The Stella sew-along #3 - Assemble the bodice

 

And we're back for the third post in the Stella sew- along. I hope you found yesterdays post helpful with any fitting you may have had with the pattern or even just picked up some new pattern adjustment tricks for you sewing bag? If you need a recap you can find yesterdays post, here.

Today's sew-along post we are getting into the juicy stuff and we will be beginning to sew up our Stella blouses.

So lets get started because we have a lot to cover!


STAY STITCHING

1. On the right side of blouse, stay stitch the front (1) bodice and both  back bodice (2) necklines, 0.5'' away from the edge.

FRONT BODICE DARTS

1. On the wrong side of the fabric, create both the bust darts on the front bodice (1) by folding the fabric together along the marked lines. Pin in place.
2. Stitch along these marked lines, from the top of the dart to the bottom of the dart.
3. Press the darts downwards, toward the bodice hem.

FRONT BODICE WAIST DARTS

1. On the wrong side of the fabric, create both the front bodice (1) waist darts  by folding the fabric together along the marked lines. Pin in place.
2. Stitch along these marked lines, from the top of the dart to the bottom of the dart.
3. Press the darts towards the bodice centre front.

BACK BODICE DARTS

1. On the wrong side of the fabric, create both the back bodice (2) darts  by folding the fabric together along the marked lines. Pin in place.
2. Stitch along these marked lines, from the top of the dart to the bottom of the dart.
3. Press the darts towards the bodice centre back.
*The same process applies to the back darts as the front darts, folding the darts the darts along the marked lines and pinning in place following the shape of the darts. See above photo of how to do this with front darts.

BODICE SHOULDER SEAMS

1. Right sides together, stitch the front bodice (1) to the back bodice (2) pieces at the shoulder seams.
2. Finish seams and press seams open.

BODICE SIDE SEAMS

1. Right sides together, stitch the front bodice (1) to the back bodice (2) pieces at the side seams.
2. Finish seams and press.

 

INSERT AN INVISIBLE ZIPPER

You are ready you can go ahead and insert your invisible zipper, following along with this tutorial, here. There are also a heap of other tutorials out there on the inter web as well, but this tutorial is the process the pattern adheres to.






BODICE CENTRE BACK SEAM

Once you have inserted your invisible zipper, then you can stitch up the bodice centre back seam, but this process is also included in the invisible zipper tutorial, here.

 

The final step for this sew-along post! Let's stitch up our bodice hems.

BODICE HEM

1. Fold up 1/2' on the bodice hem edge to the inside of the blouse and press it down.
2. Fold up this hem edge again, 1'' and stitch in place to form the hem.
3. Give the hem a good press with a warm iron and you're done!

 

I know this is quite a big post but all the steps are quite small and don't take that long to do. I have included all these steps into the one post to get the bodice ready for the facings, sleeves ( if you are completing View A)  and also so we can get started on our pockets ( the fun part!). I have confidence that you could finish all these steps with your Stella bodice in one sewing sitting :) If not feel free to break it up into smaller increments, i'm a big fan of sewing in 10-15 mins blocks when i can, instead of freaking out and trying to sew a project in one huge block!

Catch you peeps tomorrow!

Abby
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