Frock by Friday™: Wednesday

May 26, 2010

Link to this project
 
Join In: Here is the pattern.
Here are the instructions.

Step 1: Make a mark on your front bodice piece indicated by the line on the pattern (see pic).













Step 2: Cut down to the line you just made. Cut ½” from right of middle.











Step 3: Cut your button strip in half to 2.2” x 18.75” - 20.5” depending on your size.












Step 4: Sew one of the strips to the right side of the front opening as shown in photo. Only sew one layer, DO KEEP THE FRONT FOLDED WHEN YOU SEW.











Step 5: When you get to the end leave a little unsewn as shown in photo.











Step 6: Turn and iron flat as shown in photo.












Step 7: Turn to wrong side. Iron button strip in by ½”.












Step 8: Then fold over again and iron so that a little bit of the button strip overlaps the stitch you made as shown in photo.










Step 9: Turn over to right side and ‘stitch in a ditch’ so that you catch the button strip underneath as shown in photo.










Step 10: Take your other button strip and sew it to the left side of your opening then iron flat.











Step 11: Turn to wrong side and iron button strip in by ½.











Step 12: Fold in half and iron to seam.












Step 13: Turn to right side and topstitch to end of opening.











Step 14: When you get to the end, tuck extra button strip to the wrong side of the fabric and sew across.












Step 15: Measure and mark where your button and button holes will be. I made mine 1” down from the top and 2” apart from one another.

Step 16: Sew your buttons onto the side that lies underneath the overlapping layer.

Step 17: Make your button holes on the top overlapping layer.

I could probably do a whole tutorial on buttonholes but I’ll try to be brief.

If you have a buttonhole foot follow these instructions.

If you don’t have a buttonhole foot follow these instructions. Better yet, go buy a buttonhole foot because it’s like a MILLION times easier than NOT having one.

AND PLEASE, PLEASE DON’T try it on your dress fabric first. Do it on a couple of scrap pieces.

16 {comments}:

Jo said... Best Blogger Tips

Your fabric is lovely! I can see why you didn't want to compromise. I can't wait to see the finished product!

Rachel said... Best Blogger Tips

I decided to make an menswear style placket on my dress. (I just think it works better for the fabric I picked out.)

If anyone is interested, I posted a how-to on my blog.

http://rachelwrite.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/placket-tutorial

jennifer said... Best Blogger Tips

alright..sorry i need a bit of help all is fine except for the bottom of the buttonhole strips...when you say tuck in and sew to the wrong side of the dress the bottom part where they attach to the dress looks wonky...is there anything more that you can tell me or post some picts close up so that i can get that part right, want to stay on track :) thanks, jenn

Ruhammie said... Best Blogger Tips

OH! What fun fabric! I need to catch up...it's been another crazy week.

Grosgrain said... Best Blogger Tips

Jenn,
The bottom part where the slit ends, can you explain how yours looks?

The one side of the button tape should be sewn on differently than the other side.

I think perhaps you might have a problem with the way the button tape was sewn on.

I will try to send you some more detailed pics.

What is your email address?

angelaphotos said... Best Blogger Tips

please send me some more detailed photos as well... thanks. I'm having some difficulty figuring out how to properly sew the plackets.

atweedieuf@yahoo.com

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

I'm also having a really hard time figuring this out. I have a huge pucker at the bottom of the placket if I do it the way I think it's being described.

If both pieces are sewn on with 1/2" seam allowanced, it won't close right without puckering. :(

jennifer said... Best Blogger Tips

i may have figured it out but still want to make sure so i would love to see more picts and details my
email is blake.durham@comcast.net i really appreciate the help

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

Oye... Also have problems with the bottom of the placket...

If you're sending more detailed pics - count me in!

SarahBethHaag@gmail.com

Chandlers said... Best Blogger Tips

Could I get more detail and photos too?

chandlerpeople@gmail.com

Ane Oti said... Best Blogger Tips

Could I get more pics too??
anecarol2003@hotmail.com

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

I'm running soooo behind on this!

Can you tell me, when I've cut down to the mark I made, half an inch into the fabric what do I do with that bit then? Cut it off? Leave it hanging?

And I'm not being an idiot when I think I sew the button plackets to either side of the hole it's made rather than the strip itself, right?

Thanks,
Toria

Grosgrain said... Best Blogger Tips

Toria,
When you cut a half an inch down, you cut just a line down a half an inch from the middle, correct?

And yes, sew each of button plackets to each side of the line you cut half an inch to the right of the middle.

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

Ah, I've just figure out where I'm going wrong! Oopsie, I cut through both pieces of the middle instead of one, that was wrong, right?

{jen} iCandyhandmade said... Best Blogger Tips

I am just now getting to making the last Frock by Friday, the shirt dress. I also am wondering about the sewing the bottom of the slit. When you sew the first button band on, the button band strip is a little longer than the slit, right? When you are folding it over and stitching in the ditch, how do you handle the bottom? Do you cut it off to match the slit length so you can fold it over? Or fold it up? Can you send me those pics too?

jenschumann@hotmail.com

Thanks so much!

Mama Slice said... Best Blogger Tips

Hi Kathleen.. I've been reading this post over and over trying to figure out where I'm going wrong. When the first button placket (right side) is sewn on... even though it's tucked behind the left side, 1/2" is showing because when it's sewn on, we used a 1/2" seam allowance. Then when the left side is sewn on, the placket doesn't overlap the right side but rather goes behind the left side of the front bodice fabric, right? So that the front bodice fabric shows? So because we're using the 1/2" seam allowance, shouldn't there be 1" of the right placket that's showing? In your pictures, it's looks flush so that none of the placket shows when buttoned. I think I'm confused.

Also, since there is no cut made at the bottom, how does the fabric lie flat when the left placket is turned under the fabric? Am I making any sense at all?? Sorry for all the questions! Thanks for this tutorial.. it's definitely not easy, but I feel like I'm learning a lot about basic construction through this. :)

If you could email me any help that would be great! aliceschoi@gmail.com

 
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