The Meghan Wrap ______

Ladies XXS to 5XL

What’s Inside ______

Getting Started 4 Printing Your Pattern 5 Settings 5 How to Print Only the Size You Need (Using Layers) 6 Printing the Instructions 6 The Meghan Wrap 7 Size Chart 7 Finished Garment Measurements 8 Materials & Tools 10 Cutting Instructions 11 Fabric Tips 14 Tips for Sewing with Knit Fabrics 14 Quick-Glance Cheat Sheet 15 Sewing Instructions 16 Preparation 17 STEP 1 – Back 19 STEP 2 – Assemble fronts 20 STEP 3 – Facing 23 STEP 4 – Attach the collar 25 STEP 5 – Sleeves 29 STEP 6 – Interfacing 31 STEP 7 – Finishing 32 Pattern Pieces 33

Website rebecca-page.com

Facebook Page facebook.com/rebeccapageofficial

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Twitter twitter.com/rebecca_page

Newsletter rebecca-page.com/newsletter

Email [email protected]

Youtube youtube.com/user/rebeccapage1

Product Sales & Licensing Information ______

This pattern is copyrighted 2018 to Rebecca Page by rebecca-page.com.

Please feel free to make garments from this pattern to sell. If you do, we’d love you to include a credit to rebecca-page.com as the pattern designer, but it’s up to you.

The finished product may only be sold by crafters. It may not be mass produced. You can only sell the finished product; you cannot sell the pattern or these instructions.

Best of luck and happy sewing!

Getting Started ______

Need help? Have a question?

Join our Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mummykinsandme/

You can get help, ask questions, share your tips and shortcuts and share your creations! We’re a friendly bunch and we love helping out and seeing what you’ve made. 

Before you get started…

Please read the full instructions before getting started.

Make sure to wash, dry and press your fabric before you cut out your pattern pieces. Fabric can often shrink by significant amounts on the first wash. To avoid your beautiful creation ending up an inch too small or twisted out of shape, pre-wash the fabric now before you get started. It might be a pain if you just want to start straight away, but a bit of prep now means your garment will stay the same size you made it.

Never leave a child or baby unattended in a garment made from one of our patterns with ties, snaps, buttons or anything they could remove, choke on or get caught on. Never let them sleep in garments with ties on and use caution if you are at all unsure. We love our patterns, but we love your bundles of joy more!

Printing Your Pattern ______

Settings

The pattern is printed at the back of this booklet. It is designed to be printed on A4 paper at 100%. If you wish to print on US Letter, please download the US Letter size version. Make sure that the “fit to page” option is not checked on your printer options.

On the first page, you will find a 1-inch square test box. Print this page first on its own and check the measurements of the square. Once you are happy that the test box is accurate, you can print the rest of the pattern pages.

This is a “no-trim” pattern which means you don’t need to trim the edges off around the rectangles unless you wish to. Once you’ve printed your pattern, tape the rectangles together using the diagram here for reference, overlapping the circles in each corner. Each page is marked in the bottom left corner. The numbers go across; the letters go downwards. The first row of pages will be A1, A2, A3 and so on. The row below that B1, B2, B3 and so on.

The sizes are differentiated by both different line styles, and different colors. It is up to you whether you wish to print in color, or in black and white.

Which pages to print – Ladies A4 Skirt Optional Sleeve

Knee length Midi length Maxi length Short ¾ length Long XS – S 38-43, 50-55, 38-48, 50-56, 35-48, 50-56, 59-64, 68-73, 77, 59-64, 68-75, 77, 56-57, 56-58, 48-49,56-58, 59-64, 67-77, 80-83, 86-93, 80-84, 86-93, 65-67 65-67 65-67 80-104 96-101 96-102 M – 5XL 38-46, 50-55, 38-48, 50-56, 47-50, 59-64, 68-74, 59-66, 68-75, 35-48, 50-56, 56-58, 47-50, 56- 56-59, 77-83, 86-94, 77-84, 86-94, 59-104 65-67 59, 65-67 65-67 96-102 96-103

Print at 100% (no scale), in black and white or color

How to Print Only the Size You Need (Using Layers)

This pattern uses layers so you can print only the sizes you want. Open the pattern in Adobe Reader (not your internet browser). Click on the “layers” button on the very left of the screen. Unselect all sizes except the size you want. Leave the “Common Elements” and “Splitting Layer” on. Then print!

NOTE – In this example only size 18-24 months would print.

Printing the Instructions

The instructions are designed for everyone from beginner upwards, so there are a LOT of pictures throughout the instructions. For this reason, some people do not print these in full (however you can if you wish!). If however, you want to print a one page quick-glance cheat sheet (no photos, intermediate / advanced level instructions), you will find this on page 15.

The Meghan Wrap ______

Difficulty Level = Beginner

This gorgeous The Meghan Wrap can be made in three different lengths. The knee length is slim fitting similar to a pencil skirt, the midi length finishes mid-calf and flares outwards for movement while walking, and the maxi length is super full & luxurious looking!

The bodice crosses over and is done up with an integrated tie at the waist. You can choose sleeveless, short sleeves, ¾ sleeves or long sleeves. It’s designed for knit fabrics only so the fit is easy and comfortable. It’s a beautiful dress that suits all ages and all body types!

