This post covers assembling the skirt for Version 2 and attaching it to the bodice. Our Dahlias are coming together!
Assemble skirt
1) Pin front side skirt. With right sides together and notches aligned, pin one front side skirt to front center skirt.
2) Sew front side skirt. Stitch edge. Finish seam allowance and press open.
3) Repeat. Repeat with other front side skirt and other edge of front center skirt.
4) Sew back skirt. Use the same steps to attach both back side skirts to the back center skirt. Finish seam allowances and press open.
5) Connect front and back. Find the right side seam edge of both skirt pieces. If you need to, hold the pieces up to your body to visualize wearing them and mark the right edge with a pin. Align and stitch this edge. Finish seam allowances and press open.
Attach skirt to yoke
1) Pin skirt to outer yoke. Flip yoke lining up and out of the way. With right sides together, pin lower edge of outer yoke to upper edge of skirt. Start by aligning and pinning the ends, centers, and side seam, then pin the spaces in between.
Here’s another view of the same step:
2) Sew skirt to outer yoke. Sew along the pinned edge, making sure that the yoke lining stays out of the way and doesn’t get caught in the seam. Watch that the open seams stay open as you sew over them.
3) Grade seam. Carefully trim the seam allowance of the skirt in half. This will help reduce bulk in the seam. Then press both seam allowances towards the yoke.
Finish waist seam
1) Press yoke lining. Fold the free lower edge of the yoke lining a scant 5/8″ to the wrong side and press. The scant ensures that the yoke lining will cover the waist seam in the next step.
2) Pin yoke lining. Fold the yoke lining down so that the pressed edge covers the skirt seam and pin in place on the inside.
3) Stitch in the ditch. Pin along the lower edge of the yoke on the outside, then remove the inner pins. Starting at one end, stitch in the ditch along the lower edge of the yoke. (Stitching in the ditch is stitching right along a previous seam).
When you’re done, the line of stitching should be nearly invisible from the outside…
…and just catch the lower pressed edge of the yoke lining on the inside.
LINING NOTE
I added it to Wednesday’s post, but wanted to make sure to mention again that if you are going to line your Dahlia, you can omit the yoke lining for now (as in, don’t even attach it to the bodice), as the lining will cover the yoke later.
That will do it for today! Now is a good time to pin yourself into your dress to do a fit check. The other side seam will be sewn at 5/8″ as well, so pin there. Remember also that we still need to gather the neckline, so don’t worry if it seems big there. See you back on Monday for some zipper fun!