₦airaland Forum

1.At the shoulder tip, make a one 1" mark downwards and cut slanting downwards from your neckline tip.

1. Measure and mark out 3" from the center fold for neckline width(if you're on the big side e.g size 16 and above, or you just want a wide neckline like a boat neckline or something feel free to make your width wider)
2. Measure and mark out your neckline depth (here I'm using 5" so I marked out 4" to leave room for shoulder seams when joining the front bodice to the back as well as when sewing in my neckline with interfacing.
3.Cut out

This post shows how we shape the front piece of our bodice.
*again,forgive the picture quality-these are phone camera photos*
1. Measure and mark out or make a notch your shoulder- as you already know,I'm using 13" so folded, I'm at 6.5" (I added a half inch because of the armhole hem so the half inch acts as hem allowance)

Sorry about the late post-had a long tiring day.
All the drama and tension...it's OK! This isn't a political rally! @ efosaval-just try to ignore ok?it's no big deal @ simsaly- please don't feel excluded or upset, not just one person but every contributor is helping to keep the thread alive which I'm thankful for cos my work routine is hectic and really demanding,it's a miracle how I make time for online activities that aren't very work related.
@dressmaker and Ima you're very much welcome, the more the merrier!
To post your photos:
1-click 'reply' underneath the recent posts
2-click 'browse' or 'choose' tabs to locate your photos on your hard drive.
3.Select you photo from where it"s stored.
4.Click 'submit' but try not to leave the message body empty and photos can't exceed 200kilobytes.

@ favour- it'll be enough. I've compiled the 'cut' so would post it on my way home...
If you want you can even add an extra 2 inches to the total sum you got from your calculations to b on a safe side.

@wizb it doesn't change anything.u just install ur zipper in ur seam allowance

jadareese: @onnari/efosa,plenty hugs for starting it off despite ur very busy schedules.its good to know we back on track.
sooo let me get dis str8...from d pieces above,we jus cut d front piece wtout initially markin out d neckline,armhole and side seam? no?

Yes....

Sorry-was posting on the road.
You get 1 Center piece and 2 Side pieces.

Sory bout that, I didn't go through that because I'd gone through it earlier. And don't apologise for asking questions-that's what this whole experience is about - learning/sharing.
1. Take your bust measurement-in this case 33".
2. Divide by 2 - making 16.5"
3. Add seam allowance(in this case 1.5" on both sides making 3" right?)
4. Add bodice gap (u know the cut that's shaped like a triangle?) That's 2" when folded so we make an allowance of 4".
5. Add them up: 16.5+3+4 = 23.5
And that's the width of the fabric before folding so you then begin your markings.you can add 2 extra inches to this so u have extra when cutting out your armholes cos ur joining the seams together which is about 2" assuming you using half an inch to join the princess curve.
You could try this out on paper or underlining so you master it first. When understood and used repeatedly you'll be amazed how easy and flexible it is. You can also use it while cutting dresses,jackets,...etc
Note that I didn't use shoulder measurements yet, later today I'l be making a post about cutting the shoulder,armhole etc and after that post, we cut the back bodice.

@ temithayo: in using 4" (folded) you get 8" open right? Now after joining up the pieces the center piece becomes 7". What measurements are you using as waistline?
@cheries: this isn't a pattern but the actual dress(if you've been following the sew along posts you'll notice that we are attempting to make dresses without a pattern),so this you see is the front bodice, I am to show the back in the next post.as for bust,waist etc you mentioned those haven't been cut out yet so when these three pieces are joined together, those parts would be cut out. This method may be different from what you're used to,but rewarding in the end.
@efosa:your skirt post can begin anytime,you don't have to wait so that things can move faster, I do have a full time job so I wouldn't want things to build up:-) and Maksjoy is waitin...

Bodice gap- 2"

And then you join the pieces from bottom upwards.
After you're done. Iron out the seams.
(I'm not using underlinning for this dress)
See you on the next post - but if there are questions,feel free to post them,I'll answer as soon as I can.

And you would have a center piece and two side pieces.
The first piece shows the piece that's cut out @ the middle. See how it looks almost like a triangle? And the second piece is the center piece when opened up.

...after your markings, you cut out.

Here are the measurements I'm using for this: shoulder- 13", front neckline depth-5'', back neckline depth- 3", armhole- 15", bust- 33",apez - 9", empire- 12" * 28", waistline -26", bodice- 18"*27"
I've written in ink, the markings n measurements although there was an earlier post for the first sew along so if there's a need for a repetition I.e the markings are unclear do let me know.
The first arrow points to the apex
The second points to the empire (underbustthe third points to the bodice
NOTE that I made use of the full length of the bodice for illustration purposes only so that there's no confusion- looking at the dress, the band is actually supposed to stop shortly above the bellybutton so the excess would be cut off later.

