Skip to main content

Reader's Pick Sew Along #2 - Bodice Pleats

On Monday when I introduced Step #1 - Cutting, Alterations and Thread, I mentioned about lengthening and shortening the bodice piece. Since then, the person that asked about this tried it out, using the directions from Handmade by Heather B, and it worked! So if you haven't cut out of your good fabric yet and need to do this step, give it a try!

Since we are working with knits, it is important to make sure you have a STRETCH NEEDLE. One thing I found when I was starting to sew with knits, was that my seams and hems would break because there was no give. Knits stretch with you, the thread does not. Some sewing machines have a knit stitch. (Check your manual for this info.) If your sewing machine doesn't, set your machine to a straight stitch, but modify your zig-zag stitch ever so slightly. (Or use the zig-zag, but on a very fine zig-zag, almost straight! This setting depends on your sewing machine.) I have a Bernina and it comes with a knit stitch. I don't care for it, so I use a straight stitch with a slight zig-zag. 

Here is a photo of my settings: 

I do tug slightly on a knit when I'm sewing with it, but not too much. You don't want fabric ripples!

So today we're going to make the pleats for the bodice. I'm not going to go through every step they tell you to do, because that would just be repetitive, but give you hints, reminders and suggestions that go along with the step. 

When making your pleats you may fumble around with matching up your lines and sticking the pins into place. Starting from the end of the fabric, I pierce the pin through the line and then through the line on the other side of the fabric. This ensures that you've got one section all lined up. Then go back into the line with the pin and match up the line again. 



When sewing your pleats, be sure to keep the other pleats out of the way! You don't want to sew them all together! 

Listen to the directions with they say press and baste your pleats up or down! It definitely helps the dress look great in the finished product!  


 After your pleats are in place, use some seam binding to stabilize your shoulder seam. I used a transparent seam tape called, Seams Great Binding by Dritz.


That's all for today! This step was easy. The next couple of steps get more complicated. 

Share your fabric choices on our Flickr page! Some of you have shown us what you are using and we'd love to see more! 

Any questions or suggestions? Comment below. 

Comments

  1. Thanks for the great info. :) I want to add that I definitely stabilized the neckline bit, too, so that it wouldn't stretch out of shape when sewing it up. My muslin is far from perfect, but that darn neckline looked great. I *think* I may have used stay tape...

    When is the next part of the sew along set to go? I want to make sure I stay in step with you all and don't get behind. I have a few projects over the next few weeks, so I have to prioritize my sewing tasks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Dina, the next step will be posted on Friday. You will have all weekend to work on that. And for people catching up, they have the weekend to do also!

      Delete
  2. No wait, the neckline has stretch, so I must have used some kind of knit stabilizer. Will check my notes and dress muslin a bit further to see what I did to stabilize the neckline...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Okay, last comment, I promise. I just checked the neckline, and it appears I didn't use a stay tape or stabilizer of any kind. Sigh. What I think I did was staystitch the dress neckline to prevent stretching, but then used the "lightning bolt" stitch on my Bernina to get stretch on the finished bit of the neckline.

    I only remember this part so clearly because so many reviews of this pattern mention making sure to not stretch out the neckline or else it will gape. And that is the last thing I wanted from my finished product.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did notice the neckline comment brought up a lot in other reviews of this pattern. We will talk about this in the next step, which will be posted on friday!

      Delete
  4. How do you feel about using clear elastic on the shoulder seams instead of stabilizer? I've used it and like it, but are there times stabilizer would be preferable?
    Thanx!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sharon,

      I think that clear elastic would be fine, as long as you don't pull on it to the point of puckering your seam. If you are comfortable with it, I would say go for it! The thing I liked about the seam tape I used was that it did not stretch, therefore I didn't have to worry that it would pucker.

      Delete
    2. That makes sense. Thanks for the reply!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Vacation Vibes

We will be traveling to the Caribbean for Spring Break this year, so I started thinking about what I wanted to take with me that would be easy to wear, but also light and breezy.  Personally, I love wearing linen because it looks so luxe while still being really comfortable. Since coordinated sets are still on trend this year, I thought it would be fun to create some pieces that I could mix and match for a relaxed vacation mini-wardrobe.  (I just need to remember to pack my travel iron!)   I went through all of my patterns and came up with five different patterns that I knew would would coordinate well with each other, and that would work well with linen.  I wasn’t surprised when all the patterns I chose came from Pattern Emporium.  Their whole aesthetic is clothing that is on trend, easy to wear and comfortable.  For my first set, I used the Lightweight Yarn-Dyed Chambray Linen in Soft Oat.  This fabric is so incredibly soft and airy. ...

Made By A Fabricista: Three Bengaline Basics – A Jacket, Skirt and Vest

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon from Sharon Sews excited to share my latest Fabricista makes with you.  When Fabric Mart offered an array of stretch bengaline suiting fabrics , I choose three different fabrics to sew myself a few basics to be worn as the season transitions from winter to spring. The bengaline fabric I used is a woven rayon/nylon/lycra blend fabric with the stretch running vertically (lengthwise on the fabric) instead of horizontally (selvage to selvage).  It lends itself well to fitted and structured garments, such as jackets, pants, skirts and dresses. Because of the vertical stretch, I folded the fabric cross grain to cut out my fabric pieces so the greatest stretch would go around my body.   I used a stretch needle size 75/11 due to the lycra in the fabric. I also eliminated the interfacing as I discovered this fabric did not like fusible interfacing and I did not have any sew-in interfacing on hand.   Now let’s talk about the garments...

Made By A Fabricista: I Love A Bomber Jacket

Hello friends,  I’m Byrd, and today I’m excited to share my latest Fabricista project with you.  There’s something timeless about a bomber jacket that makes it a staple in my wardrobe. It’s effortlessly cool, versatile, and perfect for layering through the seasons. But what makes this particular bomber jacket even more special is its thoughtfully designed pattern. Not only is it a standard pattern, but it’s also adaptive—meaning the length and closures can be customized to suit your needs, whether you’re standing, sitting, or using a wheelchair. This level of inclusivity in design is something I truly appreciate, and that’s why I’m especially excited about this make! The Fabric: Cotton Poly Poplin For the bomber jacket, I chose a Salamander White cotton-poly poplin , and it couldn’t be a more perfect match. Poplin is a fantastic choice for outerwear because it’s lightweight yet durable, with just the right amount of structure to hold the classic bomber shape. The cotton-poly b...