Hey everyone! Today and tomorrow we're diving into the Girl on the Go pattern together. If you're looking for some fabric inspiration for this awesome project, check out the fabric ideas post and take a look at the tester photos post for some great visuals.
Here's a quick overview of what we'll be doing over the next couple of days. Day 1 focuses on finishing the neckline, while Day 2 involves sewing the sleeves, ties, and side seams to complete the dress. Let’s get started, shall we?
**Day 1**
First things first, let’s talk about the forward shoulder seam and how it affects stripes. I personally love the forward shoulder seam because it feels more comfortable and keeps the neckline in place, which makes the dress look better. For those of you working with stripes, focus on aligning the stripes at the side seams rather than the shoulder seams. When cutting your fabric, ensure the stripes match perfectly at the underarms and below. Drawing the stripes directly onto your pattern pieces can help maintain symmetry. Cutting in a single layer allows you to flip the pattern piece to confirm the stripes are consistent on both sides. Using chalk to trace around the pattern piece before cutting ensures accuracy.
Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty!
**Before You Start**
1. Cut two 1/2†x 6†strips of lightweight fusible knit or nonwoven interfacing. Fuse these strips to the wrong side of the dress front piece at the shoulders according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Trim any excess interfacing that extends beyond the fabric edges. This will stabilize the shoulders while allowing them to stretch.
**Finishing the Neckline**
1. Pin the front neck facing to the back neck facing at the shoulders, with right sides together and raw edges aligned. Stitch the shoulders with a 1/4†seam, backstitching or lockstitching at both ends. Press the seam allowances open or toward the front facing. Finish the outside edge of the facing with a zigzag stitch or serger stitch. (Don’t trim the edge if using a serger.)
*Tip:* If you’re working with a lightweight fabric prone to curling, consider fusing a lightweight tricot interfacing to the wrong side of the facings to stabilize them.
2. Pin the dress front and back pieces at the shoulder, with right sides together and raw edges aligned. Stitch only the shoulders with a 1/4†seam, backstitching or lockstitching at both ends. Finish the seam allowances together and press them toward the back. Optional: Edgestitch the shoulder seam for a polished look.
*Note:* Due to the forward shoulder seam, the armholes and side seam edges won’t match when pinning and stitching the shoulders.
3. With right sides together, pin the assembled neck facing to the dress at the neckline, matching the shoulder seams and notches. Stitch the neckline with a 1/4†seam, backstitching or lockstitching at the end. Use your machine’s stretch stitch or a narrow zigzag stitch to allow the neck to fit comfortably over the wearer’s head.
4. Turn the facing to the inside of the dress and press it, rolling the seam slightly toward the inside so it won’t be visible when worn. Pin the facing to the dress, smoothing the fabrics as you go.
5. Transfer the pins to the facing side (inside) of the dress and work from the facing side. Stitch the facing to the dress 1/4†from the finished edge of the facing (about 2†from the neckline edge), using the edge of the facing as a stitching guide. Stitch just inside the edge of the facing (1/8â€-1/4â€) to secure it and topstitch an even distance from the neckline edges. A stretch stitch isn’t strictly necessary here but could be a good idea to prevent broken stitches. If you have a walking foot, it might also be beneficial for this step.
We’ll pick things up tomorrow when we finish the dress. Stay tuned!
**Day 2**
Today we’ll sew the sleeves, ties, and side seams, and finish the dress. Let’s dive in!
**Sewing the Sleeves**
1. Finish the raw edge of each sleeve hem with a zigzag stitch, mock serger stitch, or with the serger. (Disengage the serger’s knife or serge the edge without trimming it.)
*Tip:* If you’d like to pre-crease your sleeves for hemming later, fold and press each sleeve hem edge to the wrong side by 1â€. Unfold it for now, keeping the crease for later use.
2. Unfold the dress/front at the shoulder seams, ensuring the seam allowances stay pressed toward the back. With right sides together, start pinning the sleeve to the armhole, beginning at the underarm and working your way toward the top of the sleeve. First pin from the underarm up to the notches on both underarm sides of the sleeve. Next, pin the notch at the top of the sleeve to the shoulder seam and distribute any excess fabric in the sleeve evenly across the shoulder of the armhole. You may need to stretch the armhole a bit while pinning the top of the sleeve to ease in the excess fabric. Stitch the sleeve to the armhole with a 1/4†seam, stretching as needed to fit the sleeve smoothly. Press the seam allowances toward the sleeve and finish using your preferred method. Repeat to attach the second sleeve to the other armhole.
**Sewing the Ties**
1. Align and pin two of the tie pieces together, with right sides facing, and stitch the curved edges with a 1/4†seam. When you reach the dot at the tip, pivot and take one stitch across, then pivot again to stitch the tie’s other side, backstitching or lockstitching at both ends. Trim the excess fabric from the tip so it will form a nice point when turned right-side out. Repeat to sew the second tie.
2. Turn each of the ties right-side out and use a chopstick or knitting needle to gently push out the corners. Press the stitched edges to get a nice curve and pointed tip. Edgestitch the ties using a stretch stitch so the stitches won’t break when the tie is stretched. (A triple stretch stitch looks great if your sewing machine has it. If not, a small zigzag works well too.) Repeat to finish the second tie.
3. Pin one tie to the dress front, matching the short end of the tie to the edge of the dress and positioning it between the dots you transferred from the pattern piece. Baste the tie to the dress with a scant 1/4†seam. Repeat to baste the second tie to the opposite edge of the dress front.
**Sewing the Side Seams**
1. Fold and pin the ties to the dress front to keep them out of the way so you can sew the side seams. Fold the dress/front, with right sides together, along the shoulders so you can pin the sleeve edges and side edges together, matching the notches and the underarm seams. Stitch from the bottom edge of the garment to the sleeve edge with a 1/4†seam, backstitching or lockstitching at both ends. If desired, finish the seam allowances using your preferred method. Then press the seam allowances toward the back.
**Finishing the Dress**
1. Finish the raw edges on the bottom of the dress with a zigzag stitch, mock serger stitch, or with the serger. (Disengage the serger’s knife or serge the edge without trimming it.) Using tailor’s chalk or a water-soluble fabric-marking pen, mark a line for the dress’s hem 1†from the finished edge and press the fabric to the wrong side along this drawn line. Repeat this process for each sleeve. Then stitch the hem with a stretch stitch or small zigzag stitch to finish it. Alternatively, you can use a twin needle for a professional look. Check out our How to Hem Everything: Knit Fabrics post for more details on hemming knits.
*Tip:* Try not to stretch the hems as you sew them to avoid waves. Lightly press with plenty of steam once you’re done.
That’s it for today! Now, show off what you’ve made! Tag your in-progress photos of your Girl on the Go dresses and tops with #oliverands and #osgirlonthego on Instagram. Once you’ve completed your dress or top, post it somewhere and link it using the button below.
An InLinkz Link-up
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