Dress

I have just started to create a dress in pattern cutting. I firstly started off my cutting out my pattern pieces and slightly changed then to how i wanted my dress to look. I firstly drew around the dress block and got rid of the shoulder dart. I measured the same distance and shaved it off the side. I then drew a design line on where i wanted my panel line to be. I then traced off the backside panel and back centre panel and transfered the notches.

 I traced off the front of the dress from my first draft and then drew in a new dart in the arm scye and then the original dart, i drew in design line for where the 2 panels were going to go and then traced off the front side panel.

I added a seam allowance and then traced the centre front and changed the neckline but i had to check that the shoulder seams were going to fit and they werent, so i lined them up to make sure they fit and then added a v shape neckline facing, i put all the pieces togther by getting the 2 front pieces and lined up the arm holes togther and taped them down, i then got the 2 back pieces and lined them up with the front pieces and neckline. I taped it down and then to get the neckline facing at the shoulder seam,i drew my neckline facing design line and measured it 5cm from the edge and then traced off the pattern piece. To get the arm hole facing i did the same procedure.

We then ironed interfacing onto the neck and armhole facings.

I then lay out all of my pattern pieces onto my fabric and craefully and correctly cut them out;

I then took the centre front piece and one of the centre side pices and sewed a 1.5 seam allowance to the front centre and then pressed open the seam.

I then did the same with the other side and pressed open the seams and pinned it to the mannequin to make sure it was looking okay and fitting right, which it was.

I then took my 4 back pieces. For the zip on my dress i chose it to be in the centre back so i had 4 peices instead of the 3 for the front. I overlocked both of the back pieces and put them togther right side to right side and then put my zip on following my guide.

I then had to sew my dress front and back togther. I did this by lining up the sides, wrong side to wrong side and pinning it so all the notches etc lined up. I overlocked each side first, and then once it was all lined up and pinned, I then sewed a 1.5 seam allowance down the sides to attach the dress togther. I then had to line up the top of the dress on each side and sew them togther with a 1.5 seam allowance.

Now I am on to creating the arm hole interfacing. I put my dress on a mannequin and then making sure i had the correct front and back parts of my arm hole interfacing, i then pinned them on right side to right side of dress and sewed both of them on with a 1.5 seam allowance, i reduced the bulk and then I did a retaining stitch along the facing to ensure it stayed on the inside of the arm hole.

now i am onto creating the neckline facing.

I did this by pinning it onto the neck on the inside out dress. I used the same method as on the armhole facings, I sewed it on with a 1.5 seam allowance and then did a retaining stitch to make sure the facing stayed in place.

Finished dress;