Dressmaking Wednesday

With my fabric all washed and pressed I headed off on Wednesday to my dressmaking group, it was much busier this week and everyone was busy with their projects when I arrived. My first job was to give my pattern pieces a quick iron, so I plugged the iron in and let it heat up when the fire alarm suddenly started bleeping, I was standing right under it and it didn't like my hot iron at all! I turned the iron down and moved the ironing board away from the pesky fire alarm, anyone would think I had burnt the dinner (again!)
With my pattern pieces nicely pressed it was time to lay out my fabric, now although we have lovely big tables to work on at the hall the group use pattern cutting boards like the one in the picture below.

I've never seen or used one of these before but I can see it being really useful when cutting on the floor or on your dining table. I think I might add this to my ever growing Christmas list.

Now as the newbie in the group I didn't want to rush ahead nor did I want to keep pestering Jean every five minutes but my dressmaking abilities seemed to completely disappear as I laid out my fabric and pattern pieces. If I had been at home I would have just got on with it but for some reason I needed reassurance that I was doing it the right way. I spoke with the group about this and Jean explained that it happens to everyone. Phew, was I glad to hear that! 

With my pattern piece pinned in place Jean explained that if the pattern requires a zip then she advises to add an extra 1/4" to the seam allowance for turning and adjustments. With this in mind and with my scissors poised I set about cutting out my fabric. The front and the back use the same pattern piece so I re pinned the pattern piece and cut that one out too. The next step is tailor tacking, again something I have never tried before, so my homework for this week is to tailor tack both the front and back pieces and then it's onto the pleats.

Luckily for me one of the ladies in the group has made this skirt nine times in different fabrics so I had the chance to try her's on for size and to have a look at how the pleats are constructed. I'm not much of a skirt wearer but I have to say that the skirt was really comfortable and I just hope mine looks as good as Rose's.