Since 1978 Children's Corner Has Honored the Classic Traditions Of

BY LEZETTE THOMASON

Since 1978 Children’s Corner has honored the classic traditions of children’s garment sewing with timeless designs. The four original owners began a shopClaire that designed and stitched custom garments for little girls and boys. The vision of sharing these Children’s Corner designs with other heirloom shops was realized a few months later. Through the years new patterns have immerged while older ones have been retired. Children’s Corner attempts to keep up with current fashion trends, still ever respectful of a timeless look. All patterns are sized to be age appropriate.

Children’s Corner prides itself on well-fitting patterns that are drafted using the excellent teachings of Elizabeth Travis Johnson. The patterns are drafted using the same sloper for each size, insuring the same fit from one pattern to the next. The pattern pieces, such as collars and sleeves, are therefore interchangeable. Original watercolor by Lucy Poyner

In 1981, the Children’s Corner pattern Claire was born. Claire featured time-honored traditions – pleats, a Peter Pan collar and tiny corded piping. Lezette designed Claire to button in the front as modern mothers wanted a little girl to dress herself. Mothers also wanted to avoid Elizabeth Travis Johnson’s dreaded placket, “opening under a back pleat”. Claire, now updated, has a longer length and loose pleats rather than pressed down pleats.

Lezette includes some helpful lessons in these instructions. The first is neatly finishing a sleeve edged with corded piping without bulkiness. The second lesson is how to make a machine overcasted seam look like it has been serged. Number three is a hint on stitching flat elastic. And lastly, Lezette shares an old secret for a prettier finish for a bias neckband.

After 37 years as a teacher of sewing children’s garments, Lezette now shares free helpful sewing videos at www.childrenscornerinc.com and in her private Facebook group, Sew Classic for Children.

45" Wide Fabric

Notions: cording for piping, 3/4 yd (1/8-inch) flat elastic

MEASUREMENT CHART

Measurements are of finished garment. Length is approximate and is measured from the high point on shoulder to hemmed dress bottom. As measurements are of a finished garment, measure a garment that fits your child before cutting fabric.

BIAS STRIP LENGTHS FOR CORDED PIPING

20" 14" 22" 22" 15" 22" 24" 15" 24" 25" 16" 26" 27" 16" 28" 30" 16" 30" 33" 18" 32" 34" 18" 32"

© Children’s Corner: Classic Sewing Magazine, Spring 2016 Page 2 Claire is a classic A-lined dress that buttons box pleats on dress back (fig. 3) and one down the front and has inverted box pleats inverted box pleat on each dress front Little Lesson from Lezette - on dress front and dress back. It features (fig. 4). remembering an old finishing technique a one-piece Peter Pan collar with corded 3. Corded piping is made by enclosing a piping and sun-bonnet sleeves edged with tiny cord with a bias strip of fabric. It is • Finishing the edge of an exposed corded piping and gathered with 1/8-inch used to trim collar, right-hand facing and corded piping seam can sometimes flat elastic. The right-hand front dress facing sleeves. look messy. This is a very tidy finish- has corded piping on each side. 4. To find thetrue bias of a piece of ing technique. fabric, fold down one corner of fabric so • Cut a 1-inch bias strip for corded that the lengthwise threads are perpen- Getting Garment Ready to Stitch piping 1. Cut out garment. Cut lightweight fusible dicular to the crosswise threads (fig. 5). interfacing for collar top and front facings. Press this fold with an iron and then cut • Make corded piping. 2. Mark pleats on front and back of on the fold (see fig. 5). Bias strips may • The corded piping now has a seam dress. Mark center front line. Mark front be cut any width along this bias cut. allowance of almost 1/2 inch. Separate and/or back on sleeves. Mark elastic line 5. To make corded piping cut the strips 1 the two layers of the seam allowance. on sleeves. Mark center back on collar inch wide. Use a rotary cutter and mat if Trim only one layer of seam allowance pieces and dress back. you have one. to 1/4 inch, leaving the other layer of 6. Place a small cord down the middle seam allowance 1/2 inch. of the wrong side of bias strip. Fold bias Sewing in Pleats • To stitch piping to garment, place 1. With right sides together fold dress strip over the cord. Stitch closely with the corded piping on the right side of fronts and back on center pleat line and a piping foot, a manual buttonhole foot garment piece with the 1/4-inch seam align outside pleat lines to lay on top of or a 5-groove pintuck foot. A piping foot allowance sandwiched in between the each other. Pin or baste in place. Stitch- has one or more grooves on the sole in garment piece and the 1/2-inch seam ing from the top, stitch together outside which the wrapped cording can sit to allowance on corded piping. The raw pleat lines to dot, back stitching to hold be held in place. After stitching cord- edges of the garment piece and the in place at both ends (fig. 1). ing, trim seam allowance to 1/4 inch for 1/4-inch wide corded piping seam 2. Press to make an inverted box pleat front facing and collar. For sleeve piping, will be aligned. The 1/2-inch seam al- (fig. 2) (Center pleat line will align with separate seam and trim just one layer to lowance on corded piping will extend seamline). There will be two inverted 1/4 inch (fig. 6). beyond the other two raw edges.

