Welcome back to the third day of the Merritt sewalong. Today we sewing up the sleeves and side seams. As a result we will be jumping around between views. So, depending on which view you are sewing this might be longer or shorter day of sewing.
These first steps are for VIEWS B & D (long sleeve views) ONLY, FOR VIEWS A & C, SKIP AHEAD TO STEP 34.
Step 25 - With the wrong side our your Sleeve Plackets facing up, fold in the outside and top edges of the Plackets, wrong sides touching, by ¼” as shown below.
Step 26 - Line each Placket up with its coordinating Sleeve (the shorter side of the Placket is closer to the edge of the Sleeve) along the stitching and cutting lines. The right side of the Placket is touching the wrong side of the Sleeve. Pin.
Step 27 - Reduce your stitch length to 1.5mm. Stitch around the outside rectangle of the Placket markings.
Step 28 - Using very sharp scissors, cut along the middle line and V markings of the Placket through all layers. Be extra careful to cut close to, but not through, the corners of your stitching when doing so.
Step 29 - Flip your Sleeve over so the right side is up. Pull the Sleeve Placket through the opening, carefully pressing along the stitch lines. If the Placket is pulling at the corners you just need to snip closer into those corners.
Step 30 - Pull the narrow side of the Placket back and fold it over the seam so that the folded edge just covers the seamline. Press. Pin or use a glue stick to secure.
Edgestitch just inside of the folded edge, from top to bottom.
Step 31 - Just like you did for the skinnier side, pull the wider side of the Placket back and fold it over the seamline so that the folded edge just covers the seamline. Press and pin (or use a glue stick). Make sure all of the little edges are folded and tucked in nicely along the top as well.
Mark the top of the opening with a pin or marking tool through all layers.
Step 32 - Keeping the narrow side of the Placket free, edgestitch up along the long folded edge. Next, stitch around the top and side edges, and then across the bottom, at the marking where the top of the opening ends.
For extra reinforcement, stitch an X in the middle of the box.
Step 33 - Fold the bottom edges of each Sleeve along the pleat lines in the direction of the arrows. Pin and press.
Baste in place, at a ⅜” seam allowance.
Do everything for the other sleeve as well.
ALL VIEWS
Step 34 - Now to attach the Sleeve to the main body of the shirt. With right sides touching, pin each Sleeve to its coordinating Sleeve opening, right sides touching, matching notches and edges.
Stitch.
Step 35 - Finish the seam allowances in your desired manner, trimming to ⅜”. I am serging, but you could also use pinking shears or zigzag stitching.
Press the seam allowances towards the main shirt and away from the Sleeve.
Edgestitch ¼” away from the seam into the shirt through all layers, catching the seam allowance in the stitching as you go.
VIEWS A & B ONLY (FOR VIEWS C & D, SKIP AHEAD TO STEP 37)
Step 36 - With right sides touching, pin the underarm edges and sides together on both sides. Stitch each side and underarm seam in one long line of stitching.
Finish the seam allowances in your desired manner and press them open or towards the back.
Now this isn't actually in the instructions, but when I sew the long sleeved view, I like to sometimes do a french seam on the side seam since I often roll my sleeves and I don't want the serging to be visible when I do this. To sew a french seam on the side seam, pin the sides together, wrong sides touching, and stitch at 1/8" seam allowance.
Turn the shirt inside out and press the seam allowances open first.
Then press them flat along the seam, right sides touching. Pin.
Stitch at a 3/8" seam allowance, encompassing the 1/8" seam in this line of stitching.
Press seam allowances towards the back.
And that is it. If you are sewing up the shirt views A or B, you are done for today.
VIEWS C & D ONLY (dress views)
Because I sewed up the shirt views of this pattern for the sewalong, I will be using a couple of Pocket pieces and rectangles of fabric to show the following steps for the dress views.
Step 37 - Finish the outside curved edges of all four Inseam Pocket pieces using your preferred method. Please note: the straight edge will be finished later.
Step 38 - With right sides touching, pin one Inseam Pocket to each corresponding side seam on the Front/Back, matching the notches.
Stitch using a ⅜” seam allowance. (By attaching the Pockets in a smaller seam allowance, it allows them to tuck inside of the seam and remain less visible.)
Step 39 - Finish the seam allowances of the underarm/side seam of each Front/Back piece separately, catching the Pocket edge at the same time.
Step 40 - Press each Inseam Pocket away from the Front/Back and over the seam allowances.
Understitch each Pocket to the seam allowances by stitching close to the seam through all layers.
Step 41 - With right sides touching, pin the Fronts to the Back along the underarm and side seams, matching the raw edges and notches, and keeping the Inseam Pockets extended.
Starting at the bottom of the Sleeve, stitch the underarm and side seams down to the top of the Inseam Pocket using a normal 1/2” seam allowance. Stop once you are 1/2” into the Pocket, leaving the needle down, pivot to stitch around the Pocket until you reenter the 1/2” side seam allowance. Next, pivot to stitch down to the bottom edge of the dress.
Note that this 1/2” seam is 1/8” outside of the 3/8” seam where the Inseam Pockets were attached to the side of the dress. This is intentional and keeps the Pockets slightly tucked inside of the seam.
Here is a closeup of the corners.
Step 42 - Press the side seam allowances and Inseam Pockets toward the dress Front.
Pin the Pockets toward the Front so they lay flat.
To secure the Pockets to the Front dress, stitch back and forth at the top and bottom of the Pocket opening for ⅜” in a straight line, as pictured.
That is all for today. Come back tomorrow and we will finish our Merritt.