4 — Finish the Body

With the right sides together pin the side seams, matching the seams and notches. It can help to start by matching the underarm seams, then work towards the body hem and sleeve hem.

Sew the seam, stopping with your needle down at the underarm and pivoting before continuing the rest of the seam.

Take care near pocket edge not to accidentally catch the pocket opening in this seam. You can either pin it back a little, or tuck it out of the way as you get close to it.

At the underarm, clip into the point where the sleeve and dress meet to release the seam allowance. Take care not to cut through your stitching.

Neaten the seam and press towards the back.

Repeat for the other side.

Next, we prepare the button loop.

Fold the button loop as shown as per your pressing at the beginning and edge stitch it closed. Now fold the piece as shown to form a loop. Keep it in a safe place for later in this step.

Now it is time to gather the neckline.

Using the longest stitch on your sewing machine, sew two parallel lines of stitching 6mm apart at the neckline.

Pull the bobbin threads to gather the neckline to the measurement indicated for your size in the Instruction Booklet. Once you have gathered it to the correct length, secure the threads with a knot. Spread the gathers evenly around the neckline.

Take your neck binding and fold it in half and mark the middle. This will align with centre front.

Place the right side of the binding to the wrong side of your dress or top at the neckline, matching the raw edges. The binding will overhang the centre back on each side.

Match the centre fronts and pin the binding in place, distributing the gathers evenly around the neckline again if necessary.

Sew the binding and your dress or top together with a 1cm seam. It is easier to do this with the gathers on top so you can adjust them as you sew.

Trim the binding to 1cm at each end.

Press the binding up, away from your dress or top.

Pin the folded button loop to the right side of the binding at the left centre back. Align the raw edges of the button loop with the short end of the binding and the bottom edge of the button loop with the folded edge of the binding. Baste in place through the binding only. To help achieve a tidy finish, make sure the button loop measures no more than 1cm wide.

Fold the free edge of the binding over 1cm with the right sides together and press.

At each centre back, fold the binding in half, right sides together. On the left side, the button loop will be enclosed.

Stitch each end with a 1cm seam.

Turn the binding right side out, then fold the rest of the binding in half to enclose the raw edge. Press and pin in place. The folded edge of the binding will just meet the last neck seam you sewed.

Edge stitch the binding in place on the right side. You may find it easiest to do this with your dress or top inside out.

Remove any visible basting stitches.

In the next post, we finish the sleeves with cuffs or elastic, depending on which sleeve option you are sewing.