in the center of the collar up to the shoulder seams and pin. Continue pinning the collar in place. (Note that the collar will stop before the back edge. Also be sure that the back seam allowance is unfolded.)

7. Baste collar in place leaving the dress inside out for easier stitching.

8. Take your bodice lining and place it with the right side of the main bodice and lining bodice together, matching shoulder seams and notches. Pin in place. Keep the main bodice back seam allowance unfolded and keep the lining bodice back seam allowance folded. The lining bodice seam will be sewn while folded in place. Stitch around with a ½" seam.

9. Also note that the collar will be sticking out just beyond the lining of the dress.

10. To finish the back edge, take your main bodice (the edge that has the zipper on it) and fold it over onto the back lining. See the next two photos below of this step. Pin in place.

11. You will sew the back folded edge in place with a ½" seam allowance. This will make for a nicely turned edge where the top back of the dress opens.

12. Trim the seam down and clip into curves.

13. With the lining of the bodice pulled back, press the seam towards the bodice lining all the way around.

14. To help keep the dress lining from rolling forward while the dress is worn we will be under stitching the seam to the bodice lining. I stitch mine with a 1/16" seam as close to the back edges as I can and all the way around. The most important thing is to be sure to sew the seam to the lining. 

15. Turn the lining inside the bodice and press well. Your dress is starting to look impressive already!

16. Take you bodice, and working on the right side now, match the bodice main to the bodice lining at the arm holes. Pin in place and baste together with a 3/8" seam.

17. I always stitch mine with the right side facing out and by placing the lining side up under my presser foot. This also works well for sewing tiny baby dress sleeves.

For View A Skip Down to Step 29.

18. View B - Take your arm bias band and sew the two short ends together. Then, fold the wrong sides together lengthwise and press. Be careful not to stretch this part out as it is cut along the bias. It can be very easy to stretch. 

19. Carefully press the armband in a curved shape to mimic the shape of the arm hole opening (the raw edge is facing my iron). This step it is easy to stretch it out as well so take your time so as not to stretch it. 

20. Take your bodice and trim the 3/8" seam you just basted down to a ¼" seam.

21. Take your arm bias band piece and match up the top notch to the to shoulder seam and the bottom seam to the bodice side seam. Pin in place. Working slowly, continue pinning the rest of the bias band in place.

22. Stitch in place with a ¼" seam. One again, I leave the dress right side out and stitch from the lining side to make for easier stitching.

23. Trim you seam down to 1/8" all the way around.

24. Now, press the arm bias band out with the seam facing the arm bias band.

25. We are going to under stitch the arm bias band just like that of the bodice lining. I stitch mine with an 1/16" seam. Stitch the seam to the arm bias band.

26. Press the arm bias band to the inside of the dress, still being careful not to stretch the band. Pin in place all the way around.

27. Now, for this part you can machine stitch the arm band in place, but I prefer hand stitching mine. I use a small ladder stitch. When, sewing this part be sure not to let the needle go through both sides of the dress, but rather only put the needle and thread through the lining layer. 

28. This is the outside of the arm opening when the hand sewing is finished. No visible stitching! Repeat with second arm opening.

For View B Skip Down to Step 43.

29. View A - Take your Sleeve lining piece that corresponds with the main sleeve (Remember we cut these with mirrored images, one for the left sleeve and one for the right sleeve) and place them together with right sides facing. Pin along the bottom of the sleeve.  Make sure your front and back sleeve notches are matched up for this part. Stitch the bottom only. 

30. Trim the seam allowance down. I trim mine to a 1/8".

31. Press the the seam towards the lining of your sleeve. My lining is the red dotted fabric.

32. Just as we under stitched the bodice lining, we will under stitch the sleeve lining as well. Stitch the sleeve lining all the way across.

33. Press your sleeve with the wrong sides facing together, while slightly rolling the sleeve lining towards the back. This way the sleeve lining will not be visible from the right side of the sleeve.

34. Now, we will fold the tulip cap sleeve together. Take your sleeve and place it right side down. Mine has the front side of the sleeve to the left (one notch side) and the back side of the sleeve to the right. (the two notch side). Take the front of the sleeve, or the one that has the one notch mark, and fold it towards the center with the notch at the top rounded part in the center.

35. Take the back part of the sleeve (or the side with two notches) and fold it over with the notch at the top of the rounded part matching the notch at the front of the sleeve. Pin in place.

36. Pin the rest of the sleeve that is folded together. 

37. Sew two rows of gathering stitches between the dots you transferred from the pattern.

38. Place the sleeve into the corresponding arm opening with the right side of the sleeve facing the right side of the bodice. Match the top sleeve notch to the shoulder seam and match the rest of the notches on the sleeve to that of the arm opening. Gather stitches evenly. Then, pin in place. Finally, sew the sleeve in place.

39. I find it easiest to sew the sleeve in place by placing the sleeve side under my presser foot and the bodice lining facing the outside. Finish your seams and press the seam towards the sleeve.

40. With the sleeve in hand, take the top tulip sleeve "petal" only  (the very next photo below) and pull up towards the dress leaving the second tulip "petal" down. (the second photo below)

41. Just as we under stitched the bodice lining, we will under stitch the sleeve seam to the under tulip "petal" sleeve only. Stitch only the top part of the under sleeve with a 1/16" seam and only where the stitching will not be visible when the top sleeve is folded back down.

42. Here is the finished sleeve, Oh how I love these sleeves! They are worth all the work. Now repeat with your second sleeve and admire how great your dress is looking!!

43. For both views take the main skirt and press it under 2". Then press it under another 2". Pin the hem in place as you go.

You can machine stitch your skirt, but as I said before, I prefer hand stitching mine. If you do decide to hand stitch, find a comfy place on the couch and a good movie to watch because it will take some time to sew. But, it is completely worth it. The hand stitching is my favorite part of this dress to be honest. It puts so much love into it.

44. Hand stitching: Be sure to use a thread color that matches your fabric very well for this part. I use a ladder like stitch to sew my hems. {A Blind Hem Stitch is the real name I think.} We are only going to make tiny stitches on the front side of the skirt. First, insert your needle only through the hem itself. Then, put the needle through only 2 strand 's of fabric. This will keep your stitches nearly invisible on the front side.

45. Take your needle and put it through the fold of the hem only. Put it through ½" of your hem fold and bring the needle back out. Now, repeat putting your needle through only two strands of the fabric's thread and pull the needle through. Pull the thread taught. Repeat all the way around until your hem is all sewn.

This is what the front side of your hem will look like when it's all sewn. Pretty impressive, your friends will think! Well worth all the time it takes to sew it.

That's it for today. Happy sewing and see you tomorrow for our final lesson, Day Four.

Sharon

* If you would like to earn entries into the prize drawing, please make sure to submit a photo of your completed Lesson Three to this Facebook Album by 12:00 noon CST, Friday, December 11th. If you have any questions the Facebook Group is a great place to ask.

Happy Sewing,

Danielle Storm

www.whimsicalfabric.com