Sunday, 15 February 2015

Attaching sleeves to lined bodice

My little cutie needed a dress for her (soon to be, when her mother gets off her bum and organises it) godmother's wedding.


And she manages to be cute for pictures!!

I used Cottage Mamas free party dress pattern size 18 months but it is February so wanted to add sleeves. I really struggled to find a tutorial that attached sleeves to a lined bodice and I really like the idea of hiding all the naughty bits. Changes I made to the pattern where to replace buttons with a zip and removing the bottom band.

Now I will admit the final bodice was attempt 2, attempt 1 was thrown in the corner of my sewing room in disgust, and  I asked a friend with more experience for pointers. So I hope this tutorial helps someone else and less fabric gets wasted. 

One Stitch the shoulders of your bodice together for both your outer and lining fabric and press open your seams. 


Two You should have 2 sleeves, outer and lining of the bodice.
Prepare the sleeves by gathering the top if needed. Set your sewing machine to the highest tension and stitch length to the longest. And stitch 2 rows of straight stitching, leaving long ends and don't over stitch either end.

My seam allowance was 1/2 inch so both my gathering stitches where just inside this, pull on the ends and gather your sleeves.

Three Pin your sleeves to the outer, right sides together. Leaving a gap at either end the same size as your seam allowance. Once attached your outer should look like this.


Four Pin your lining to the front and stitch around your arm holes leaving your seam allowance at either end, also stitch around the neckline. It looks a little bulky because of the sleeves but be careful not to catch the sleeves in the neckline, armholes or back.


I'm putting an invisible zip into this dress so have left the back open. Notch or clip around your seams and turn them through the shoulders. Press the bodice till you are happy, if it doesn't look right take more bulk out of your seams. 

Five Sew the sleeves into a tube right sides together, you can use a French seam is you want them to be tidier. I stitch mine together and then zigzagged along the seam.

Six To close up the underarm, match up the lining and outer and sew the opening closed. Notch the seams and press open and follow the rest of the pattern instructions. 



And voilĂ  you have a beautiful dress. Please post pictures of your finished dress so I can see your pretties :).  





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