Welcome back to the fourth and final day of the Merritt Sewalong.
VIEWS A & C ONLY (short sleeved views) FOR VIEWS B & D, SKIP AHEAD TO STEP 43.
Step 43 - Fold the bottom raw edge of each Sleeve up by ¼”, wrong sides touching. Press.
Fold up again by another 1”, wrong sides touching. Press. Pin.
Stitch just inside the folded edge.
VIEWS B & D ONLY (long sleeved views) FOR VIEWS A & C, SKIP AHEAD TO STEP 48.
STEP 44 - Press the top ½” seam allowance down, wrong sides touching, on each Cuff facing (uninterfaced Cuff) along the notched edge.
With right sides touching, pin each main Cuff to the Cuff facing, matching the edges.
Stitch around the side and bottom edges, pivoting at the corners.
Trim the seam allowances and corners.
Turn right side out. Press.
Step 45 - With the right side of the Cuff touching the right side of the Sleeve, pin the top edge of the main Cuff to the bottom edge of the Sleeve, matching notches.
The edges of the Cuff should line up with the edges of the Sleeve Placket.
Keeping the Cuff facing out of the way, stitch at a normal 1/2” seam allowance. Trim seam allowances as necessary.
Step 46 - Pull the Cuff down and cover the seam allowances with the folded edge of the Cuff facing. The folded edge should just cover the seam and the seam allowances should be tucked inside. Press and Pin.
From the right side of the Cuff, edgestitch just inside the Cuff, along the seam where the Cuff meets the Sleeve, catching the Cuff facing underneath.
Step 47 - Topstitch along the side and bottom edges, ¼” into the Cuff.
ALL VIEWS
Step 48 - Press the hem up by ¼”.
Press up again by another 1/4”. Use the steam setting on your machine for the curves. Pin.
Stitch close to the inside folded edge to secure the hem.
Step 49 - Use the Button/Buttonhole guide to mark your buttonholes on the right Front button placket (when wearing). You can also choose your own placement by finding the best placement for your chest button first and then evenly distributing the rest 2.5” - 3.5” apart in either direction.
Before sewing buttonholes I like to sew up a test buttonhole first to make sure my buttons fit well.
Sew and open the buttonholes.
Note that the Button/Buttonhole Guide assumes 3/8” buttons. If your buttons are a different size, be sure to adjust the buttonhole size accordingly.
Step 50 - Mark button placement using the Button/Buttonhole Guide. Or, you can just mark them through the open buttonholes onto the left Front (when wearing). This is what I prefer to do. I line everything up and put some pattern weights on to keep it in place and them mark the button placement thru the open buttonholes.
Note that the top horizontal button is positioned in the buttonhole corner closest to the finished Placket edge. All other vertical buttons are positioned in the middle of the buttonhole.
Sew on your buttons. My machine sews on my buttons so I place them using some glue and then sew them on using my machine, but you can also sew them on by hand.
If you are sewing Views A or C, Congrats! You are finished.
VIEWS B & D ONLY
Step 51 - Mark and sew a button and buttonhole on each cuff Cuffs according to the markings.
Note that the button placement is a suggestion. I recommend trying on your shirt and placing your button according to your preferred Cuff tightness.
Step 52 - Sew a vertical buttonhole on the wider side of the Sleeve Placket as shown below. The buttonhole placement should be centered on the width and length of the Placket below the stitching.
Mark your button placement through the buttonhole and on the skinny side of the Sleeve Placket, centered within the buttonhole. Sew on your button according to the marking.
Congrats! Views B and D are finished.
