Welcome back to lesson 3 of the July Flowers Sew-Along. I promised in the introduction to this Sew-Along that I wouldn't assume you knew anything about sewing! So while the bonus lessons were for the more seasoned sewist, this lesson is really for the beginner. In it I cover how to lengthen and shorten the skirt and bodice if needed, as well as how to lay out your pattern pieces and cut out your July Flowers dress.
Choosing the Bodice Variation:
Before cutting out, you have two decisions to make. July Flowers comes with 2 bodice variations: a boat neck and a scoop neck. Construction is the same for both, so make whichever you prefer. Secondly, are you going to interface the entire bodice or just the button area? If interfacing the entire bodice to help with the wrinkles, remember I recommend a soft knit interfacing such as French Fuse.
Cut out your pattern with your paper scissors. Fold your fabric in half lining up the selvedge edges and making sure that the cut edge is straight (watch the video for more details on how to get the edges straight and find the grain).
Placing the Pattern on the Fabric.
Fabric pieces that are labeled with the "fold arrow" are placed directly on the fold.
Fabric pieces with a grainline arrow are placed so the two arrows at each end of the grainline are equidistant from the selvedge edge.
For the optional piece number 8, again make sure the two ends of the grainline arrow are equidistant from the selvedge edge. This will place the piece on the true bias of the fabric.
Remember to cut out your lining pieces and interfacing as well. In our next lesson we will begin sewing!