Size Chart

This pattern has been designed to fit the following sizes:

Ladies’ Size Chart Chest Waist Hips Inches CM Inches CM Inches CM XXS 30 – 31 71 – 79 24 – 25 61 – 63.5 33 – 34 84 – 86 XS 32 – 33 81 – 84 26 – 27 66 – 68.5 35 – 36 89 – 91.5 S 34 – 35 86 – 89 27 – 28 68.5 – 71 37 – 38 94 – 96.5 M 36 – 37 91.5 – 94 29 – 30 73.5 – 76 39 – 40 99 – 101.5 L 38 – 39 96.5 – 99 31 – 32 79 – 81 41 – 42 104 – 106.5 XL 40 – 42 101.5 – 106.5 33 – 35 84 – 86 43 – 45 109 – 114 XXL 43 – 45 109 – 114 36 – 38 91 – 96.5 46 – 48 117 – 122 3XL 46 – 48 117 – 122 39 – 42 99 – 106.5 49 – 51 124.5 – 129.5 4XL 49 – 51 124.5 – 129.5 43 – 46 109 – 117 52 – 54 132 – 137 5XL 52 – 54 132 – 137 47 – 50 119 – 127 55 – 57 140 – 145

Finished Garment Measurements

Ladies Finished Garment Measurement Chart Length from center back collar to hem Chest Waist Hips Knee Midi Maxi XXS 36.5 46.7 58.9 32 32 35 XS 37.25 47.0 59.3 34 34 37 S 38 47.3 59.6 36 35 39 M 38.75 47.8 60.0 38 37 41 L 39.5 48.1 60.4 40 39 43 XL 40.25 48.5 60.7 43 42 46 XXL 41 48.9 61.1 46 45 49 3XL 41.75 49.3 61.5 49 48 52 4XL 42.5 49.6 61.9 52 51 55 5XL 43.25 50.1 62.3 55 54 58

* All measurements in inches ** Make sure to wash, dry and press all fabrics before cutting out in case they shrink.

Fitting Notes:

We have drafted the pattern to fit an average body shape within each size range and have tested it to check. However every human is unique and getting that perfect fit can be a mixture of science and art. Here are our tips for getting an individual fit that’s just right for you, your body and your preferences ….

• Measure, measure, measure – Please measure your model and check their measurements against BOTH the size chart and the finished garment measurements. • Picking your size – When picking your size, if you fall between sizes, go for the size with the correct bust measurement. That way the shoulders, arms and upper back are likely to fit well. Then grade out or in to the correct waist & hip size. • Muslin – To get a perfect fit, make a muslin (test garment) out of practice/old fabric to see if you want to make any fit adjustments. • Snug fit – The dress is designed to fit snugly around the waist area. You can do the dress up tighter or looser depending on how snug a fit you would like. If you are unsure, please do a muslin to check if you are happy with the fit. If your fabric is very very stretchy (e.g. more than 55%), we would recommend doing a muslin to check the fit before cutting your final garment. You may find that if you are on the lower end of your size range with particularly stretchy fabric that you might need to use the next size down. • Bust size o The ladies size is designed for a sewing C cup. Given the snug fit, if you are an A or B cup, you shouldn’t need any adjustment. o However, if you are a D cup or above and using a 2 way stretch fabric, or an E cup or above and using a 4 way stretch fabric, I’d highly recommend doing a muslin to check if you need a FBA (full bust adjustment). If unsure, do a muslin to check. In pre-testing we found that some fabrics required this, others were more forgiving in the fit and didn’t need a FBA. o If you are a sewing D cup or above, you may find the top will fit but the facing will flip out. On some fabric & cup size combinations, doing the dress up tighter so the facing sits between (rather than over) the bust will help, however doing this on other fabrics will pull the armhole open so it gaps. If you find either of these, you may need to do a FBA. Alternatively following the interfacing on the facing option can also assist with this. We would recommend a muslin to check for your fabric and body shape combination.

