Step 1
Fold the front placket towards the wrong side of fabric at the edge of fusing piece. Press. Fold over again the same width and press in place. Repeat for other front.
Step 2
Top stitch down along edge of placket to secure. Press. Repeat for other front.
Step 3
Stitch a long gathering stitch (the longest stitch length on your
machine) between notches on back section. all the difference.
Step 4
Sandwich back section of blouse between bottom edge of yoke pieces, with right sides together. Pin yoke to back panel, starting from the outside edges, pinning together as far as notches. Pull your gathering threads on back panel until it fits between notches on yoke. Evenly distribute your gathers.
Step 5
Stitch together through all three layers. Press yoke panels up away from back panel.
Step 6
Press the shoulder seams of the outer layer of back yoke back by 0.8cm/0.31”.
Step 7
Holding the outer yoke panel out of the way, pin the right side of inside yoke to wrong side of front panel at shoulder seam. Stitch together. Press seam allowance toward yoke. Repeat for opposite side.
Step 8
Working from the right side, place the pressed edge of yoke shoulder seam along the seam you just completed, slightly overlapping it and top stitch in place, enclosing the seam. Press. Repeat for opposite side.
STEP 9
Lay body section over sleeve with right sides together and pin in place, starting from bottom of armhole upwards on both front and back matching up notches. The centre notch on sleeve head lines up with shoulder seam of yoke. Evenly distribute any ease in the sleeve head while pinning. Stitch with the sleeve on the underside. Neaten edge. Repeat for opposite sleeve.
SYEP 10
Place a pin where front and back underarm seams meet
up and pin down to hemline and out to sleeve hem. Stitch together then neaten seam. Press. Repeat on opposite side.
Step 11
Neaten hem edge of sleeve, then turn up at notches toward the wrong side and top stitch in place.
Step 12
With right sides facing, fold the short ends of your collar frill piece in half. Stitch together the short ends. Clip corners, then turn through to the right side. Press edges well. Baste open edges together right along the edge.
Step 13
Working with your fused collar stand piece, stitch 0.8cm/0.31” from bottom edge to form a guide line. Fold the bottom edge up at stitchline toward the wrong side. Press in place.
Step 14
Lay your fused collar stand piece right side up. Place the raw edge of your collar or frill piece wrong side up, onto the collar stand. Line up the two ends with notches on collar stand and pin in place.
Pull the gathering threads on your frill until it fits the collar stand. Evenly distribute gathers, then baste together along edge with a 5mm seam allowance.
Step 15
Pin your unfused collar stand piece over the top sandwiching collar between. Stitch with the fused side up. Trim seam allowance in half. Turn through to the right side and give it a good press.
Step 16
With your blouse/dress right side up, place the raw edge of collar stand along raw edge of neckline. Pin together, matching up notches. Stitch together with an accurate 1cm/0.39” seam allowance. Press seam allowance upward into collar stand.
Step 17
Pin the collar stand closed, lining up the folded edge of collar stand, slightly overlapping the stitch line. Stitch together along edge. Press.
Step 18
Place a pocket bag onto skirt panel with right sides facing and match up notches. At the top notch on one side seam, stitch in 1.2cm/0.5”. With needle down, pivot your foot and stitch down to the second notch, then pivot your foot again and stitch out to the side seam. Clip into corners, being careful not to cut through your stitches. Under stitch seam allowance toward pocket bag along pocket opening. Press pocket bag to wrong side of skirt, matching the top and bottom edges. Repeat for other side.
Step 19
Place another pocket bag on top with right sides facing and stitch together around edges. Neaten seam. Repeat for other side.
Step 20
Place your front and back waist frill pieces together with right sides facing. Pin side seams together. Stitch. Press seam allowances open. Fold in half to form a loop with all seams enclosed.
Step 21
Place your front and back skirt panels together with right sides facing. Pin side seams together. Stitch, being careful not to stitch your pockets closed. Neaten seams.
Step 22
Wrap waist frill around waist edge of skirt, with raw edges together. Line up side seams and pin together. Stitch two rows of gathering stitches (the longest stitch length on your machine) along the top edge of skirt through all three layers, keeping them sitting within the 1cm / 0.39” seam allowance.
Step 22
Overlap the front plackets of blouse section of dress at waist seam and
baste in place.
Step 23
Pin skirt around bodice with right sides facing, matching the centre front, centre back and side seams. Pull the gathering threads and evenly distribute gathers until the skirt fits the bodice. Pin securely in place then stitch together. Neaten seam.
Step 24
Neaten hem edge of skirt, then turn up at notches toward the
wrong side and top stitch in place.
Step 25
Transfer button / buttonhole markings from pattern piece with tailors chalk or pins. On your front bodice pattern piece, mark down 1cm from neckline edge, this will line up with your stitched neckline. Fold the pattern piece along the centre front using the top and bottom centre front notches, this will line up with the centre front outside edge of your bodice piece. Place the pattern piece ontop of you right bodice front pin the placement of the buttonholes through the paper onto your fabric.
Sew buttonholes down one side of the blouse front. The buttonholes should be vertical except for on the collar stand which should be horizontal. Make sure they are centred between your top stitch line and the edge.
Step 26
Before sewing on your buttons, place the side with the buttonholes over top of the other side and use pins to mark where your buttons should be placed. Sew on your buttons.
You did it!