MAE SEW-ALONG #3 - Apply fusible interfacing, stay stitching & bodice darts

Hello again fine sew-alongers! Today's blog post we will be starting the prep work we need to do to get our Mae blouse's on the road to being stitched up. Before we start just to recap, by now you should have  sorted out any alterations/sizing adjustments you may need to have made, cut out your interfacing and fabric and be well and truly be ready to get started. 

As i said,  today's blog post is all about the prep work of the blouse, which means we will be attaching our fusible interfacing to our facing pattern pieces, stay stitching the neckline and lastly stitching up the darts on the front and back bodice pieces.

OK, lets get started:

Step 1: Apply lightweight fusible interfacing to your facing pieces.

Grab your facing pieces and apply the lightweight fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the front neck facing ( 4), back neck facing (3) and armhole sleeve facings (5) following the manufacturer's instructions apply your interfacing.

Step 2: Stay stitching

What is staystitching?

  Staystitching around curved edges especially necklines helps prevent them from stretching out, making them easier to match up later.  You simply machine stitch along the edge of the neckline.

1. Stay stitch 0.5'' away from the front and back bodice necklines edges.Take your time and go slowly around the scallop curves and pivot at the scallop points.

Step 3 : Front and back bodice darts 

1. On the wrong side of the fabric, create the darts on the front bodice (2). Match the marked dart lines  together to form a fold .Pin in place  from the top of the darts to the bottom of the dart .

2. Beginning at the top of the dart, stitch along the marked line down to the bottom of the dart. 3. Repeat the same process on the darts on the back bodice pieces (1).  

Below is a finished look at what the  bodice darts, front and back should look like once you're done. 

Lastly press the front bodice darts towards the centre of the bodice and do the same for the back bodice darts. 

Next up we will be sewing up the bodice shoulder seams and finishing off the bodice back edges.

Remember this is your sew-along, so if you have any questions would like to see something shown in the sew-along that i may have missed, then just yell out!!

Abby

xxx