• Fabric & options combinations – This is a great pattern for combining different fabrics and looks. Most will work great, however some need checking. Fabric on the bodice with above 45% stretch can mean the bodice is stretched (resulting in the bodice being too long and armhole too deep). We would recommend 40-45% stretch for the bodice only. You can use a higher percentage stretch on the skirt if you wish, however make sure to take note of how your fabric weighs. If it’s heavy and you do a midi or maxi length, the weight of the skirt may also pull the bodice too long & armhole too deep. You can definitely still use these combinations & fabrics, just make sure to try a muslin first and if needed shorten the bodice and the armhole. We recommend a muslin as the amount you’ll need to shorten could vary anything from 1-3 inches depending on your fabric weight & stretch. • Dress Length o The ladies length is designed for a height of 5 foot 6 inches. The child size pattern pieces are designed to fit the tallest size in that age’s size range. Please check both the finished garment lengths and the size chart to make sure you get the length you want. o When hemmed, the knee length skirt finishes mid to bottom of the knee. The midi finishes mid shin/calf. The maxi finishes just below the ankle (it does not touch the floor). o If you are within the height for your size range and just wish to lengthen or shorten for a different length skirt, do this at the hem by adding or taking away length from the bottom of the skirt piece. o If you are taller or shorter than your size range and wish to adjust the height, there are several places you may need to adjust it; 1. Lengthen/shorten lines on the Top Front and Top Back. This will leave the neckline sitting in the same position but bring the seam under bust up. This seam should sit just under your bust. 2. Shoulders. Try your garment on inside out and move the shoulder seam down up to 1 inch to lift the garment if the neckline is too low. Remember, this will lift the whole bodice, so you may need to add more length to the bodice. 3. Armholes. If your bodice is shorter, you may find the armholes too deep. Removing height either at the shoulder or through the armhole will help lift the bodice up and ensure the armhole is not too deep. 4. Hem on the Skirt Front and Skirt Back. Before hemming, try your dress on you model if possible. Remove any excess fabric, remember to leave the seam allowance for your hem. . Given the size of the skirt, the weight of your fabric will also affect how long it is (e.g. a heavy knit will pull the fabric and make it longer). Once you remove some of the length, it will not be as heavy and will not hang as long. Trim only a small amount, try it on again, and if needed trim again until you are happy. . Make sure to leave a 1 inch hem allowance if you make any height adjustments. o If you are 2 or more inches less than the recommended height for your size (child’s heights listed in size chart, ladies is 5 foot 6 inches), we would recommend doing a muslin as you may find the bodice too long. If it is, adjust both the armhole depth and bodice height to be shorter to suit. • Lower Back Wrinkling – The darts in the back are there to stop any wrinkling on the lower back. Most body shapes will find this is sufficient however if you have a sway back, you may need to do a sway back adjustment in addition to this. • If you get stuck with fitting, see our favorite resources at https://pinterest.com/rebeccajpage/sewing-fitting-advice/

Materials & Tools

Knit fabric • Your fabric needs to be a stretch/knit fabric. It can be any weight; however best results & fit will be achieved with a light or medium weight fabric. • Your fabric will need to have at least 40% stretch to get the fit as it’s designed. To check how much stretch your fabric has, take a piece of fabric and pull along its stretch. If it allows you to stretch it at least 40% longer than its original length, then it has at least 40% stretch. I.e. A 2-inch piece of fabric (unstretched) should be able to be stretched to 2.8 inches. • The stretch recovery of your fabric is just as important as the stretch percentage. This will ensure your dress maintains its shape and fit for as long as possible and not become baggy. To test the stretch recovery (elasticity), simply check that when you stretch your piece of fabric it returns back to its original size. • A fabric with 4 way stretch (stretches in all directions) will give more drape than a 2 way stretch (only stretches in one direction). It will also swing and swish around your legs more. • Light to medium weight stretch fabrics such as jersey, silk satin with elastine, silk jersey with elastine will give a lovely drape and swing. • Generally, knit/stretch fabrics are heavier than wovens. You may find you need to hem your garment slightly higher if it stretches out in length while wearing it.

Fabric Estimates Knee Length Midi Length Maxi Length 115cm / 150cm / 115cm / 150cm / 115cm / 150cm / 45inch wide 60inch wide 45inch wide 60inch wide 45inch wide 60inch wide XXS – L 4 yards 3 ¾ yards 5 yards 4 yards 6 ½ yards 4 ½ yards XL – 5XL 4 ½ yards 4 yards 5 ½ yards 4 ½ yards 7 yards 5 yards

* If you are using a narrower fabric, a directional print or a fabric with nap you may need more.

You will also need: • OPTIONAL – Knit interfacing (might also called Tricot Interfacing, stretch interfacing, knitted interfacing). This is interfacing that stretches when you pull it. It means you can stabilise the facing and or collar and still allow the garment to stretch and fit the body. This garment is not suitable for regular interfacing (it will not stretch and the garment will not fit properly). You can optionally add this to the front facing to hold it more securely and/or the collar to help it stand up. If you are buying this by the yard, ¾ yard will be more than sufficient for the ladies sizes. • Tailors chalk or a washable fabric marker • Thread to match

Tools needed are sewing machine, scissors, pins or clips, ruler, and a needle. A serger/overlocker is optional but not required.

Cutting Instructions ______

Cut each of the pieces according to the directions on the pattern piece. Seam allowances are all included so just cut them as is.

Option Cutting Checklist Hemline Straight knee length – This ● Top back – cut 1 is a slim fitting skirt ● Top front – cut 2 (1x mirror image pair) ● Skirt front – cut 2 (1x mirror image pair) along the ‘Straight Knee Length’ cutting lines ● Skirt back – cut 1 (or cut 2 as above if it doesn’t fit across fabric) along the ‘Straight Knee Length’ cutting lines ● Front belt – cut 2 (1x mirror image pair) ● Facing – cut 2 (1x mirror image pair) to the ‘Straight Knee Length’ cutting line ● Collar – cut 2 (1x mirror image pair) ● OPTIONAL – Collar cut 1 of knit interfacing ● OPTIONAL – Facing Interfacing cut 2 of knit interfacing (1x mirror image pair)

