Sureau Sew-along: Fixing the Shoulder Line

Today we're going to see ho to adjust the pattern in case of a gaping neckline or a shoulder line that tends to ride up and not stay at its place.

Luckily, this alteration is extremely easy, but it's meant as a small adjustment (no more than 2 cm).

First off, determine on your muslin how much fabric you need to eliminate by pinching the shoulder seam.

Now mark the measurement you got on the shoulder line of the front bodice (side of the neckline). Draw a line going from this point to the other corner of the shoulder. Cut the excess.

Do the same thing to the back bodice.

Now lay your front bodice on your back, matching the shoulder lines. On the front piece, mark the seam allowance, 1,5cm down from the edge and re-draw the neckline of the back bodice do that they meet at the seam allowance. You can use a French curve to help you.

Remember to modify your facings accordingly, and you're done!

As always, you can check Eléonore's post on her blog.

EDIT: If your neckline is still gaping after this adjustment, I strongly recommend to try Stephanie's tutorial. It helped me A LOT.

Sureau Sew-along: FBA (full bust adjustment) how-to

Today's post is for the ladies who wear a bra cup bigger than a C (although the Sureau dress might fit you if you are a D cup, you need to see for yourself by making a muslin).
The process is very similar to the SBA, and just as easy.

First off, determine how much you need to add to the pattern by subtracting the bust measurement corresponding to your size (that you can find on the size chart) to your actual bust measurement, and divide that by two.

1. Trace the pattern in a size that fits you in the shoulders and at the waist.
Trace a line going from the middle of the base of the dart to its point and extend it a few cm further. Measure 3 cm from the point of the dart and mark the spot. This is the center of the bust.

2. Draw a second line going from the center point you just marked to the middle of the shoulder.

3. Trace another line, joining the center of the bust and the center of the gathered area.

4. Draw one last horizontal line in any point of the area you see in the photo, as long as it is parallel to the horizontal line you traced earlier.

5. Cut along the lines you just traced, but not all the way. Leave some room to pivot the pieces at the shoulder and at the center of the bust.
Spread your pieces according to the measurement you got earlier. Keep the vertical pieces (where the dart was divided) as parallel as possible.
Use some tape to hold the pieces.

6. At this point, you can either put some paper under your pattern to fill the gaps you created, use some tape and cut around it, or, as I prefer, retrace your pattern piece using tracing paper.
Trace over the lines you spread at the side seam to obtain a bust dart.
Find the horizontal line you previously traced at the center of the bust and mark it on your new pattern piece.

Now measure 3 cm down the point you just marked, and you have your new dart point. Re-trace your dart using the old legs as reference.
And you're done!


The method I used is what I learnt from American books and blogs. If you're curious to see the slightly different French method, check out Eléonore's post. It's so interesting to see different approaches to pattern alteration!

Sureau Sew-along: SBA (small bust adjustment) how-to

The Sureau dress pattern was drafted for a woman with a C cup.
If you have a smaller bust and when you tried your muslin, you found that it's too big in the chest area, you will need to follow these simple steps to alter your pattern.

First off, pinch and pin the excess fabric on your muslin and measure it to determine how smaller the pattern will need to be. Now we're ready to operate on the pattern.

1. Trace the front bodice in the size you need, if you haven't already.

2. Trace a line going from the middle of the base of the dart to its point and extend it a few cm further. Measure 3 cm from the point of the dart and mark the spot. This is the center of the bust.

3. Trace a second line going from the center point you just marked to the middle of the shoulder.

4. Trace another line, joining the center of the bust and the center of the gathered area.

5. Cut along the lines you just traced, but not all the way. Leave some space at the bottom of the dart, at the shoulder and under the armhole to allow you to pivot the pieces.

6. Now you can overlap the pieces vertically to eliminate the excess you measured on your muslin. Then overlap them horizontally, using the gathered area as a reference point. Use some tape to hold the pieces together and re-draft your dart using the old point as a guide.

And you're done!
At this point, I highly suggest you re-trace your pattern, so you won't need to worry about your pieces coming undone while you're cutting your fabric.
For more photos, you can check out Eléonore's great post on the subject.

According to schedule, we should have also talked about gaping backs today, but we'll deal with it on Friday instead.
I'll see you back tomorrow for a post on FBA (full bust adjustment)!

Sureau Sew-along: Sewing Your Muslin

Finally, we're sewing something!

Take your fabric and cut the pieces you need:

♥ front bodice (x2), back bodice (1 on fold) and button placket (x1) are essential

♥ facings, sleeves and skirt are optional

I usually skip the skirt to save some fabric, especially when it's just gathered rectangles, like in this case. I usually skip facings as well, so I can pin directly on the neckline if I need to, but this time I've cut them. For sleeves, I usually cut just one.

When cutting your pattern pieces, remember to pay attention to the grain of the fabric: if we cut pieces on the bias, we're going to have an imprecise fit.

