Sewing the dress

Work follows the technology card. At the start the middle lines of the yokes, the middle lines of the front and back skirts and the top point of the sleeve head are marked with a loose stitch. 1) Front and back yokes are placed face to face, the shoulder lines are held together with temporary hand stitches, then machine-sewn about 1 cm from the edge. 2) The temporary threads are pulled out and the seam is pressed open to both sides. 3) Back and front skirt pieces are put face to face and sewn 1–1.5 cm from the side edges. 4) Seams are pressed toward the back piece. 5) Two rows of long machine stitches are run along the top edge of the skirt, one about 5 mm from the edge and the other 5 mm further in; then the lower threads of both rows are pulled together carefully and the gathers are spread evenly across the width. 6) The top edges of the skirt are tacked to the yokes, right sides together. 7) The first fitting: we check that the yoke length and width, the shoulder lines and the neck and arm openings fit the body; whatever does not fit is corrected – shoulders raised or lowered, yoke length adjusted; machine stitching is sewn over corrected hand seams. 8) The sleeve edges are joined with 1.0 cm seam allowance and overcast; a gathering row is run along the top edge. 9) The top point of the sleeve head is matched to the shoulder seam, the underarm seam to the side seam and pinned, first tacked by hand, then the second fitting. Safety: at fittings pins must not stick out or touch the wearer; if possible fit on a mannequin or over your own clothes; remove pins when taking the garment off. Follow machine and iron rules (lessons 48 and 56). During fittings never say anything negative about anyone’s body.