Welcome to the first day of the Merritt Button-up Shirt and Dress sewing pattern. I will be sewing up two shirts in this sewalong because it's easier to show shirt lengths on a screen than the length of a dress. Both will be sewn up in summer weight cloud linen from Matchy Matchy Sewing club in green and plum colors. I will be bouncing back and forth between the two views as needed. The two shirts will allow me to cover all steps except for the pocket steps. These steps I will be still be showing, I will just cut a couple of Pocket pieces and rectangles of fabric to mimic the sewing process of the dress views.
Before starting, please note that all seam seam allowances are ½” unless otherwise stated.
Step 1 - Before starting, be sure to transfer all notches, dots, foldlines, and markings from your pattern pieces to your fabric.
For notches, I generally just make a small clip into the triangle. Make sure it is around 1/4" and not longer so it stays within the 1/2" seam allowance.
For the dots, I like to use the punch that came with my buttonhole opening kit and punch a small hole in the pattern so it is easy to mark through the pattern on to the fabric.
You will need to mark the dots on the Collar Band.
Also the left front of the Front for the Pocket placement markings. These should be done on the right sides of the fabric
For the foldlines along center front for the button plackets, I just mark on the wrong side of the fabric 1 1/4" in from the front edge.
For the Pleats on the Back and the Sleeves, I like to mark those with a marking tool and also draw an arrow in the direction they should be folded. For the Back and Sleeves, mark on the right side of the fabric.
For the long sleeve views, you will also need to mark the sleeve placket markings on the wrong side of each Sleeve and Sleeve Placket. I find it easiest to cut the pattern along the middle line and V markings and then fold back the flaps.
Step 2 - Fuse interfacing to the wrong side of one Collar Stand and one Collar. These will be your main Collar and Collar Stand.
Also your Front Button Placket Interfacing 1/4” inside each Front edge on the wrong side of the fabric.
For Views B and D, also apply fusible to the wrong side of two Cuffs (one pair). These will be your main Cuffs.
Step 3 - To create the front button placket, fold in the inside edge of each Front by ¼”, wrong sides touching, along the edge of the fusible. Press.
Fold again by another 1” along the other edge of the fusible, wrong sides touching. Press and pin.
Step 4 - Edgestitch just inside each folded edge to secure the front button plackets. I usually do this from the underside to make it easier to catch the edge of the fold, but you may get neater stitches if you do it from the right side.
Step 5 - Staystitch the neckline edges of each Front and Yoke piece, ⅜” inside of the raw edges, to prevent stretching.
Step 6 - Press the top edge of the Chest Pocket down by 1/4”, wrong sides touching.
Pull the top edge back with right sides touching by an additional 1” (at notches). Pin.
Stitch around the side and bottom edges of the Chest Pocket at a ½” seam allowance, pivoting at the corners and backstitching at the ends.
Step 7 - Trim and turn the upper corners of the Chest Pocket right side out.
Press in the side and bottom edges along the stitching.
Stitch just inside the upper folded edge of the Chest Pocket to secure the folded edge of the Pocket.
Step 8 - Pin the Chest Pocket to the left Front, matching the top corners of the Pocket with the dot markings. (I like to use a glue stick for this. If you use a glue stick as well, just make sure that the glue is completely dry before stitching so you don't gum up your machine.)
Edgestitch around the side and bottom edges of the Pocket, reinforcing the top corners with a rectangle-shaped stitchline, as pictured.
That is all for today. Come back tomorrow for day 2 of our sewalong.