Remember to transfer all the markings on your fabric.

Now let's start constructing. I included photos, but please refer to the illustrations in your pattern booklet for more precise images.

First thing to do: pin and sew the front and back darts. Usually, I either mark them using carbon paper and a tracing wheel or I use Rochelle's method, but you can do however you prefer.

Sew starting from the leg of the dart going toward the point; don't backstitch, leave long thread tails and knot them manually.

Press them toward the center (I often skip this step, but it does make a difference).

Sew two rows of gathering stitches between the marks of the front bodice center. Use a long stitch and leave long thread tails. Pull the threads to make the front bodice equal in length to the button placket. Pin and stitch. Press the seams toward the center and you should have something looking like this:

With right sides together sew the shoulder seams. If you're assembling the facing, sew the front and back facing together at the shoulder seam, pin to the neckline and sew.

Notch the seam, turn the facing to the inside and topstitch all around. You don't need to be super precise, but it helps to keep the facing in place.

If you're not assembling the facing, I highly suggest marking the seam allowance of the neckline by thread tracing it (i.e. sewing a seam around the neckline with a 1,5cm seam allowance).
By doing this, you'll know where the actual neckline is when you try on your muslin.

Now, it's time for the zipper. Machine baste the right side seam, press the seam open and pin the zipper. Using a zipper foot, stitch the zipper on the right side of the fabric. Using a seam ripper, remove basting stitches.

Sew the left side seam of the bodice.

Finally the sleeve(s).

Gather the sleeve cap between the marks as we did for the center front bodice. Sew the long seam of the sleeve. With right sides together, pin the sleeve cap to the armhole matching seams, notches and matching the sleeve cap center mark with the shoulder seam. Gather the sleeve until it's equal to the armhole: the back portion is going to be more gathered than the front. Sew with the sleeve facing up, so you can have better control on the gathers.

And we're done!

Now you can try on your muslin and decide if you need alterations:

♥ is it too snug in certain areas? Is it too big?

♥ are there vertical or horizontal lines i certain areas?

♥ is the length ok?

♥ are the shoulders ok? Does the neckline gape?

For me, everything fits except for the neckline, which gapes quite a bit.

We'll se how to alter our muslins during the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, if you need some advice, post a photo of you wearing your muslin on our Flickr group and Eléonore and I will do our best to help you.

Sureau Sew-along: Tracing The Pattern

Why can't I just cut the pattern sheet, you ask?

Because what if the size you thought was right for you is not going to fit? What if you want to make this dress for someone who isn't your same size? What if you decide to make this dress in a year and you lost/gained weight?

Tracing a pattern is time consuming and it can be tedious, especially for a beginner.
When I learnt to sew, this is one of the first things my mother taught me to do, and I'm so grateful for it! If you can afford to re-purchase the pattern multiple times, go ahead! Otherwise, let's see what I advice you to do.

What do I use to trace my pattern?

Basically, whatever you are more comfortable with. I live in a country where sewing is not mainstream, so my options are quite limited, but everyone's situation is different.

What's easier to find for me, it's tracing paper that comes in big sheets at office supply stores (usually 100x150cm). This paper is thin, slightly transparent, so when you lay it on top of your pattern, you can see the lines underneath.

If you can find this kind of paper in form of rolls, it will make your job much easier. Other materials used are baking paper, paper tablecloth, exam table paper, Swedish tracing paper, just make sure they're transparent enough to see the pattern underneath.

If you found your own material, comment below and let us know!

Another option, although more time consuming, is to use carbon tracing paper (either regular or for seamstresses) with a tracing wheel. I sandwich some regular paper (I use the MÅLA paper from IKEA) between the pattern and the carbon paper and trace my lines with the wheel. This is just an alternative method, definitely not the fastest one.

Remember to mark on each piece its name, your size and to copy all the marks (notches, gathering lines, etc.).

What if I'm between sizes?

We mentioned before that this is totally normal. Just take a ruler and a pencil and draw a line that connects the sizes you need. For the skirt panel, draw a curved line (with the help of a French curve, if you want more accuracy) meeting the bigger size at the zipper end mark.

Once I have these new lines, I usually re-draw them with a crayon, so I don't get confused once it's covered by the tracing paper.
Choose the size of the darts according to their base: for example, I'm grading up the bodice from a size 38 at the bust to a size 40 at the waist. I'm going to trace a size 38 bust dart and a size 40 waist dart.

Once you traced all your pieces, cut them all (remember NOT to use your fabric scissors for this) and we are ready to cut our muslin!

I apologize for the poor quality of the photos in this post. To see clearer images on this subject, please check out Eléonore's post.

Sureau Sew-along: Choosing Your Fabric and Gathering Notions

First of all, a HUGE thank you to Eléonore and her post, without which this post would have been so much less informative :)

Do you already have all you need to make your Sureau? No?
This post is just for you!