Flared midi length – This is ● Top back – cut 1 a flared skirt to mid calf ● Top front – cut 2 (1x mirror image pair) length ● Skirt front – cut 2 (1x mirror image pair) along the ‘Flared Midi Length’ cutting lines ● Skirt back – cut 1 (or cut 2 as below if it doesn’t fit across fabric) along the ‘Flared Midi Length’ cutting lines ● Front belt – cut 2 (1x mirror image pair) ● Facing – cut 2 (1x mirror image pair) to the ‘Flared Midi Length’ cutting line ● Collar – cut 2 (1x mirror image pair) ● OPTIONAL – Collar cut 1 of knit interfacing ● OPTIONAL – Facing Interfacing cut 2 of knit interfacing (1x mirror image pair)

Flared maxi length – This is ● Top back – cut 1 a full flared maxi skirt to ● Top front – cut 2 (1x mirror image pair) approximately ankle length ● Skirt front – cut 2 (1x mirror image pair) along the ‘Flared Maxi Length’ cutting lines ● Skirt back – cut 1 (or cut 2 as below if it doesn’t fit across fabric) along the ‘Flared Maxi Length’ cutting lines ● Front belt – cut 2 (1x mirror image pair) ● Facing – cut 2 (1x mirror image pair) to the ‘Flared Maxi Length’ cutting line ● Collar – cut 2 (1x mirror image pair) ● OPTIONAL – Collar cut 1 of knit interfacing ● OPTIONAL – Facing Interfacing cut 2 of knit interfacing (1x mirror image pair)

Sleeves Sleeveless – No sleeves No additional pieces required option. The armhole is

finished by turning under and topstitching in place

Sleeves – You can choose As above for the hemline option you choose plus: from short, ¾ or long ● Sleeves – Fabric cut 2 (1x mirror image) to the short, ¾ or sleeves. The construction is long sleeve length cutting lines. the same regardless of which length sleeve you choose

All sizes and options will fit on 60-inch-wide fabric, however if you are doing any of the following sizes & options and using 45-inch-wide fabric, you will find your back skirt pattern piece does not fit across your fabric: - Ladies sizes XXS-5XL in maxi length using 45-inch-wide fabric - Ladies sizes M-5XL in midi length using 45-inch-wide fabric

To deal with this, you can do either of the following: • Split your back skirt pattern piece. To do this, cut the garment as if it is not on the fold with 2 mirror image pieces. Make sure to add a ⅜ inch seam allowance to the center front and back. Then join this either by sewing or serging using a ⅜ inch seam allowance. Your back skirt piece will now be the same size it would have been if it had fitted across your fabric. • If you have 4 way stretch fabric, you can turn your pattern pieces so the grainline runs across the fabric. If you do this, make sure to hold your fabric up both ways in front of a mirror and check it does not stretch significantly more in one direction than the other. Do not try changing the grainline if you are using 2 way stretch fabric or the skirt will not fit properly and will hang strangely. This will only work with 4 way stretch fabrics (e.g. fabrics that stretch both vertically and horizontally, rather than just in one direction).

Collar – You can add optional knit interfacing to one of the collar pieces. This will help the collar stand up if you have very soft fabric. Make sure your interfacing is ‘knit’ or ‘stretch’ interfacing (e.g. the interfacing will stretch with the fabric) as the neckline will need to still be able to stretch while wearing it for comfort. Do not use regular non-stretch interfacing.

Facing Interfacing – You can also add optional knit interfacing to the top section of the facing pieces (it does not extend into the skirt, it is just on the bodice part of the facing). This can help stabilise the facing and stop it bunching or flipping out. In testing we found that some combinations of fabric type and bust shape & size benefited from adding this, while others did not need it. If you do this, make sure your interfacing is ‘knit’ or ‘stretch’ interfacing (e.g. the interfacing will stretch with the fabric) as the top will need to still be able to stretch and curve over the bust. Do not use regular non-stretch interfacing. For now, just cut the pieces out and we will attach it in step 6.

NOTE – Where the pattern pieces would not otherwise fit, the fabric requirements have been worked out by splitting the front and back and adding seam allowances. This means, with directional fabric, significantly more fabric will be required for these sizes.

NOTE – To cut fabric on the fold, fold your fabric in half. Align the pattern piece so it is on the fold of the fabric. Cut around the edges, leaving the fold. If you have folded your fabric correctly the fold will be parallel to the two edges of the fabric that are finished. The raw edges (e.g. the ones you could pick at and threads would come off) will be at a right angle to your fold.

Fabric Tips ______

Tips for Sewing with Knit Fabrics

Using a serger is not a necessity to sew with knit fabrics! Here are a few tips to get the best results on a regular sewing machine:

• Use a ball point needle of a size appropriate to your fabric when working with knits – The ball point needle has a slightly rounded tip and will prevent from damaging the fibre. Use ball point pins or clips and, if you can’t, use regular pins into the seam allowance and you should be just fine. • Use a stretch stitch – You can use either a short and narrow zigzag or a stretch stitch (lightning bolt stitch) for construction. Test on a scrap of fabric to find which stitch and tension settings work best for you. You don’t want the fabric to pucker under your stitches. • Your machine might have many fancy stretch stitches and you are welcome to play with them, but often the basic zigzag or stretch stitch are just right. • Use a walking foot – Using a walking-foot is not a necessity but it is highly recommended when working on a stretchy knit. The walking-foot helps to prevent one layer of fabric from stretching out while sewing. Both layers of fabrics are fed at the same time under your needle. • Reduce your presser foot tension – Some machines will allow you to change your presser foot tension. Check your manual to see how to reduce your presser foot tension. Reducing tension will prevent your fabric from stretching while it goes through the machine. • Use a ball point twin-needle (double needle) for top stitching – Using a twin-needle will give you a regular double line of straight stitches on the right side and a short and stretchy zigzag on the wrong side. Alternately, if you don’t own a twin needle, you can use a medium size zigzag stitch for hemming and topstitching. I like to lengthen my stitch a little when top stitching with the twin needle. Test on a scrap of fabric to find what works best for you. • Finishing the seams – Because knits don’t fray, it isn’t strictly necessary to finish your seams. That being said, you will achieve a more polished and durable look if you do an overcasting or zigzag stitch on your raw edges.