#PLZ FORGIVE THE PICTURE QUALITY :-)

it isn b0ut b0ut agreeing with me. ts what it is. u wld b right 2say d@ dere r a l0t 0f fakes in d market n truthfully,Butterfly machines arent made thesedays, the way they used2b years back. thats y i dr0pd a machine dealer's number earlier. call him,he'l advice n guide u 0n what t0 get. a n0vice isnt adviced 2g0 al0ne when buying equipment 0r gadgets n0rmally.

EFOSA VAL: Fantastic,so would take the skirt part after you done with the bodies



You can get at berger Agege mushine and lagos I don't know which area is yours.the regular black head is advisable for you now later you can get the industal types if you desire.the price of the black head sewing machine set is between 16,500-20k depending on the make and the place you get it from while the white head is about 40-50k.hope this is helpful.

2B08881A my pin incase you need futher help on your sewing/machine issues

I think the whole 'black head n white head' description would be confusing t her n the sellers might take advantage of that by thinking she doesn't know what she wants. Just tell 'em u looking for a 'Butterfly' machine. That's the brand of the most popular/widely used domestic machine. U also have an option of using an electric motor so u don't have t pedal if you don't want to.

twingirls: Weldone all, I'm stil with you guys, i made  1st gown a̶̲̥̅̊₪d̶̲̥̅̊ wore it already, but posting it has been a real challenge, tried so many times a̶̲̥̅̊₪d̶̲̥̅̊ failed, ωȊ̝̊̅ℓℓ keep on trying sha!

Wil try getting my material ‎Fø̲̣̣я̅ d yellow gown a̶̲̥̅̊₪d̶̲̥̅̊ start 2moro, since I'm less busy right now. So gentleman a̶̲̥̅̊₪d̶̲̥̅̊ ladies let's go

I havnt even posted my pic of the first dress...shameful I know :-)

toluh: I am interested in sewing, but I don't have a sewing machine. Please do you know any sewing machine I can buy.
NB I'm a beginner I don't know anything about sewing machines. thanks.

Call this guy - 08189956612

@ 1st lady in heaven's name st0p derailing this thread.there are 0ther threads 2advertise c0smetics. thanks.
@cheries- we begin n0t later than 2mr0w. And this is the breakd0wn.
0nnari- b0dice (fr0nt and back)
Ef0sa- skirt
maksj0y- j0in b0dice t0 skirt, zip and butt0n installati0n.
s0 get ur t00ls and w0rkspace ready! as i'll p0st anytime 2m0rr0w.

[quote author=Mak'sjoy]@ Onnari, alryty, tanx. Pain killers! Dats d way i go, i tel u. But rest, . I wish we'll get more volunteer tutors, so individual wokload'd b small. However, weldone. U'r doing a good job. I didn't kno abt yr blog b4 now. Pls, furnish me wit details abt it.[/quote]

[quote author=Mak'sjoy]@ Onnari, alryty, tanx. Pain killers! Dats d way i go, i tel u. But rest, . I wish we'll get more volunteer tutors, so individual wokload'd b small. However, weldone. U'r doing a good job. I didn't kno abt yr blog b4 now. Pls, furnish me wit details abt it.[/quote]I'l post the schedule tomorrow- haven't drafted it yet. For now it's just 3 volunteers.
The blog is a diy/sewing/style blog: www.thatssewnaija..com although it is going through some restructuring @ d moment, u can still visit :-)

Glad t have u here elazizi, cool cos ur the first male participant on here!
@yodiyokun- ur measurements r ok n since you aren't doing sleeves n all, I'll just wait till we get to that part of the dress to show the shoulder aand armhole cut.
Ur answers:
1. U definitely need to measure your back neckline depth when making a garment, from shirts to dresses cos you'll require extremely high necklines or plunging... Etc
2. U can measure your back bodice as well though not always necessary.stop at the point where ur navel is positioned (trace it out from ur belly :-)
3. 1.5 inches below ur empire is ok as that'll be the point where the band of the dress begins. U could aalso do 2 inches.
4. The length of zipper should be able to cross over the lower par of the band of the dress. Same applies for a side zip. You could use an invisible,coil or metallic zipper.
No don't add ease when measuring, it's easier this way- take exact measurements(as you would like the fit t be after the dress is completed) and then ease would be added while cutting.

[quote author=Mak'sjoy]@ Onnari, I'm so sory for d silence, I've bn swamped in work. U kno, sallah season. There's so much 2 do in my shop, everyday, i return home wit headache. (i wish u could advice on dat!). I like d idea of sharing different parts of the dress among tutors. Let me kno which part u want me 2 take, I'll do my best to b available, or else, just let me tag along. I promise 2 b more active in subsequent sew alongs, as long as they don't fall into tailors "season" periods. From the look of things, I'll mak my own after Sallah.[/quote]Really? Ok! I actually went home @ noon yestrday as I've been really overworking myself n ignoring my routine rest! @ advice- try t delegate as much as you can n rest as much as u can (time's a luxury for creatives I know :- ) rest is essentiaal cos even though I delegate, I still manage to wrap myself up in work. O! N don't forget pain killers! :-)
Won't let u tag along o! Lol! Would break it up aaand assign. So any one else interested do pls let me know, I know Efosa would be available bless her. Thx guys!

wizb: I'm so excited about this thread! I keep refreshing this page almost every hour.
@onnari you are a star, I ve been following your blog since you started blogging. I like all the tutorials and I ve learnt a lot. Seems this Orla Kiely dress won't be on your blog but I'm sure you'll still do a good job here.
I'm still learning how to sew and I don't really know how to cut the armhole, neckline and sleeve. Could you please post a tutorial on that? Also I would like to insert the zipper by the side(because I'm breastfeeding), Would that be possible?
Thanks.

