SEW-A-LONG!
Do you need a tunic or underdress? Lets do a Sew-a-Long based on this pattern: http://viking.snapshotstacy.com/underdress.html
We can start this sometime in the next few weeks so everyone has a chance to get fabric on hand. Please be sure to have the pattern bookmarked and your correct measurements on hand!
Fabric should be linen (IL-019 preferred from Fabrics-Store) in a historically possible color. Make sure you wash, dry, and iron fabric upon receipt of it!
Sew-a-Long Tunic / Underdress
Your fabric is now ironed. What do you do now!?
Now you fold it along the shorter edge, keeping the selvage edge folded over on itself. Put it someplace it will not get rumpled or disturbed.
See video for details. My camera man had stepped out for coffee, so please forgive my terrible camera work!
So, you want to do the Sew-a-Long tunic!
Step one, get your measuring tape out, put on a snug fitting t-shirt and follow along! This is for SOLO work but will try to upload video with partner assistance.
Measurement 1: Shoulder to floor (or location you desire). Put the end of the tape in the middle of your shoulder (middle between your front and back and middle between neck and arm). Let the tape fall to the floor. Step on it, making sure it drapes over anything that may need to be considered (chest, belly). You should make sure you are stepping on where you want your dress to go. If you are making a tunic, pinch the tape with your fingers where you want it or pin it against the wall/furniture with your leg. Measure both back and front if you got booty! Write down your measurement!!!
Measurement 2: Around the Fist. This is so you KNOW you can get your hand through the wrist opening. Make a fist and pinch the end under your thumb. Wrap the tail around fist, write down answer.
Measurement 3: Over the Shoulder to Underarm. This is where your snug shirt will help. Measure from middle of shoulder (explained in 1) to the underside of your armpit. Aim from seam to seam on your t-shirt. Write down answer.
Measurement 4: Underarm width. This is hard solo but take the end in the opposite hand of the side you wish to measure and the tail in your same side hand. Raise your arm on your measuring side, keeping the tail behind you if possible. Put the end at the front of your underarm and pinch the tail at the point in the back where your side ends, that pinch point is your number. You are measuring your general underarm side width. Watch video for more details. Write down measurement.
Measurement 5: Shoulder to shoulder. I suggest you do both front and back if you can. You are aiming for chest from underarm to underarm but ONLY the front of you. Sometimes for women you might want to measure over your breasts to get a roomier fit should you be large busted.
Measurement 6: Arm length. Put end at the end of your should (t-shirt seam if it fits well) and let the tape drape down your arm. I like to hold the tape between my lower hand fingers to get it snug. Note where you want the sleeve to end.
Now you know how wide you need and how long.
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Take your length and multiply it by TWO for the front and back. That is how many INCHES of fabric you need. Divide this number by 12 for feet, and then 3 for yards.
Verify you can use just the standard IL-019 width by adding measurement 5 plus measurement 3 plus measurement 3. If this is UNDER 55 inches, you are good. If not, double your fabric yards.
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Sew a long- cutting time! Pattern: http://viking.snapshotstacy.com/underdress.html...
First step is to lay out your fabric flat and neatly push your fold to the correct length on the top layer of your fabric. Next you will want to lay out your pattern pieces as shown in the directions. Chalk along those lines, adding seam allowance if you had not in the pattern,
and remove your pattern pieces. Check your measurements now, and make sure everything is correct.
Carefully cut along your chalk lines keeping the fabric pressed together either with pins or fabric weights. Make sure to cut neatly!
Next take your scrap piece from the top and your keyhole neck pattern. I prefer to keep the fold in the fabric and cut half so both sides are symmetrical.
You can absolutely draw this out way before this!! I have seen squares, diamond shapes, and even so far as nearly a Thor's Hammer front pattern. BUT please make sure you are not too crazy as we are aiming for historically accurate.
You will want to absolutely sew this onto the Tunic body FIRST. It is way easier to put this on before anything else.
I literally make this mistake nearly every time, so don't you make it! We will do the Neck piece FIRST before anything else. Then sleeve to gore (four times). Then sleeve top seam, then sides to body, then hem.