Here is an example of some of the stitches you could use. From left to right: Ballpoint twin-needle, narrow zigzag, stretch stitch (lightning bolt), overcasting

Quick-Glance Cheat Sheet (full step-by-step tutorial starts on next page) ______

⅜ inch seam allowance included – Top stitching ⅛ inch – Basting ¼ inch

Unless otherwise noted, the construction methods are the same for all ladies, child and doll sizes.

The seam allowances (⅜ inch) are also the same for all sizes.

Preparation – 1. Darts – Mark and stitch darts 2. Buttonhole – Mark and stitch a vertical buttonhole one of your belt pieces. It should be on the narrower end of your belt piece, approximately 1 inch from the edge. This is for the opposite belt piece to feed through when the dress is done up. 3. Interfacing – Optionally add stretch interfacing to one collar piece.

Sewing – 1. Back – Stitch the top back to the back skirt. 2. Front – For each front, stitch each front belt to the front skirt. Make sure you have matching front and belt pieces. The belt should have the wider section pointing up and out to the right. The skirt should have the curved edge on the left, and the straight edge on the right. See the diagram in the full instructions for clarity. Stitch the top front to the front belt, making sure the top piece is the correct way up (it will look similar, but it will not fit if it is rotated to the side). Make a little diagonal cut from the raw edge to the seam line of the front top and waist belt. Stitch the remainder of the belt right sides together, taking care to keep the main dress free from your stitching. Clip, turn through and press. 3. Facing – Fold the belt on the front piece back away from the angled edge. It should be extended across the front, pointing towards the side seam. Place your facing right sides down onto the front. Stitch from 2 inches down from the shoulder to the hemline. The belt should be sandwiched between the front and facing. Turn the facing right side out and press. Repeat for the other front and facing pieces. Stitch shoulder seams keeping facing free. 4. Collar – With right sides together, stitch the two short edges, and the top long edge (the one with only one notch) of the collar. Leave the bottom long edge with three notches on it open. Clip, turn through and press. Stitch to the neckline. Stitch down the top 2 inches of the facing that we didn’t attach earlier. Take apart the side of the neck that is attached with the back top, and make two little cuts, just under where the facing ends on each side, so the raw edges of the back top and the neck can be hidden in the next step. Fold the back neckline under to hide the raw edges of the back top and the bottom of the collar. Stitch in the ditch between the dress and the collar. 5. Sleeves – For the sleeveless option, turn the armhole under and topstitch. For any of the short, ¾ or long sleeve options, stitch the sleeves to the armhole. Stitch side seams. If you did a sleeve, hem using a ½ inch seam allowance. 6. Optional Interfacing – Optionally add stretch interfacing to the top of the facing pieces. Make sure it is contained within the facing piece. Optionally also tack the facing to the belt. 7. Finishing – Press and topstitch the facings in place. Optionally topstitch the belt. Hem the skirt using a ½ inch seam allowance.

Sewing Instructions ______

⅜ inch seam allowance included – Top stitching ⅛ inch – Basting ¼ inch

Unless otherwise noted, the construction methods are the same for all ladies, child and doll sizes.

The seam allowances (⅜ inch) are also the same for all sizes.

Before you start sewing, it can help to visualize how the dress is assembled and worn: - The top back is stitched to the skirt back. This forms the ‘back’ piece. - For each front piece, the top front is stitched to the narrower side of the front belt (teal colored lines in the below diagram). - The skirt front is then stitched to the bottom edge of the front belt (pink colored lines). - The remaining wider section of the belt gets folded in half along the fold line (fold the grey piece onto the yellow piece right sides together), stitched and turned right side out to make the ties to do the dress up. - Each front piece gets stitched to the back to form the full dress. - When you wear it, you cross the fronts over each other. Each front piece will go about ¾ of the way across your front so there will be a section in the middle where the fronts overlap. - The belt from the front piece underneath (closest to your body) gets threaded through a buttonhole in the front belt piece that’s on top (furthest away from your body). - The belt pieces then meet at the back to do up in a knot or small bow.

Preparation

Mark and stitch darts

The darts are required for all sizes (dolls, childs and ladies). They give shape to the dress over the lower back and stop wrinkling at the bottom of the bodice. Make sure to use a stretch stitch when stitching your darts.

There are many ways of transferring dart markings from a pattern piece to your fabric. If you have a method you are more familiar with, please use this. Alternatively, here is how I like to do it:

You need to mark the darts that are in pattern piece back top.