Main Fabric

• Recommended fabrics: cotton polin, chambray, linen, lightweight denim
  This fabrics are perfect if you want a dress similar to the photos on Deer and Doe's boutique. They have some body to them and are very easy to sew and gather. If you're a beginner, this is probably the best choice you can make.
• Lighter fabrics: cotton batiste, liberty, cotton/silk blends
  These fabrics drape differently and will give a different effect: the dress will have less volume and will fall closer to the body. Check the transparency of these fabrics, especially if you don't plan to line your dress.

Dress made using liberty by Mathilde - Dress made using cotton voile by Loune

• Heavier fabrics: velour, light weight wool, sweater knitWinter is coming (hehe) after all, so making a dress in a cozier material might be a great idea. Just keep in mind that if you choose a thick, drapey fabric, your skirt will lose volume, but you will gain bulk at the waist because of the gathered skirt panels. Moreover, a thick fabric will be harder to gather, so you'll need to use a longer stitch to prevent your threads from breaking.
• Stretch fabrics: cotton jersey, rayonThese fabrics will give you a super comfy dress and will allow you to skip the zipper altogether. But knits need some special attention: a ball point needle and an elastic stitch to avoid that your seams rip the first time you wear the dress. If your fabric is very stretchy, you should go one size smaller than usual. This fabrics are recommended to more experienced seamstresses.

Dress made using liberty by Joliesbobines - Dress made using cotton by Magali

You will need 2m of 150cm wide fabric, or 2m70 of 115cm wide fabric.

If you use imperial measurements, that is 2.2 yards of 60” wide fabric or 3 yards of 45” wide fabric.
If you use a size smaller than 46, you'll see that you'll have plenty of fabric, but it will also give you some extra security in case you make any mistake.
You'll need extra fabric to match stripes and plaids (which I don't recommend if you're a beginner).

Notions

You will also need a matching regular or invisible zipper (according to your preferences) 40cm long and 4 buttons 1.5cm wide. If you don't plan to add embellishment to the dress, the buttons is where you can really go crazy, or, on the contrary, if you want to let your fabric shine, you can skip them altogether.

The muslin

I cannot stress the importance of a muslin, especially when you use a pattern of a new company you've never tried or if you're a beginner. It will give you the chance to familiarise with the construction process and, most importantly, you won't waste your precious fashion fabric for a dress that might not fit.

You should use a fabric similar in weight and drape to the one you'll use for your final dress, in order to get the same effect. Unless you're going to make a jersey dress, your muslin fabric shouldn't have any stretch to it.
Try to find something cheap: I was lucky enough to find a whole bolt of cotton fabric for 1,5 €/m, but you can be even thriftier and use old bedsheets and tablecloths.
Be sure to have at least 3m of fabrics in case you needed to make multiple muslins (yes, that might happen, don't panic!)

I'll be back tomorrow and we'll trace our pattern!
In the meantime you can head over to the Flickr group to chat about our fabric choices.

Sureau Sew-along: Choosing Your Size and a French glossary

Hello, my dear sew-alongers!

For our first day, we're starting easy: today, we're taking our measurements and we're choosing our size accordingly.

Source

First of all, you will need to take three measurements of yourself:

• Bust: measure the fullest point of your chest. This pattern is made for a C cup, so if you are more or less busty, we might need to make some adjustments later on.
• Waist: the narrowest point of your torso, your natural waist, it's usually just above your belly button.
• Hips: measure the widest point of your hips or, if you're like me and have a big derrière, the widest point of your bum.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  If you have someone to help out, that would be best. If you don't, use a mirror to check that you're holding the measuring tape straight.
  Wear tight clothes, like a fitted camisole and leggings, or even just your underwear. Be sure to wear the bra you plan to use with the finished dress (or a regular bra). Stay straight, don't slouch and don't hold your breath while taking your measurements.

At this point, I like to write down the measurements I just took (I use this cute chart). Then, using a pencil, I circle on the size chart the numbers that match mine more closely. If you're between two sizes, choose the bigger one.

If you find that you're not one size all over, don't worry! It's perfectly normal, and we'll see how to deal with this when we trace our pattern.

If you're European, you'll notice that the sizes are quite similar to ready-to-wear clothes.
If you're not used to metric measurements, fear not! Eléonore and I have prepared a chart with converted measurements (this is more or less you what you'll find on translated Deer and Doe patterns when they'll be out).

You can also download the chart as a pdf here.

Finally, I put together a little glossary to help you mostly with the pattern pieces, but also with the instructions. You can download it here.

This glossary is just a little support; if you follow my posts, you won't need to translate the instructions. I'm hoping to cover everything you need to know from the booklet.

I'll see you tomorrow to talk about fabric!

In the meantime, come join our Flickr group if you haven't already! I have neglected the group a bit until now, but I promise I'll be more present from now on.