Technical Sketch
Woven, No Waist Seam, Mini, 3/4 Circle, Shoulder Princess Seams With Center Front, Front Seam,
Center Back Seam, Neckline, Set In Sleeves, Back Straight Seam with No Back Vent and Invisible
Zipper 22" Closure Length, Sleeveless, Neckline Facing
Sewing Instructions
Sewing Princess Seams on the Front
- With right sides together, pin Side Front sections to side edges of Center Front, matching
notches, then stitch, clipping into curves where necessary. Finish the seam allowances
separately and press open.
- Staystitch the neckline on the Front.
Sewing Princess Seams on the Back
- With right sides together, pin Side Back sections to side edges of Center Back, matching
notches, then stitch, clipping into curves where necessary. Finish the seam allowances
separately and press open.
- Staystitch the neckline on the Back.
Sewing the Shoulders
- With right sides together, pin Front to Back at shoulders, then stitch. Finish the seam
allowances separately and press open.
Sewing Center Front Seam
- With right sides together, pin Front sections together and stitch at the center front seam. Finish
the seam allowances separately and press open.
Setting the Invisible Zipper and Sewing Center Back Seam
Note: Use special invisible zipper foot when stitching invisible zipper. Zipper can be trimmed
(remove the excess zipper length from the bottom, secure the new end of the zipper by stitching
over the zipper teeth using a bar tack).
- Open the zipper. From the wrong side, press the zipper coils flat so that the two rows of
stitching show.
- Open zipper, on outside, pin zipper to one of the opening edges, face down in seam allowance,
placing zipper tape flush with the upper edge of the fabric and zipper teeth on seamline.
- Stitch the open zipper tape close to the teeth, starting at the top of the edge and stitch until foot
meets the zipper pull. Backstitch at the beginning and the end.
- Close zipper. Pin remaining zipper tape to the other opening edge, placing zipper teeth on
seamline.
- Open zipper. Stitch close to teeth, until foot meets the zipper pull.
- Close zipper and pin Back sections together below zipper. Position and lower needle slightly
above (about 1/4" (6mm) up) and to the left of zipper stitching. Stitch remainder of Center Back
seam.
- Stitch or hand sew each end of zipper tape to seam allowances, keeping the garment free when
stitching.
Sewing Side Seams
- With right sides together, pin Front to Back at Sides, then stitch from armhole down to the hem.
Finish the seam allowances separately and press open.
The Armholes
The armholes may be left raw depending on the fabric, or you can finish edges by zigzagging,
overlocking or use a bias tape.
Sewing The Bias Tape
The length of bias tape depends on the armholes (plus 2").
- Open up one side of the bias tape and press it flat. Pin the tape on the right side of the fabric, at
the side seam, so that the crease of the opened side is a 3/8" (1 cm) from the raw edge. Pin the
tape 1" toward the shoulder seam. Leave a tail of 1" past the side seam.
- Start sewing in the crease of the tape 1" from the side seam. Sew around the armhole until 1"
from the side seam. Be careful not to stretch the fabric, let the tape follow the curve of the
armhole.
- Bring the two tails together at the side seam to find the place where they should meet and mark
the seamline.
- Match and sew the folds together.
- Trim the excess tape.
- Open up the tails and press. Sew the remaining 2" of tape to the armhole.
- Fold the tape in half (as shown). In order to keep the armhole edge sharp and clean, understitch
the bias tape to the seam allowance so it won’t roll to the outside.
- Press the bias tape up, away from the bodice. You don’t need to press the tape flat – just press
the edge of the tape with the tip of your iron. Stitch through the tape and the seam allowance of
the bodice, as close to the pressed edge as you can.
- Turn the shirt inside out and trim the seam allowance of the garment close to the
understitching.
- Fold the bias tape out along the armhole curve. Press the bias tape along the curve, so no tape
is visible on the right side of the garment. Give the armhole a good press. Sew the tape to the
armhole. Keep the fabric underneath taut to prevent wrinkles. Follow the curve of the armhole.
- Give the armhole a final press.
Hem
- Finish the lower raw edge of the garment. Turn up the hem along foldline, then hand baste close
to fold, if fabric does not hold crease well. Sew hem in place (pic. 1) or use a blind hem stitch
(pic. 2). Press.