If you haven’t done this before, lay the fabric wrong side up on your ironing board or another flat soft surface.

Place the pattern piece on top, lining it up accurately with the fabric. Place a pin directly through each of the three corner points of the dart, making sure it goes firmly into the ironing board. Lift the pattern piece slightly, being careful to keep your pins in place.

Holding the pattern up out of the way, place a pin under the pattern piece into the fabric where each of the three pins are. As you place the new pin in, remove the old pin. You should now be able to lift the pattern piece out of the way and still have three pins marking each of the corner points of the dart.

Draw the dart in between the corner points using tailors chalk or a special fabric pen for fabric marking that washes or fades out. Keep the three pins in the fabric at the corner points.

Leave the fabric where it is and repeat with the mirror image other half of the bodice, using the pin holes as your three corner points.

With right sides together, fold the fabric down the centerline of one dart. Stitch along the dart line markings from the raw edge of the fabric, to the point of the dart. Repeat for the second dart. Press both darts towards the center.

TIP – To get a very neat dart on knit fabric, that sits without any lumps, do not backstitch at the tip of the dart. Instead leave your threads long and tie them in a knot by hand when you have finished stitching. Check the knot is very secure then trim the threads.

Repeat to mark and sew the darts on each of the front pieces. The shoulder & side seams are marked on the pattern piece. Make sure before you mark & stitch that your front pieces are

the correct way up. They are very similar if you turn them sideways however if you do this, the dress will fit strangely, and the top won’t fit the belt when you go to assemble the fronts.

Buttonhole

We are now going to make a buttonhole in one of the front belt pieces. This will be where the other belt threads through when you wear the dress. You only need the buttonhole on one belt piece, not both.

If you don’t mind which way you do the dress, up, just select either of the front belt pieces.

If you would prefer the dress to do up one way or the other, place the belt pieces right side up as below with the wider section on top. The buttonhole is going to go where one of the pink lines is. If you want the dress to fold with the right side over the left as you are wearing it, then pick the belt piece on the right below.

(Left side will fold over right) (Right side will fold over left)

Next, mark the buttonhole position on your belt piece. It should be on the narrower end of your belt piece, approximately 1 inch from the edge.

We want the buttonhole to be as long as possible without going into the seam allowances. That way you’ll be able to thread your belt through as easily as possible while wearing it. Start the marking ½ inch from the top edge, going straight down to ½ inch from the bottom edge of the belt.

Test your buttonhole on a scrap of fabric first to check it is the correct length you are wanting.

TIP – Iron a scrap of fusible stretch interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric behind where the buttonhole goes. You may not need it depending on your fabric, but for very stretchy knits and certain needles, it gives the fabric more stability, a tidier buttonhole and can stop the fabric getting ‘eaten’ or pulled into the feed dog.

Sew the buttonhole on the markings on your belt piece as per your manufacturer’s instructions for your sewing machine.

OPTIONAL – Interfacing

Optionally fuse stretch interfacing to the back of one collar piece. If your collar pieces are identical, just pick one to interface. If you have used a print and would prefer one to be the front and one the back of the collar, pick the one that will be at the back of the collar when wearing it (not next to the neck).

If you are using stretch interfacing on the facing too and know that you will need it, you can add this now to the wrong side of the top center of each facing piece. If you are unsure if you will need this, wait until step 6 to check and attach then. Some combinations of bust size and fabric type will benefit from it, others won’t need it.

STEP 1 – Back

1.1 Place the top back right sides down onto the skirt back piece. Stitch together using a ⅜ inch seam allowance.

OPTIONAL – Finish the raw edges with a serger or a stretch overcasting stitch.

Press the seam down towards the skirt.

STEP 2 – Assemble fronts

NOTE – The skirt in the diagrams is the straight knee length skirt, however the construction is the same for all skirts (flared midi and flared maxi).

2.1 First, we will stitch the front belt to the front skirt.

Take one front belt and one front skirt. Place both right sides up.

Make sure you have matching front and belt pieces. The belt should have the wider section pointing up and out to the right. The skirt should have the curved edge on the left, and the straight edge on the right.

Fold the belt down, right sides together onto the skirt.

Stitch using a ⅜ inch seam allowance.

OPTIONAL – Finish the raw edges with a serger or a stretch overcasting stitch.

Repeat to stitch the other front belt to the other front skirt. It should be identical but a mirror image of the first one.

2.2 Next, we will stitch the top front to the front belt.

Take one top front and one front skirt & belt. Make sure that you’ve got your top the correct way up (e.g. that it is vertical, not rotated onto its side). The side seam of the top should be on the same side as the curved edge of the skirt. The diagonal open edge of the top should be on the same side as the long belt and straight edge of the skirt.

Using a ⅜ inch seam allowance, stitch the front top right sides together to the front belt.

Start your stitching at the side seam and stop ½ inch before the end of the top front. Do not stitch to the very end of the top front. This will allow us to turn the belt right side out in the next step.

OPTIONAL – Finish the raw edges with a serger or a stretch overcasting stitch.

TIP – Make sure your top is the correct way up before you pin & stitch. The top is very similar if you rotate it sideways. If you find your top is not the right length to attach to your belt, then you may have it rotated. The pattern piece has the shoulder & side seam marked on it. If you are unsure, check the pattern pieces to confirm it is the correct way up.

