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Riley Sewalong Day 2





Welcome back for day 2 of the Riley sewalong. I am going to be sewing up View A (the short overalls), but all steps for the sewalong apply to both the short and long views.

Also, note that the seam allowance is 1/2" unless otherwise stated.


Step 1 - Fuse interfacing to the wrong side of each of the following pattern pieces. To reduce bulk, the interfacing does not extend into the seam allowances, but should instead be placed in the following ways:

- Rear Pockets (1/4” from top and centered)

- Large Chest Pocket (1/4” from top and centered)

- Front Bibs (1/4” from top and 1/2” from inside edge)

- Front Waistband (centered with 1/2” on all sides)

- Front Hip Facings (1/2” from top and outside edges and aligned with inside edge)

- Back Hip Plackets (centered with 1/2” on all sides) - Front Pocket Facings (1/2” from top and outside edges and aligned with inside edge)

 

Step 2 - Take the Small Chest Pocket and fold the straight side edge (side without angled corner) in at 1/2”, wrong sides touching, and press.

Take the top edge and fold it down by 1/4” and again at 3/8”, wrong sides touching. Press and pin.

To secure the fold, stitch close to the lower pressed edge, backstitching at the ends. If you are using topstitching thread this should be done from the right side. If not, it may be easier to sew from the wrong side.

 

Step 3 - Fold Large Chest Pocket in half lengthwise, wrong sides touching, and press.

Open back up. This will serve as a guideline for the following steps. 

Place the Small Chest Pocket on top of the Large Chest Pocket so that the wrong side of the Small Pocket touches the right side of the Large Pocket.

The folded edge of the Small Pocket should line up with the center fold guideline of the Large Pocket. The raw side and bottom edges should match up. Pin in place.

 

Step 4 - With wrong sides touching, fold the upper edge of the Large Chest Pocket down by 1/4" and press.

With right sides touching, fold back the upper edge of the pocket at the notches (1”). Pin.

Stitch the raw edges of the pocket at 1/2” seam allowance, starting at the upper folded edge and pivoting at each corner. This will also attach the side and bottom of the Small Chest Pocket in the process.

Clip top corners to reduce bulk.

 

Step 5 - Turn the upper corners of the Large Chest Pocket right side out. Press carefully to create sharp right angles.

Press in the bottom and side edges by 1/2” (wrong sides touching) along stitch lines.

To secure the top hem of the pocket, stitch close to the lower folded edge, backstitching at the ends. If you are using topstitching thread this should be done from the right side. If not, it may be easier to sew from the wrong side.

 

Step 6 - Pin the Front Bib pieces, right sides touching, along the center straight edges.

Stitch. Without trimming, finish seam allowances together by either serging or using a zigzag stitch. I am serging.

Press all seam allowances toward the left side when wearing.

On the front of the Bib, topstitch 1/16” away from the center seam into the left side (when wearing). Stitch again, 1/4” from the first line of stitching.

 

Step 7 - Fold in the side curved edges by 1/4”, wrong sides touching. Press and steam. Fold again at 3/8”. Press and steam. Pin.

Stitch 1/16” from the outside edge and again, 1/4” in from the first.

 

Step 8 - Fold down top Bib edge by 1/4”, wrong sides touching, and press. Fold down again by 1”, wrong sides touching. Press and pin.

Stitch along the lower folded edge to secure, backstitching at both ends. If you are using topstitching thread this should be done from the right side. If not, it may be easier to sew from the wrong side.

 

Step 9 - With right sides facing up, pin the Chest Pocket to the Front Bib, matching the upper corners of the Pocket to the placement dot markings. Carefully pin in place. Most importantly, the center fold guideline of the Pocket should line up with the center seam of the Bib.

To secure the pocket, topstitch close to the folded edge of the side and bottom edges at 1/16”. At the bottom corners, leave your needle down, pivot and continue sewing. Reinforce upper ends by backstitching securely. Sew another row of topstitching, 1/4” inside the first, in the same way.

 

Step 10 - Staying in line with the Bib center topstitching, run two lines of topstitching down through the middle of the Large Chest Pocket, catching the right folded edge of the Small Chest Pocket at the same time. Backstitch at the top and bottom. You may find it easiest to use a temporary marking tool and a ruler to mark the lines before stitching.

Note : If you have items you want to carry in this pocket such as a pencil or phone, you may want to run other vertical lines of stitching through the Pocket to create additional divisions.

And that is all for today. You can put the assembled Bib aside as we will be starting in on the back straps tomorrow.