Welcome to the Quinn Sewalong. If you prefer a video sewalong, you can find it here. We will be breaking this sewalong into five days, taking it slow and going through all of the steps. I will be sewing three views of the Quinn during this sewalong (views A-C), in order to cover all of the steps. Views A and C are sewn up in brown 100% linen and view B will be sewn in a dark denim. Expect to see me switching between the views / fabrics as we go through the sewalong.
*All seam allowances are 1⁄2” unless otherwise stated in the instructions.
Before we start sewing, lets do a little preparation.
Make sure that you have transferred all notches and markings from your pattern pieces to your fabric.
I like to cut all notches with a little snip with my scissors that are about 1/4" long (make sure the snip stays within the 1/2" seam allowance.
You also want to mark the circle marking for the back tie on the middle back piece. Mark this on the right side of the fabric.
Step 1 - Fuse interfacing to the wrong side of the Front Facings and Hem Facings. I am showing View A here. Keep in mind that the hem facing for views B-D looks different and is a straight pattern piece.
Step 2 - Staystitch the front and back necklines and armholes 3⁄8” from the edge of the main garment and facings. You will stitch from top to bottom. This will help stabilize the angled seams and keep them from growing as you handle them. This is especially important on your front neckline.
Step 3 - With right sides touching, pin each Side Front to its coordinating Middle Front, matching notches. Because you are pinning opposite curves together, it's going to feel like they won't match up. Go slowly and use lots of pins, focusing on the stitchline, not the raw edge.
Stitch at a normal 1⁄2” seam allowance.
Notch outward curves and clip inward curves as needed. Be extra careful to snip close to, but not through, your line of stitching when doing so. The thicker your fabric is, the more important it is.
Trim seam allowances down to about 1⁄4”. Finish seam allowances using your preferred method. I like to use my serger to trim and finish my seam allowances at the same time.
Press seam allowances towards the center front.
Step 4 - Edgestitch 1⁄8” from the seam, into the Middle Front panel, catching the seam allowances in the line of stitching. I like to increase my stitch length a bit to about 3 or 3.5mm here for a more attractive topstitching.
Step 5 - Fold in the long inside edge of each Front Facing by 1⁄4”, wrong sides touching. Press. Use the steam on your iron to help with the curved areas.
Remember that views B-D look a bit different. Here is View B for reference.
Stitch 1⁄8” from the folded edge.
Step 6 - Line up the center front and neckline edges of the assembled Fronts and their coordinating Front Facings. Pin.
Stitch from the top down, pivoting at the corner and ending at the bottom of the Facing. You may find it helpful to mark the neckline pivot point prior to sewing.
For Views A and B, do not stitch the bottom angled sections, but instead stitch to the bottom of the center front edge.
For Views C and D you will stitch straight down to the bottom edge.
Step 7 - Grade the seam allowances and trim the corner to reduce bulk. The thicker your fabric, the more necessary this is. I generally just trim the seam allowance from the facing in half and then take more out of the corner.
Press the Facings away from the Fronts and over the seam allowance.
Understitch where possible (you will not be able to understitch all the way into the corners) by making a line of stitching just inside the Facing, catching the seam allowances underneath.
Press the Facings to the inside, taking extra care to get good points at the corners.
And that is it for today. We have completely assembled the fronts of our vest or dress.
