Response to comments on sleeveless dress

Laura said...
Thanks for this video. Does the lining fabric just stay unfinished around the zipper, then?

No not really. I hand stitched the lining to the zipper. As one of the final steps in the dress completion. You could, I think, topstitch the pressed in seam allowance for the lining and let it hang loose. You could attach the lining fabric to the zipper by machine only I have yet to get one to lay correctly. I scanned in a portion of the instructions from the Vogue pattern that addresses attaching the lining to the zipper that may help answer your question.

Carolyn wrote--That was very kewl! My question about the insertion is that you are now inserting the zipper into a finished garment with all of that fabric...my pet peeve. I love flat insertions of anything whenever possible because I seem to have more control over the process. But that was a very interesting take on inserting a lining into a sleeveless garment and I have bookmarked this entry for when I'm feeling more adventurous in the future!

Carolyn, I understand your pet peeve. Yet this is still mostly flat as you have not sewn any seams other than the shoulder seams and attached lining to neck and armholes. Side seams have not been stitched. Your next seam to sew is the back seam below where you will insert the zipper. Then insert zipper. You are still working with basically a flat piece. I scanned another part from the Vogue pattern instructions for this step, and for the step following showing how to sew the lining and fabric as one continuous seam. I found this was easy.

I am most curious why these instructions are not used for all Vogue sleeveless dress patterns? I have made two sleeveless dresses using this technique but the instructions for one pattern did not have these directions at all.

Sleeveless dress with lining

Over the past several months there have been postings of sewing dresses, particularly sleeveless dresses with a lining. Some have written how they attach the lining at the armholes and having to sew this part by hand, or having to turn under the seam allowances for the fabric and lining, attempt to line them up and then basically top or edge stitch them together.

Having read through much of Claire Shaeffer's book "High Fashion Secrets..." and Clotilde's "Sew Smart" and actually following instructions from a Vogue pattern ( which by the way was one of the better instructions ever with a Vogue pattern) I have been using a different method with great success. Sorry I don't have the Vogue pattern number readily available as of this writing.

So I have again attempted to put together a little tutorial that I hope will help any one who has struggled with sewing a lining to a sleeveless dress and wanting it to look more like RTW. I think it is less of a struggle. I am still learning how to put together "videos" on my computer and may someday actually add sound. But hope the written messages along with some photos will help. Here is a link http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5664121837832228241. I am also going to try to post the video here. Some days it works, some days it doesn't. It may play better on your computer by using the link. I hope you find it helpful. The two books mentioned are very helpful sewing resources and I recommend them.

Sleeve lining tutorial

I wrote about preparing a tutorial to show how to install a sleeve lining if you are going to use the 'bag a lining' method. Several people have written they like the bag a lining method but just can't figure out the sleeve part.

Let me say that this "video" is my first ever trying something like this. With my new computer I have a lot of new "toys" or programs to play with and I thought I would try this. Blogger has now added a movie upload feature so I thought let's give it a go. As I have written before, you all know I am not a great photographer. Someone else could probably really jazz this up. I used this method on my recent McCall's Jacket.

Hope you find it helpful. I hope it works!




I reviewed this after posting. It looks better on my computer because it is on a wider screen. Some of the printed comments included in the photos look a little blurred in some. I think you can still get the gist of it. I can send this as an email attachment if you have an interest. Just post your email in the comments.