Welcome back to our PFAFF® 160th Anniversary Sew-Along! We are thrilled that you are here! We are creating this beautiful Christening gown or child’s dress, designed by Alicia Welcher, assistant editor of Classic Sewing magazine.
In this fifth lesson, we will be constructing a coordinating slip to be worn under the gown/dress. While you may use any machine, our sew-along instructions will feature the fantastic new PFAFF® creative icon™ 2 sewing and embroidery machine. We will be taking advantage of the new features, including projection of embroidery designs, decorative stitches and a grid; scanning of the embroidery hoop; and it’s amazing artificial intelligence capabilities. You also have a chance to win a new PFAFF® creative™ ambition™ 640 sewing and embroidery machine! Visit our sew-along homepage to enter to win and to catch up on Lessons 1 through 4 of our sew-along.
Project Downloads
Note: For best results, please download the files on a computer and NOT a mobile device.
Note: The project patterns and machine embroidery designs are included in Lesson 1.
Notes
1. All step-out photos were taken during the design process. The alignment and size of the blocks may not exactly match yours.
2. Measurements given are for the Christening gown. Dress measurements (where different) are in parentheses.
3. Refer to the Heirloom Sewing Techniques document from Lesson 1 for details on all heirloom sewing techniques.
4. Knowledge of basic yoke dress construction is assumed.
Seams
- All seam allowances are 1/4” unless otherwise noted.
- Seams can be sewn using a straight stitch on a sewing machine and finished with a 3-thread narrow serge or a zigzag.
- Side seams of skirt can be sewn using a French seam. Use a scant 1/4” seam allowance for the first seam, trim to 1/8”, then stitch second seam for a total of 3/8”.
Bodice
1. Clean finish the back raw edge of each Bodice Back using a serger or a zigzag. Fold the backs to the wrong side on the fold line and press. Ensure that you are folding on the fold line and not the center back line.
2. Place the Bodice Front and Bodice Backs right sides together, matching the shoulder seams. Stitch and finish the shoulder seams. Press seam allowances to the back (see photo 1).
3. Using the technique, Lace Along a Fabric Edge, attach lace to the neckline and armholes. Start the lace edging at the back of the slip neck with the back bodice facings extended (photo 1). The optional pinstitching was not done on the sample slip.
4. With bodice front and back right sides together, stitch the side seams. Finish seams (photo 2).
Skirt
1. Check the length and width of the skirt pieces before completing skirt as follows:
a. Measure the skirt of the finished gown/dress from the waist seam to the bottom edge of the skirt and subtract 1”. Ensure that the cut length of the skirt is no longer than this measurement.
b. If you do not want the slip skirt to be fuller than the gown/dress skirt, cut the width of the skirt pieces to the same width used for the gown/dress skirt in Lesson 4.
2. Measuring from the top edge, draw a 5-1/2” slit at center of back skirt. Cut a placket strip, 2-1/2” x 12”. Add a continuous placket at the opening (see page 7 of the Lesson 4 PDF). The right-hand side is folded back and left side remains extended (photo 3).
3. Place the front and back skirts together and sew one side using a French seam or by straight stitching and finishing. Press the seam toward the back.
4. Using the technique, Lace to Fabric, stitch the remaining lace edging to the lower raw edge of the skirt. Press the seam allowance toward the skirt and the lace away from the skirt (photo 4). Using a small lightning stitch or tiny zigzag, stitch the seam allowance to the skirt. Have the skirt right side up and stitch close to the edge of the fabric (photo 5).
5. Stitch two rows of gathering stitches (L=3.5-4) around the top of the skirt at 1/4” and 5/8”.
6. With right sides together, gather the skirt to fit the bodice so that the placket edges reach the back folds. Keep the right side of the placket folded back and the left side extended. Wrap the back folds around the placket as shown on page 7 of the Lesson 4 PDF.
7. Sew the skirt to the bodice using a 1/2” seam allowance. Trim and finish the seam.
8. At the top of the back placket, hand or machine tack the folds in place.
Buttons and Buttonholes
1. Mark three horizontal buttonholes on right side of back bodice to fit chosen buttons (four for sizes 4 and 6). Space top and bottom buttonhole approximately 3/8” to 1/2” from bias neckline and piping/waist seam. Center the middle buttonhole(s). Buttonholes should be spaced approximately 1/4” from fold of back bodice facing. A Simflex Expanding Sewing Gauge is very helpful for spacing buttonholes.
2. Stitch buttonholes and cut open.
3. Add corresponding buttons to left bodice back.
That’s a wrap! Thank you so much for joining us for the PFAFF® 160th Anniversary Sew-Along! We hope you have enjoyed creating this gown/dress and learning all about the PFAFF® creative icon™ 2 sewing and embroidery machine.
More About the PFAFF® creative icon™ 2:
The creative icon™ 2 sewing and embroidery machine marks a revolutionary step for sewists. A world first in the home sewing industry, artificial intelligence and voice control features give you the ultimate connectivity, enabling you to reach new levels of your craft, effortlessly.
