Fermina Shirred Dress & Top Sewing Pattern – Studio Rosado
SEWING INSTRUCTIONS
BEFORE SEWING:
Remember to mark all notches and middle points. Draw the lines (or pointed lines) for shirring on fabrics right side. Use a soap or an air soluble marker.
1. NECKLINE HEM:
I will give you 3 options here. Whichever option you choose, I recommend using it for the bottom hem and frills as well.
Hem front and back panel necklines.
A) BABY HEM:
The most luxurious looking hem but takes the most time. Fold 1cm (3/8") of the hem allowance and stitch 2-3mm (~1/16") apart from the edge. Press.
Carefully cut off the folded seam allowance without cutting in the stitch or the main fabric!
Fold 3mm (3/32") of the allowance again and stitch 2mm apart from the edge. Press.
B) ZIG-ZAG HEM:
Fold 1.5cm (5/8") of the hem allowance and stitch on the folded edge with a medium width zig-zag stitch in a way that one stitch does in the fabric and the other stitch is out of the fabric.
Carefully cut off the folded seam allowance without cutting in the stitch or the main fabric! Press.
C) ROLLED HEM WITH A SERGER:
Super quick!
Set your serger for a 3-thread rolled hem. Tension for right needle ~medium, for both loopers almost to the maximum. Stitch length ~2, turn off the stitch widener, and decrease the cutting length (knife to the left).
Set your serger for a 3-thread rolled hem. Tension for right needle ~medium, for both loopers almost to the maximum. Stitch length ~2, turn off the stitch widener, and decrease the cutting length (knife to the left).
Try these settings on a sample and make slight adjustments to settings if needed.
After that simply serge over the hem by cutting of 1,5cm (5/8”) with the sergers knife.
2. SHIRRING:
Wind the bobbin (preferably by hand) slightly pulling the elastic but not over-stretching it.
Use the regular thread for up and place the bobbin into your machine as usual. Sew from the right side of the fabric (the regular thread is on the right side) along previously marked lines.
Use the regular thread for up and place the bobbin into your machine as usual. Sew from the right side of the fabric (the regular thread is on the right side) along previously marked lines.
If your fabric is heavier then shirring effect will start to show later, so don’t worry if you’re at 5th line and it still looks quite flat. We have plenty of lines!
Lightly press front and back panels.
Lightly press front and back panels.
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3. SIDE SEAMS:
Lay back and front panels with right sides together. Pin the side seams. Stitch 3/8” (1cm) apart from the edge. Neaten the seams.
Press the seams towards back panel.
Press the seams towards back panel.
4. PREPARING THE SLEEVES:
Do the following steps for both sleeves.
Lay the bias tape around the sleeve hole with bias tape’s right side facing the sleeve’s right side.
Stitch 3/16” (5mm) apart from the edge. Lightly press the bias tape towards the sleeve hole.
Lay the bias tape around the sleeve hole with bias tape’s right side facing the sleeve’s right side.
Stitch 3/16” (5mm) apart from the edge. Lightly press the bias tape towards the sleeve hole.
Understitch the bias tape to seam allow-ance 1-2mm (1/16”) from the seam.
Clip into the curves to release the fabric and create a flat finish when the bias is pressed to the inside. Make more clips where the sleeve hole is curved more. Be careful not to cut the seam!
As well as cut off the excess tails of the bias tape.
Fold the bias tape around the seam and stitch 5mm (3/16”) from the edge. Press.
5. SLEEVE SIDE SEAMS:
Pin the sleeve side seams with the right side together. Stitch 1cm (3/8”) apart from the edge. Neaten the seam. Press the seam towards back.
6. INSERTING THE ELASTIC BAND:
Fold and press 1,2cm (1/2”) of the sleeve’s upper edge towards the wrong side.
Fold again 1,2cm (1/2”) of the sleeve’s upper edge and stitch 1,1cm (7/16”) from the edge.
Secure a safety pin at the end of the elastic band. Put the elastic band through the casing you made at the upper edge. Make sure that the opposite end of the elastic doesn’t get pulled into the casing.
Use a sewing machine’s backstitch to secure the elastic band at both casing’s openings.
7. GATHERING:
Using the largest stitch on sewing machine, stitch two lines along the bottom edge, just inside the seam allowance. Do not backstitch and leave long threads at the ends.
Pull threads from both ends and gather the fabric.
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8. TIE CUFFS:
Fold and press 1cm (3/8”) of the sleeve cuff’s edge between notches.
Do this for one edge only (but both cuffs!)
Do this for one edge only (but both cuffs!)
Lay sleeve’s gathered edge with the cuff right sides facing. Match the sleeve holes opening with the notches. Pin. Stitch 1cm (3/8”) apart from the edge. Press towards the cuff.
Fold the tie part of the cuffs with right sides facing. Pin starting from the notch to the corner. Stitch.
Trim off the corners to avoid bulking.
Turn the ties of the cuff from inside out.
Handstitch the cuff at the upper edge so the previously pressed seam allowance of the cuff covers the stitch that joins the cuff with the sleeve.
Stitch in the ditch:
Work from the right side. Stitch in the ditch of the seam. Take your time and lightly pull the fabric on either side of the machine’s needle as you guide it through the ditch.
This way the seam won’t be really visible from the right side.
Work from the right side. Stitch in the ditch of the seam. Take your time and lightly pull the fabric on either side of the machine’s needle as you guide it through the ditch.
This way the seam won’t be really visible from the right side.
Another option:
Feel free to use an invisible handstitch. It is more time consuming, but it might be a bit easier and actually is more like haute couture.
Feel free to use an invisible handstitch. It is more time consuming, but it might be a bit easier and actually is more like haute couture.
9. JOINING TOP WITH SLEEVES:
Lay the front and ack panels’ right side with sleeves ride side. Pin the armholes. Stitch 1cm (3/8”) apart from the raw edge. Neaten the seams.
10. HEM (For Top Option):
Use the same hem type you used for the neckline and hem the bottom edge.
Give the final press and you’ve finished!
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10. NEATING BOTTOM EDGE (For Dress Option):
Use a serger or a zig-zag stitch and neaten the upper part’s bottom edge.
11. PREPARING FRILLS:
Lay both upper frills with right sides facing. Pin the side seams. Stitch. Neaten.
Press to one side.
Press to one side.
Do this step with lower frills as well.
Do this step with lower frills as well.
Hem the upper edge of upper frill and both edges of lower frill.
Use the same hem type as you did for the neckline.
Use the same hem type as you did for the neckline.
Sew gathering stitches 1,5cm (5/8”) apart from the upper edge for both frills.
Pull threads from both ends and gather the fabric.
Put the upper frill panel inside the lower frill panel. The upper frill right side is facing the lower frill wrong side.
Pin the gathered part right above the neatened edge. Stitch.
Pin the gathered part right above the neatened edge. Stitch.
12. JOINING FRILLS:
Put the top panel inside the upper frill panel. The top’s right side is facing the upper frill wrong side. Pin the gathered part right above the neatened edge. Stitch.
Take out the visible gathering threads and you’ve finished!
Viola!