• Carefully baste or glue in place. Pressed inverted box pleat Stitch corded piping to garment, Outside pleat lines stitching on top of where corded pip- Center Center ing was stitched. pleat pleat line line Right side of • Press seam allowance to wrong side dress back Fabric of garment. right side • Turn under raw edge of 1/2-inch wide seam allowance and press. Wrong Wrong side side • Hand-whip this folded edge to garment or topstitch in place using an edge stitch foot. Figure 1 Figure 2

Pleats Pleat

Figure 5

Seam trimmed to 1/4” Dress back Dress front

Only one seam trimmed to 1/4” Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 6

© Children’s Corner: Classic Sewing Magazine, Spring 2016 Page 3 Attaching Corded Piping to Right- outside of the curve (fig. 9). Hand-Side Front Facing, Sleeves 7. Fuse interfacing to wrong side of top Little Lesson from Lezette - and Collar collar. how to make a machine overcasted 1. Front Facing - fuse iron-on interfacing 8. Place curved corded piping around seam look like it has been serged. to wrong side of both front facings. outside collar edge on right side of 2. Corded piping will be stitched to each collar with raw edges together (fig. 10). • Trim seam after stitching to 1/8 inch. side of right-hand front facing. Baste Baste or glue in place. Stitch corded • Set machine to a zigzag stitch with or glue corded piping to right side of piping to collar. a width of 3.5 and a length of .75 - right-hand front facing with raw edges 9. With right sides together and match- 1.0. Use overcast foot. This foot has a together. I like to use a Sewline Glue Pen. ing fronts and backs, stitch collar lining little “wire” or bar in it. Some machine Stitch corded piping to right-hand front to collar using a stitch length of no more feet have two bars. facing (fig. 7). than 2.0. Trim collar seam allowance to 3. Sleeves - baste or glue corded piping 1/8 inches. • Lower overcast foot on top of to right side of each sleeve bottom edge 10. Turn collar to right side and press seam, aligning the “wire” or bar with with raw edges together. The side of the (fig. 11). the raw edge of fabric. First stitch is corded piping with the 1/4-inch seam al- placed close to the seamline and the lowance should be against the right side Attaching Front Facings to Dress second stitch swings off the fabric of sleeve and the raw edge aligned with Fronts “into the air”. Zigzaged stitches slide sleeve raw edge (fig. 8). Stitch corded 1. Right-hand front facing - press corded off he “wire” or bar, preventing the piping to bottom of each sleeve. piping seam to wrong side of facing on fabric from scrunching up. 4. Press corded piping seam allowance the side of facing that is not stitched to to wrong side so that only the corded dress front (fig. 12). fabric piping shows from right side. 2. Right-hand Front Facing: With right raw 5. Turn under wider seam allowance of side of front facing to wrong side of edge corded piping 1/4 inch and press. right-hand dress front, pin or baste at

This folded edge will be stitch down later front edge (fig. 12). Stitch front facing Overcast to avoid an exposed raw seam allowance. to right-hand side of dress, stitching on foot “wire” or bar 6. Collar - steam corded piping into a top of where corded piping was stitched. curve or spiral with the raw edge on the Trim ravels from seam.

Trimmed Corded Piping seam Right side Right side Front Facing

Corded Piping 1/2” seam allowance on top

Figure 7 Corded Piping

Figure 8 Raw edge of corded piping seam

Wrong side of Front Right side Facing

Corded Piping Wrong side of fabric Figure 9 Figure 10

Turn corded piping seam to wrong side of facing and press Right side of collar Wrong side Front Facing Right-hand side of dress Corded Piping Figure 11 Figure 12 Figure 13