2.3 Turn your front piece so it is right side down. We are going to make a little diagonal cut from the raw edge to the seam line of the front top and waist belt.

The cut will be inside the ½ inch that we didn’t sew to the end in step 2.2. This will help us fold the belt over, so we can finish it in the next step.

2.4 Take the belt and fold it right sides together along its length. You will be folding the grey section down to meet the yellow section. The fold line will be between grey and yellow bit. The long raw edges should match. Pin in place.

Stitch along the short end and the long edge using a ⅜ inch seam allowance.

Make sure to pull the front top and front skirt away from the belt so it is in not caught inside the belt or the stitching. You should only catch the belt in the pinning & stitching.

2.5 Clip the corners of the belt seam allowance. This will reduce bulk and help it turn through neatly.

2.6 Turn the belt through so it is right sides out. Make sure to poke the corners right out so you get a nice crisp edge.

Repeat steps 2.4 to 2.6 with the other front piece and belt.

TIP – If you have difficulty pulling the belt through, tease little bits at a time through with your fingers, then use a point turner or a blunt object like a knitting needle or chopstick to get the corners through.

Do not topstitch the belt yet.

STEP 3 – Facing

3.1 OPTIONAL – Serge or overlock stitch the top short edge, and the long curved edge of each facing piece.

3.2 Take one front piece and the matching facing.

Fold the belt on the front piece back away from the angled edge. It should be extended across the front, pointing towards the side seam.

Place your facing right sides down onto the front.

Pin the raw edges.

Stitch using ⅜ inch seam allowance, from 2 inches below the shoulder line to the hemline. Do not stitch the first 2 inches near the shoulders.

Your belt should be sandwiched between the dress and the facing with the raw edges caught in the seamline.

3.3 Turn the facing right side out and press.

Do not topstitch the facing yet.

Repeat steps 3.1 to 3.2 for the other facing and front piece.

3.4 Fold the facing down away from the shoulder on each of the front pieces.

Place the fronts and back right sides together. Pin the shoulders, making sure not to catch the facing in your pinning.

Stitch using a ⅜ inch seam allowance. Make sure to keep the top edge of the facing that you did not stitch in step 3.2 free. We will finish this separately later on.

Your fronts should now be attached to the back piece at the shoulders but with the top of the facing hanging free.

OPTIONAL – Finish the raw edges of the shoulder seam with a serger or a stretch overcasting stitch.

STEP 4 – Attach the collar

4.1 Place the collar pieces right sides together.

Make sure you’ve got your collar right way up. If you look at the pattern piece, the long edge with the single notch (small straight marking near the edge) in the

center is the top edge. The long edge with the three notches is the bottom and will attach to the neckline.

Stitch using a ⅜ inch seam allowance the two short edges, and the top long edge (the one with only one notch). Leave the bottom long edge with three notches on it open.

Cut the corners and then turn it right side out and press.

4.2 Lay your dress right side up. Place the collar right sides together with the dress.

We are going to pin and stitch the layer of the collar that is closest to the dress (the one that will be at the back of the garment). We will leave the layer of the collar that is on top (the one that will touch the neck while wearing it), free.

Start by pinning the collar on in the center, then all the way around. There are notches so you can align the center of the back, and the shoulder seams.

The top of your facings that run down the front pieces should be free and not touching the collar or where you are going to stitch.

4.3 Stitch along this inside edge of the collar using a ⅜ inch seam allowance. Make sure the keep the top of the facings and the other side of the collar free.

4.3 Close your collar so it is laying flat. Unfold the top of the facings so they are laying on top of the collar, aligning the raw edges of the facing with the raw edges of the dress. The collar will be sandwiched between the dress and the facing.

We are now going to stitch down the top 2 inches of the facing that we didn’t attach in step 3.2.

Next, we will stitch the unattached sections of the facing which are overhanging the collar only. This is the section of the facing from where your stitching in step 3.2 finished, to the end of the facing. Stitch this now using a ⅜ inch seam allowance.

4.4 Next, we need to snip the seam allowance where the facing finishes so that we can tuck the neck and collar seam allowances up inside the collar to hide them. It looks tidy but it’s also more comfortable to wear with no seam allowances tickling the back of your neck.

To do this, make a small snip into each layer of the seam allowance right where the facing ends. Take care not to cut the dress.

TIP – Cut each layer of the seam allowance one-by- one. It’ll give you greater control and help ensure you only cut the bit you want.

TIP – If you’re not sure which section you are cutting, skip ahead to the next step so you can see how we will tuck the seam allowances up into the collar.

Take apart the side of the neck that is attached with the back top, and make two little cuts, just under where the facing ends on each side, so the raw edges of the back top and the neck can be hidden in the next step.

4.5 Fold the seam allowance of the unattached part of the collar under ⅜ inch and press.

4.6 Tuck all the seam allowances from the back neckline & collar up inside the collar.

The fold of the collar fabric needs to extend approximately ⅛ inch past the seam line so that in the next step, our stitching will catch this fold. Pin in place.

When you pin, pin from the right side of the garment. Your pins should be right in the join between the collar and the back top. They should also catch the bottom of the fold of the collar on the other side of the

garment.

