I’m half way through my week to get this project done but not necessarily half way done with the project. Funny how that happens. However, it’s Saturday and I don’t have to be at my day job so I believe I can get a lot done today.
I had a tiny set back. My bodice lining, which was cut from the fashion fabric as the pattern called for, was showing through the white fabric areas of the bodice. Yuck. Why go through all this work to have that mess across one’s chest? So I re-cut the bodice lining out of a similar weight muslin. The muslin, because it is a substitute for the fashion fabric, needs to have a similar weight as my fabric. I have used lighter weight fabrics for linings and facings but this time I kept it close to what the directions called for.
McCalls wanted me to fold back the seam allowance on the patch pockets and be done with them. Just sew them on. Well, I thought it won’t take much longer and I’ll have a much better looking pocket if I lined them. So I did. Perfectionist? No, but there’s a reason I’m taking the time to sew a cotton sundress instead of going to Old Navy and buying one for $19. (I already spent at least that on the pattern and fabric). I want those details I can’t find at Old Navy.
I plan to do a video on lining patch pockets but for now, any good sewing reference book will walk you through it.
One tip on this video that I use all the time is to use a machine basting stitch to mark your fold line. Many times the seam allowance of a pattern piece needs to be folded up and ironed. It’s really quick to use your machine to measure the correct seam allowance as you run a basting stitch on that edge. Then you just fold the fabric on that stitch line and press. Super easy and it will save you a lot of time.
Please let me know if you have any questions or tips on these topics and thanks for reading.