Simplicity 1277 Garment Construction, Part Two of Three

My students at College of DuPage are sewing dress Simplicity 1277.  This is the fourth post relating to construction of the dress.  See "Labels" section on right column of Home page for links to the other posts. 
 Step 6 Front Pocket Work

Stitch Pocket to Skirt Front between circles.  Press pocket up

Pin Bodice Front to Skirt Front

View of pins from other side

Stitch Skirt Front to Bodice Side Front below pocket opening

Stitch Skirt Front to Bodice Side Front above pocket opening to circle at waist

Next we need to stitch the pocket edges together, keeping the skirt seam allowances free

Pocket edges have been stitched, and seam allowances of skirt are free of pocket

View of stitching that connects pocket to skirt from wrong side of skirt

View of stitching from right side of skirt; no holes or overlapping stitches where the seams connect

Next we connect the upper portion of the Bodice Side Front to the Bodice Front;  this is similar to how you stitched the Bodice Back to the Bodice Side Back. Press seam allowances toward garment body.

View of garment front from right side

Take 1/4" double fold bias tape to finish front seam allowances, or alternatively use the serger

To bind seam allowances, clip into corners 1/4" so they can be opened a bit

To turn a corner with binding, edge stitch to the corner, then lift up foot

Fold binding under seam allowance, past corner, into place

Lay top edge of binding in place and continue stitching down side

View of seam allowances with narrow binding.  Don't get mad at me--this is harder to insert than it appears

Step 7 Shoulder Seams

Join facing shoulder seams in 5/8" seam allowance

Press seam allowances open, trim to 1/4"

Serge lower edges of front and back facings to clean finish.

Stitch garment front to garment back at shoulders in a flat fell seam.  The first step is stitch panels wrong sides together.

Press both seam allowances towards garment front

Trim front seam allowance to 1/4"; do not trim back seam allowance

Fold back seam allowance in half and pin to garment front

Stitch very close to fold through all layers including garment front

View of shoulder seam from right side of garment

Step 8 Neckline Work

Lay garment on table right side up

Lay facing unit on top of garment, right sides together.  Pin neck edges, matching shoulder seams at circles.

Stitch neckline directionally; stitch from center back to center front

Stitch other side of neckline from center back to center front, overlapping stitching 1" at center front.  Make sure you have attractive curves at the two shoulder seams that match each other in shape

Clip dress seam allowances, at an angle, to the stay-stitching, concentrating your clips around the curves; straight areas need less clipping

View of clipped garment seam allowance

Clip facing seam allowances at opposite angle of garment clippings, concentrating clippings at curves

Note how seam allowances are clipped differently; facing is clipped at one angle, garment at the other.  Clipping this way will eliminate spaces when the facing seam allowance is pulled open.

The clipping enables the neckline to open almost to a straight line

Next we will press the neckline seam allowances to the facing, under-stitch, trim, and press neck edges in place.