A14 ADDIN' SOME FRILLS

We are going to cut two inch strips out of the remaining fabric. (Note: Be sure to cut them off straight measuring at the fold.
Now we got to take care of these bulky seams.
Trim off the seam, cutting it straight.

Now you have two long strips.

Do the same the other sleeve. I have three strips total. They aren't that long approximately 12" each. That should be more than enough frill for the collar.

Mark two inches in. My ruler is crooked, your should be straight.

Trim off the seams.
Last one is done.

A15 HALF WAY DONE

My sewing teacher use to always say, "when you are done cutting out you are half way there." YEAH. You are halfway. I would say a little further because your button holes and buttons are already there.

A16 FASTEST WAY TO DO DARTS, TRACE FIRST

The darts are clearly marked on your pattern. There are the center darts that thin the waist line and then there is a dart that shapes the fabric for your breasts.
Find a bright window with not too much light. Tape your pattern to the window. (Don't use duct tape. You will rip your pattern trying to remove it. I don't know why I am tell you this... I am certain I am the only one who would be silly enough to do such a thing.) Then tape your cut shirt piece directly over the pattern. Make sure you are tracing your darts on the wrong side, meaning the side that will be on the inside of the shirt.
They should be really easy to see, unless the light from your window is too bright or too dark. Then take a pencil, or an old piece of white soap, or a fabric marking pen and trace the darts.
Then remove the cut piece and you are done. You will have to flip the pattern piece over to trace the other panel. Again make sure you are tracing your darts to the wrong side of the cut shirt piece.
Time to do the back. Tape the pattern for the back of the shirt to the window. Trace the darts on one half of the shirt.
Flip the pattern over. Then trace the darts on the other half of the back of the cut shirt piece. Again, make sure you are tracing them on the wrong side of the shirt back. The pattern should be more pronounced on the shirt front. If it is not then it will make little difference which side you use.
You are done. Easy Peasy. If you have any questions about tracing darts leave a comment.

A17 SEWING DARTS

Pinch the fabric with your fingers.
Pin along the dart lines.
I usually put pins on the end and in the middle. You can put more pins in if you want.
Folow the lines you have drawn with your needle. There should be a nitch in your pressure foot showing you were the needle will fall. Line the nitch up with the line you have drawn and sew. Remember avoid sewing over your pins. Stop when you come to a pin and remove the pin and then continue on. Also, a sharp needle and good thread will be your best friends in the sewing processes.
Then you will do the dart under the arm.
Again, line your pressure foot nitch up with your drawn line and sew.
You will have two darts in the back of your shirt similar to the one down the center of your shirt on the front except a little larger. Pinch, pin, and sew. Then you are done with your darts. So easy.
Look all done.
You will want to press your darts with an iron, so they will look crisp and just pulled off the store's self good.

A18 SHOULDER AND SIDE SEAMS

We are now going to sew the shoulder seams.
First, lay right sides together. Pin.
Then sew at a 5/8 inch seam allowance. Most patterns have a standard 5/8" seam allowance written into the pattern. This one does. We will be following the standard for most of the sewing of the shirt minus the collar.
Now sew the side seams. Again, right sides will be together. Essentially the shirt will be inside out.
Sew at a 5/8" seam allowance.
There you are done.
Notice the shirt is inside out. Now would be a good time to try the shirt on. Turn the shirt inside right and put it on. Button all the buttons. Of course, it will only be a shell but you will able to tell if it is sized correctly. You will be able to adjust if it doesn't fit correctly, with minimal work. Just use a seam ripper and take your stitches out and readjust your seams. If the shirt is too tight at the waist, take the seam out a little. Maybe, make your seam as wide as the pressure foot. If the shirt is too loose, take the seam in a little. If the breast area looks weird then take out your side seam and adjust the darts that run along your breasts more if it is too loose and less if it is too tight. You should be able to compare the construction of the shirt to your frame and make adjustment. Let me know if you have any questions.

A19 FINISHED SEAMS

You must finish any exposed edges on the shirt. If you don't, they will fray and gradually undo your work. You can finish edges by burning them, (I don't recomend this for a large garment like a shirt. I can see it all now. Your shirt is going up in flames.)using your zigzag stich on your sewing machine, folding the seam over and sewing a straight line. You can serge the seams which is what I did. Don't see a serger and think, I don't have one of those I can't refashion. You can refashion. I have been too lazy to get my serger out and thread it, which is a pain in the butt, and have often used a zigzag stich on my sewing machine. However, if you really love refashioning and sewing clothes it would be a good long term goal to get one.
Just run the serger along the side seams and the shoulder seams you just sewed, or a zigzag stich.
Done. Click here for a great link on finished seams.

A20 SEWING RUFFLE

Take the three strips you cut out previously.
Pin them end to end.
Then sew them right sides together. Double check to make sure right sides are together especially if you are dealing with a prominent pattern on one side. It is worth double checking trust me.
Lay it out on your ironing board.
Press the seams out.
Fold the long strip in half, make sure the seams you just sewed can be seen, this will ensure right sides are together.
You will sew this like a pillow case. Do not sew the fold. Sew along the top and the opposite side of the fold. Double click on the picture and you can see the directional arrows pointing the way to sew.
Sewing the places I just told you about. Along the top and the side opposite of the fold using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, which is the edge of your presser foot. You will use a 1/4 inch seam allowance on the entire collar.
Notice the sewing lines.
Clip the corners. Clip the corner on the fold above the sewing line and the opposite corner above the sewing line. Clipping will ensure nice crisp points when you turn this piece inside out.
Turn the piece inside out.
Use a pin to pull out the corners. You want a nice squared off point.
Iron. Make sure your points are tight squares and the top seam doesn't look like a seam. You will no you ironed it right if you flip the piece over and you don't see the seam line. The seam line should literally disappear and not be seen on either side because it is perfectly at the top.
Increase your seam allowance as high as it can go on your sewing machine. This is called basting.
Sew a straight line along the bottom of the piece. The only side you haven't sewn yet.
Then grab one of your threads, any will do and give it a tug. Now you are gathering. Pull and push the fabric along the threads till you have created an even gather line along the piece.