Aww u flatter! Anyways I'm so humbled t hear that n @ d same time,glad t be of help.@ refreshing the page frequently, I wish it was that spontaneous!that'll be awesome.about the blog- it's going through some major transformation which would be made known soon as it's done...so watch that space ur in the same boat with yodiyokun so would post a shot tutorial on cutting necklines, armholes etc a side zip is very possible but I'm wondering how convenient it would be though @ breastfeeding

yodiyokun: 2nd fabric.

Breaking the class into bits sounds fine to me. I guess we can always ask questions if something is unclear.

Yes I have problems with the armhole shape (front and back)and the shoulder slant simply because I have never cut any dress from scratch before. Any help you can give is very much appreciated. I fully intend to try out the first sew along too because I love the style.

Alright, we'll break the dress into bits and assign different instructors to each bit. So interested participants should specify any interest in tutoring, so I know how many instructors there are to work with.
I'l make a pre-post for you on the armhole cut/shoulder slant probably by today/tomorrow. So send in ur shoulder,bust,and armhole measurements. If u arnt sure,u can measure out any tops/dresses of urs. N also let me know if ur doing a sleeveless dress or if you doing sleeves.
I also love this fabric. It's fun and can also work.

yodiyokun: Fabric 1 - Light cotton fabric. I have this in 2.5 yards so it should be more than enough. However its transparent and I wonder whether we will be lining for the sew along. The original Orla Kiely is unlined made from crisp cotton. What do you think? I am attaching the second fabric option. That's a thicker sateen cotton.

I like the look of this fabric- if you want t go for it,you could use underlining. My cotton fabric's not light @ all and with it's stretchy nature,I'm not using any underlining,just interfacing.so if u going for this, u'll also be guided on inserting the underlinning if you're stuck.

yodiyokun: Hello ladies, its great to see a sew along on nairaland. I am a self taught sewist. A beginner and I have sowed successfully with patterns. However I am very interested in learning how to sew without patterns.

I recently rearranged my sewing room and I'm ready to go. I love the dress picked. I'll take photos of my fabric and post tonight when I get home. I intend to use a cotton sateen fabric with a little stretch. We can use any button no?

Please would you post tutorials on how to measure for the armhole and cut sleeves.

Also are we working on a schedule? When does the sewing start. I'd love to do sew along every month. Can y'all tell I'm excited.

U welcome aboard! Sewing without patterns is so liberating and fun. Would love t see ur photos and yes you can use any contrasting button if you can't lay your hands on sailor buttons. As for the measurements,is it just the armholes you having issues with? Would help out with that so let me know when. As for a schedule, I wanted this august sew along t be really interactive so I'm thinking of breaking the dress into bits and each bit can be taught by a different person? Does that sound ok? If it doesn't, we'll go a different route. Naturally, it should take off on the first of august...
Glad t haav u here n in subsequent sew alongs!

@maksjoy- u indicated interest in tutoring? you can begin ASAP as there are first timers/beginners here.
Ciao!

U can definitely do pure cotton I opted for this cos I prefer it when faced with options I.e stretch wise :-) for this dress, I wouldn't be using an underlining so the stretch would work perfectly.however most of our african prints sadly don't come in 100 percent cotton these days,some have got synthetic fibers in 'em, nylon et al

Here's my fabric, and sailor buttons I intend using. I got a cotton fabric,it's got elastane in it n so can stretch.
Later guys

Lol olryt dear! no problem with that-wanted t give everyone a bit of time but if you've got your fabrics and notions ready, shoot! Would be sure to post photos of my fabric and notions before the day runs out.
@ cheries,if you're based @ onitsha why r u looking out for Excellence though? that's like one of the best places (also Aba) t get good fabrics in the east and you'll be able t find lovely cotton fabrics. Try it out.

Tools needed for the Orla Kiely Dress Sew Along:
1. Fabric(plain, you could experiment with any colour you like).
2. Zipper.
3. Buttons (sailor buttons if possible or any contrasting button)
4.Under linning
5. Sewing machine,hand needle,thread,fabric stay,tape,scissors,table.
6. Pressing iron
Measurements required:

Shoulder
Bust
Armhole
Neckline depth
Apex
Sleeve length,sleeve cuffs (for those who need sleeves inserted in their dresses)
Empire (shoulder to underbust and width)
Natural waistline (about two inches above the belly button)
Bodice(shoulder to belly button and width)
Dress length


Please feel free to post photos of your intended fabrics! Have a blessed day.