4 — Sleeves, Side Seams and Hems

With the right sides together, pin the sleeve head to your dress, matching the notches as indicated. Overlock them together and press the seam towards the body. Repeat for your other sleeve.

Now we will sew the sides of your Mabel dress. Pin the side seams together with the right sides facing, matching the seams at the underarms and the pocket notches. It can help to start by matching the underarm seams, then work towards the body hem and sleeve hem.

With your sewing machine, sew your front to the back along the pocket edge only with a 1 cm seam. Use a straight stitch, or a stretch stitch if your machine has the capability. This helps to give a nice finish at the pocket where it can be a bit tricky to get your overlocker in close.

Now overlock your entire side seam. Repeat for the other side and press the seams towards the back.

Now we will hem your Mabel Dress, starting with the sleeves.

Neaten the raw edge of the sleeve hem and then fold it back 2cm with the wrong sides together. The pre-sewing pressing steps you made will help with this. Pin the hem in place with the pins on the right side. Then, using a twin needle or your preferred finishing stitch, sew the sleeve hem at 2cm. Sew on the right side of the fabric, starting at the sleeve seam and repeat for the other sleeve.

With your dress inside out, neaten the raw edge of the body hem then fold it back 2cm, wrong sides together. The pre-sewing pressing steps you made will help with this. Pin your hem in place with the pins on the right side. So the body hem at 2cm using a twin needle or your preferred finishing stitch. Sew on the right side of the fabric, starting and finishing at one of the side seams.

Now for the finishing touches!

To keep your seam allowances in place, back tack in the ditch 2-3 stitches in the shoulder seam, at the sleeve head and, at the side seam by back tacking in the ditch 2-3 stitches in the sleeve seam at the underarm.

Clip your threads and give your Mabel Dress a final press. You're all done!