Here are video instructions on how to place, cut, pin, and sew on a keyhole neck overlay. Find the center line of the body fabric, put a pin in the front layer. Find the center of your overlay fabric and pin it onto the body piece. Chalk the neck hole and cut carefully. Remove pins. Lay out the body fabric, right side down. Neatly lay the overlay precisely where it should go on the body, the fabric should be right side down. Adjust until perfect, pin in place.
While you could do a more simple rolled hem, it will be VERY challenging around the curves. So this overlay is easier even through it has more steps.
Lay out the body fabric, right side down. Neatly lay the overlay precisely where it should go on the body, the fabric should be right side down. Adjust until perfect, pin in place. *** Verify the fabrics are layered correctly by turning the body over and pulling the overlay through. This hides the seam around your neck perfectly and you should have two right sides facing up. ***Stitch neatly and carefully around the neck circle and the straight cut down. I switch on the wrong side so that I can see the overlay and how it's doing. The smaller piece of fabric will shift more, so go slowly. You may want to practice with scrap fabric to get the feel for this!
Lay out the body fabric, right side down. Neatly lay the overlay precisely where it should go on the body, the fabric should be right side down. Adjust until perfect, pin in place. *** Verify the fabrics are layered correctly by turning the body over and pulling the overlay through. This hides the seam around your neck perfectly and you should have two right sides facing up. ***Stitch neatly and carefully around the neck circle and the straight cut down. I switch on the wrong side so that I can see the overlay and how it's doing. The smaller piece of fabric will shift more, so go slowly. You may want to practice with scrap fabric to get the feel for this!
Ignore me trying to be fancy and sew STRAIGHT across the bottom of the slit neck. My way never works quite right.
Turn everything Right Sides up, pull the overlay from the back to the front, and IRON! Soooo much ironing.
This leaves us with a finished neckline but completely unfinished item!
Luckily this means the hardest part is completed and now we have simple straight stitching to wrap this all up
You want to make sure that your pieces are together and you have matching pairs with right sides all going the same way as the pattern shows.
Repeat sewing the sleeve underarm to the gore for all four sets. Then match your sides, keeping right sides together and sew your sleeve top seam closed.
Make sure you patterns match, then sew along the top seam.
Once the main seam is set, you can add decorative stitches that run along your shoulder and arm. Make sure you do your research on decorative stitches before adding them!
A sleeve hem is next and easiest to be done while flat.
Measure from inner body edge to sleeve edge adding inner seam allowance. Mark where your arm hem should be and hem to that mark. Do this on both sides so your sleeves are the same length.
Typically I measure my wrist hem to be two half inch folds thus using all my wrist seam allowance.
Once this is done you have two Side Panels!
While this step isn't tricky, it can be boring and repetitive.
Match your should seam to fold, stitch down from shoulder to end. Go back to that shoulder seam and sew down the other direction. You may end up doing this six times per panel if you zigzag and decorative stitch each seam!
This is how the one side looks with a panel sewn onto the body of the tunic or dress. You will repeat this for the other side!
Now that your side panels have been sewn into the body, turn the tunic inside out (right sides together).
Meticulously match the side edges together, starting at the wrist cuff. Make sure to match up the sleeve to gore seams! Pin neatly.
Sew your straight stitch from cuff to hem. Reinforcing at the underarm seam.
Sew your zigzag from cuff to hem, reinforcing at the underarm seam.
I like to stitch the cuff seam down at the wrist just on the hem. Keeps it neat when worn.
Hang the tunic for at least 3 days to let the fabric settle. Next video will be the hem. Which means we only have that step left!!!
Let the dress or tunic hang for a week to let any excess give fall away from the bias cuts.
But get ready! Next is hemming!
Using a tape measure and a heavy object you can mark your hem line easily. Simply measure to your desired length, lock in the tape measure, and move it in an arc to form the line.
Cut off excess but leave enough seam allowance for a double fold hem. I like to leave 1.5" and do each fold at 3/4ths.
Once your hem line is ready, fold twice to make sure the last fold is exactly along the drawn line. Pin or iron this down before sewing!
Sew a line of stitches along the top of the fold to secure this hem on the wrong side. Make sure not to pull the bias fabric and stretch it out. Pat down any lumps or awkward pleats if needed.
Flip this right side and make any decorative stitches if desired.
You have completed this item and it should be ready to be washed (to get rid of all that chalk!) and worn.
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