Technical Sketch
Knits, No Waist Seam, No Seam, Center Back Seam, Wide Scoop Décolleté, Set In Sleeves, Back
Straight Seam and Invisible Zipper 7" Closure Length, Sleeveless, Neckline Facing
Sewing Instructions
Sewing the Shoulders
- With right sides together, pin Front to Back at shoulders, then stitch. Finish the seam
allowances separately and press open.
Setting the Invisible Zipper and Sewing Center Back Seam
Note: Use special invisible zipper foot when stitching invisible zipper. Zipper can be trimmed
(remove the excess zipper length from the bottom, secure the new end of the zipper by stitching
over the zipper teeth using a bar tack).
- Open the zipper. From the wrong side, press the zipper coils flat so that the two rows of
stitching show.
- Open zipper, on outside, pin zipper to one of the opening edges, face down in seam allowance,
placing zipper tape flush with the upper edge of the fabric and zipper teeth on seamline.
- Stitch the open zipper tape close to the teeth, starting at the top of the edge and stitch until foot
meets the zipper pull. Backstitch at the beginning and the end.
- Close zipper. Pin remaining zipper tape to the other opening edge, placing zipper teeth on
seamline.
- Open zipper. Stitch close to teeth, until foot meets the zipper pull.
- Close zipper and pin Back sections together below zipper. Position and lower needle slightly
above (about 1/4" (6mm) up) and to the left of zipper stitching. Stitch remainder of Center Back
seam.
- Stitch or hand sew each end of zipper tape to seam allowances, keeping the garment free when
stitching.
Sewing Side Seams
- With right sides together, pin Front to Back at right side seam, then stitch.
- Stitch the left side seam from armhole down to the zipper notch.
- Finish the seam allowances separately and press open.
Setting Side Seam Invisible Zipper
Note: Use special invisible zipper foot when stitching invisible zipper. Zipper can be trimmed
(remove the excess zipper length from the bottom, secure the new end of the zipper by stitching
over the zipper teeth using a bar tack).
- Pin the remainder of left side seam, then baste from zipper notch to the hem. Press open.
- Pin the closed zipper tape face down to seam allowances, placing zipper teeth on seamline,
aligning centers and matching notches (so that it opens from the hem). Baste.
- Undo the basting stitch that was keeping front and back side seams together.
- Open the zipper. Position left-hand groove of zipper foot over teeth and stitch close to teeth,
starting at the top of the edge and stitch up to the zipper notch. Backstitch at the beginning and
the end.
- Position right-hand groove of the zipper foot over teeth and stitch the zipper tape to the right
opening edge, starting at the top of the edge and stitch up to the zipper notch. Backstitch at the
beginning and the end.
- Undo the basting stitch. Press.
- Stitch or hand sew the end of zipper tape to seam allowance, keeping the garment free when
stitching.
Armholes without Facing
Mock Coverstitch (pic. 1)
- Using an overlock machine, serge the entire edge of the seam allowance.
- Turn in seam allowance and press.
- Sew two rows of medium size stitches, 1/4" (6mm) apart from one another.
OR
Zigzag Stitch (pic. 2)
- Turn in seam allowance and press.
- With a short stitch length, zigzag seam allowance at raw edge.
Neckline
Apply fusible interfacing to the wrong side of neck facings, following manufacturer's instructions.
- With right sides together, pin Front Neck Facing to Back Neck Facing at shoulders, then stitch.
Press.
- Finish facing’s outer edge.
- With right sides together, pin facing to neck edge of the garment, matching notches, centers
and seams, then stitch. Trim. Clip into the curves.
- Understitch facing, then turn facing to inside. Press.
- Tack at shoulders.
Hem
- Turn up the hem along foldline. Zigzag stitch hemline around circumference of the garment
(pic. 1) or sew with a double-needle from the right side of the garment (pic. 2). Press.
