Be sure you have marked the Sleeve Pleats onto your fabric.
We are making View 2 from our pattern Embroidered Raglan Daygowns but we are making the sleeve from View 3. The Sleeves have little pleats instead of gathers. Go to View 3, Step 3 in your pattern Instruction Guide. I didn't write on the instructions that you are stitching the pleats from the wrong side of the fabric, so you might want to pencil that in.
Remember to knot the thread just inside the seam line, then stitch to the end. (like you did at the neck when stitching the facing)
Fold the fabric on the Pleat Fold Line (right sides together) and stitch on the Stitching Line. I put little Dots on my Fold Lines so I could tell them apart from the Stitching Lines on my sleeve.
Stitched Pleats.
I used the DMC #50 thread and #11 Sharps needle. I waxed my thread.
The pleats give a tailored look to the sleeve and are especially appropriate for Baby Boy's as well as girls.
Following my pattern instructions, I pressed the pleats and stitched them in place.
Sewing the Sleeves to the Daygown
Front and Back.
Here you see the sleeve between the Front and the Back of the Daygown.
The sleeve will be sewn to the Front and Back in a French Seam.
Lay out all your garment pieces just as they will be sewn together. This will help you know how the pieces need to be sewn together and not get them mixed up. The seams will be stitched using a French Seam. Please click on French Seam Lesson and read the entire Lesson. Refer back to it as needed when stitching your seams. There are also French Seam Instructions in your pattern instructions (under the heading Sewing Techniques).
When you are stitching seams by hand, you lack the presser foot and guide plate on the sewing machine that help you keep your seams straight.
I recommend you mark 1/4" along the fabric edge. You will stitch on this line for the first seam in your French Seam. And your seams will all be straight.
Sleeve and Back are pinned wrong sides together, ready to stitch.
Be sure you are sewing the BACK of the sleeve to the BACK of the Daygown!
Because the seams are stitched with a French Seam, I find it easiest to sew all the pieces wrong sides together first. Then, go back and sew all the seams right sides together to finish the French Seam. It helps to keep me from being confused about which seams go where.
In this picture I have sewn wrong sides together, trimmed, turned fabric to right sides together and am now sewing right sides together in a 1/8" seam.
After I have sewn all the seams wrong sides together, I go back and finish the seams one at a time. Do not trim until you are ready to stitch a seam. You will follow the French Seam Lesson.
Then press all the seams and staystitch the neck edge 1/8" away from the raw edge.
"Many women exclaim regretfully when they see machine stitching on a baby's garment. Many of the finest baby dresses that are French seamed have the first seams stitched on the machine and the second seams done by hand. This is an ideal way because the machine stitching gives strength to the seam and allows it to hold better in laundering, and to all appearances the dress is entirely hand made."
How to Make Childrens Clothing- The Modern Singer Way. Copyright 1927
No one will ever know , unless you tell!!
Now, baby clothes made entirely by hand are very durable, especially French Seams, so you must remember the source above...A Sewing Machine Company!!)
Question for today - Where in your house to you sew? Sewing Room, kitchen, Special closet space? And what one thing would you change about it?
Now, it's my favorite time.
Tea Time!!
Gingerbread!! And my favorite, Earl Grey tea.
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