© Children’s Corner: Classic Sewing Magazine, Spring 2016 Page 4 3. Fold front facing on right-hand side Constructing and Stitching in and pull elastic to gather sleeve (fig. 17). to right side of fabric and press. Pin or Sleeves Then continue stitching with elastic not baste front facing to dress. Stitch down 1. Cut piece of 1/8-inch wide flat elastic stretched. Stop with needle down and other side of front facing by stitching using the following measurements: Size stretch elastic again. When you get near in the “ditch” between front facing and 1 - 8-3/4 inches, Size 2 - 9 inches, Size 3 to within 1-1/2 inches from sleeve edge, corded piping (fig. 14). - 9-1/4 inches, Size 4 - 9-3/4 inches, Size stop with needle down and adjust gath- 4. Left-hand Front Facing - turn edge 5 - 10-1/4 inches, Size 6 - 10-3/4 inches, ers to the correct length. Change to a under and press the side of Front Facing Size 7 - 10-1/2 inches and Size 8 - 10-3/4 straight stitch and stitch elastic to edge that will not be stitched to dress. Top inches. This length is 1 inch too long. of sleeve and tack in place. The total stitch turned-under edge in place. sleeve width included the 1-1/2 inches 5. With right side of front facing to right at each end of sleeve where elastic is side of left-hand front facing, pin or Little Lesson from Lezette - straight stitched (see fig. 17). Sleeves are baste at front edge. Stitch front facing stitching flat elastic. prettier and more comfortable if they do to left-hand side of dress (fig. 15). Trim not have gathers on either side of under- ravels from seam. Turn facing to wrong • Elastic is easier to stitch if you have arm. However, elastic ends to be stitched side of left hand front and press. an extra 1 inch to hold that is cut off at all the way across sleeve to be caught in the end. the side seam. Cut off any excess elastic. Shoulder and Side Seams 3. Stitch a line of lengthened machine 1. Stitch shoulder seams making a stitching across the top of sleeve 1/8 inch French seam or with right sides together 2. Place elastic on line marked on wrong from raw edge. Stitch another line of stitch and overcast seams (fig. 16). Op- side of sleeve. Tack in place with 4-6 lengthened machine stitch 1/4 inch from tional - seams may be serged. Press seams short straight stitches on elastic to hold first line (fig. 18). toward dress back. in place. Then straight stitch down cen- 4. Stitch underarm seam of sleeves mak- 2. Stitch side seams making a French ter of elastic 1-1/2 inches. Change stitch ing a French seam or with right sides seam or with right sides together stitch to zigzag with a stitch length of 1.5 and together stitch and overcast seams (see and overcast seams (see fig. 16). Optional a stitch width of 5.0. Zigzag over elastic fig. 19).Optional - seams may be serged. - seams may be serged. Press seams toward about 3 inches, stop with needle down, Press seams toward sleeve front. dress back.

Shoulder seams Top

stitch Front Facing in the

“ditch” Wrong side of Front Facing

Side seams

Right side of Right fabric side of fabric Wrong side of dress back

Right-hand side of dress Left-hand side of dress

Figure 14 Figure 15 Figure 16

Lengthened stitches Wrong side Right Wrong side side

Underarm seam

Elastic

Figure 17 Figure 18 Figure 19

© Children’s Corner: Classic Sewing Magazine, Spring 2016 Page 5 5. Hand whip folded edge of corded pip- together place bias on top of collar allow- ing seam to inside of sleeve or topstitch ing bias to extend 1/4 inch at each end Little Lesson from Lezette - using an edge stitch foot, stitching 1/16 (fig. 22). Stitch bias neckband to dress, a prettier finish for a bias neckband inch from folded edge (fig. 20). using a stitch length of 2.0. Trim seam 6. Place right side of sleeve to right side to 1/8 inch. • Whether a bias band is finished by of dress at armhole. Match underarm 4. Turn 1/4-inch extensions on bias turning it over the seam or turning it seams and center of sleeve to shoulder under and press (fig. 23). entirely to inside of garment, it can seam (fig. 21). Pull up gathers at top of 5. Trim bias neckband to 1/2-inch width. have little wrinkles. To avoid these sleeve to fit armhole. Gathers should be Turn under bias neckband 1/4 inch. messy wrinkles, stretch the bias strip at the top half of sleeve. Baste sleeve Turn under bias neckband again to slightly as it is stitched to the gar- into dress and stitch from sleeve side inside of dress. Hand whip neckband to ment. Then when it is turned under between the two lines of lengthened ma- dress using stitches no more than 1/8 and whipped or topstitched to gar- chine stitching (see fig. 21). Trim seam inch apart (fig. 24). ment, there will be no wrinkles. and finish with a machine zigzag. Press seam away from sleeve. Finishing Dress 1. Work buttonholes on right-hand side Attaching Collar to Dress of dress on piped facing. Use a piece of 1. Place collar on top of right side of tissue paper under each buttonhole to dress at neckline. Align raw edge of prevent it from puckering (fig. 25). Sew collar with raw edge of dress neckline corresponding buttons on left-hand side and match center back of collar to center (fig. 26). back of dress. Front edge of collar should 2. Turn under dress bottom 1/4 inch stop at the center front line on each side. and press. Turn under hem allowance Pin in place. and pin in place, making little tucks as 2. Machine baste collar to dress. necessary to draw in top folded edge of 3. Cut a bias neckband 1 inch wide and hem allowance to fit dress (fig. 27). Hem 12 to 13-1/2 inches long. With right sides by hand.

Gathers at top half of sleeve Wrong side Stitching Turn under 1/4” extension Wrong Bias side

Hand whip folded edge of Collar corded piping Figure 20 to sleeve Wrong Right side side

Figure 21 Figure 22 Figure 23

Top edge front of garment 1/4” Hand whip bias neckband

Wrong side Buttonholes On left- Spaced of dress On right-hand hand 2-1/4” - 3” side sew apart side work buttonholes buttons Tiny tucks on center on center front line front line Center Hem allowance front Figure 24 Figure 26 Figure 27

Figure 25