4.7 From the right side of the garment, sew along the join between the dress and the collar. Hold the seam open with your fingers as you sew and stitch very carefully.

Sew over the stich of the neck, very carefully from the back, open with your hand as long you sew, so the needle will get inside the join of the neck and back top.

STEP 5 – Sleeves

If you are doing the sleeveless option, start at step 5.1.

If you are doing the short, ¾ or long sleeve option, skip to step 5.2.

5.1 If you are doing sleeveless option we are going to finish the armholes by turning under and topstitching in place.

OPTIONAL – Serge or overlock the raw edges of the armholes.

Turn the seam allowance under ⅜ inch. Top stitch ¼ inch from the edge using a twin needle or stretch stitch.

Repeat for the other armhole.

Skip to step 5.3.

5.2 The steps for the short, ¾ and long sleeves are all the same.

The center of your sleeve will be marked on your pattern piece. Mark this on your sleeve with a pin.

Align the correct sleeve with the correct armhole. The sleeve head is different towards the front and back of the dress so it’s important to check this and match the left and right correctly or the armhole will sit strangely. The pattern piece has the front and back of the sleeve marked on it.

Line up each sleeve right sides together with the correct armhole on your top and pin in place.

Stitch each armhole using a ⅜ inch seam allowance.

OPTIONAL – Serge or overlock the raw edges to finish.

5.3 The steps from here on are the same for both the sleeveless and the short, ¾ and long sleeve options.

Match the back piece and front body right sides together. If you did sleeves, pin all the way down the sleeve and the side seam. If you did not do sleeves, pin just the side seam.

Stitch using a ⅜ inch seam allowance.

For hemming fold the raw edge under ½ inch, press and stitch.

Repeat with the other side.

For the sleeveless option, skip to step 6.1. For the short, ¾ or long sleeve option, continue below.

5.4 FIT CHECK – Try the garment on and check you are happy with the sleeve length. Make sure to allow for a ½ inch hem then make any adjustments.

OPTIONAL – Serge or overlock stitch the raw edge of the sleeve hem to finish.

To hem, fold the raw edge under ½ inch, press and top stitch in place approximately ⅜ inch from the edge using either a stretch stitch or a twin needle.

Repeat to hem the other sleeve.

STEP 6 – Interfacing

FIT CHECK – Try the garment on and check you are happy with how the facing sits. If the facing stays tucked in, skip to step 7. If you find it does not want to stay put and flips or peeks out of the dress, follow the steps below to apply stretch interfacing to the facing piece. This will stabilize the facing piece and hold it in place.

6.1 Place your dress right side down so that you are looking at the inside of the dress. Open your facing out so it is flat along the top front only (do not worry about the skirt part of the facing, we are only applying facing to the top only).

6.2 Hold your Facing Interfacing piece up to the top part of your facing and check it fits. Align it so it is close to but not touching the seam with the dress, and so that it is as far up to the top of the facing as possible.

If needed, trim your interfacing so it fits within the facing piece.

6.3 Check your facing is totally flat and does not have any wrinkles in it.

Using your manufacturer’s instructions, iron your stretch interfacing to the wrong side of each of your facings.

TIP – Use a pressing cloth (a thin piece of light-colored fabric such as quilting cotton or if you don’t have one you can use a clean tea towel) in between your garment and the iron to make sure you do not get any glue from the interfacing on your iron. Make sure to check your facing is still flat and not wrinkled after you’ve put your pressing cloth on top.

6.4 Once cool, remove the paper backing from your interfacing.

Close your facing again and press flat.

FIT CHECK – Try the garment on and check you are happy with how your facing sits.

If needed, tack (a small, nearly invisible stitch) the facing to the belt and the shoulder for extra security.

TIP – If you find you don’t need to tack the facing down, don’t. Leaving it free means it will move slightly as you wear it and avoid any pulling.

STEP 7 – Finishing

FIT CHECK – Try the garment on and check you are happy with the hem length. Make sure to allow for a ½ inch hem then make any adjustments.

OPTIONAL – If you wish to serge or overlock stitch your hem to finish the edges, do this now before continuing. Do not take any seam allowance off. This is just to finish the edges.

7.1 Turn the hem of the facing back against the front so it is right side to right side. Stitch using a ½ inch seam allowance the hem of the facing to the hem of the dress.

Turn it the right way out and press. The first section of your hem will now be hemmed.

7.2 To hem, fold the remaining raw edge of the skirt hem under ½ inch, press and pin.

Top stitch using either a stretch stitch or twin needle approximately ⅜ inch from the edge using either a stretch stitch or a twin needle all the way along the hem and up along the facing.

OPTIONAL – Topstitch around the belt now too.

TIP – The top front edge is on the bias (diagonal). Some methods of topstitching and fabrics will stretch if you topstitch them (which will affect both the fit and look of the dress). Before stitching, test your fabric by getting a scrap of your fabric and folding it cross the bias (diagonal). Top stitch close to the edge and check whether it stretches the fabric. If it does stretch, try using a longer stitch or a twin needle. Alternatively, if your fabric really does not work well with topstitching the diagonal, stitch along the hem only to hold this in place.

Congratulations, your Meghan Wrap is done. Enjoy! ♥

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