Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Granny Gown, part two





Set machine to longest stitch and sew two rows of basting all around, making sure NOT to cross lines of stitching.  Pull bobbin thread to gather neck and shoulder circle, making it roughly match size of yoke.

Position yoke piece as shown, adding pre-gathered lace in-between, if using.
With right sides together, sew yoke piece to body.
Turn right-side out and press flat. 
Trying it on for size. Almost done!
Use 1/4 inch elastic because hem tape tunnel is very narrow.
For Mum-Mum's size, cut two 14-inch pieces of elastic. Attach small pin to one end and push through hem tape tunnel, anchoring at one end before pulling all the way through. Anchor (sew firmly) at other end.

Starting at elastic sleeve edges, sew right sides of body together. Turn right side out. Press and hem. All done!
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Granny Gown

My mother loves to sleep in what she calls a "Granny Gown." She recently gave me her pattern and asked if I would make her a new gown. These are the directions for Mum-Mum's "Granny Gown." (Directions are underneath pictures.)
Using 4 yards of cotton fabric, lay out material and pattern as shown. 
After cutting the large body piece on left (cut a little below the pattern to allow for hemming), flip the pattern over and upside down and cut out another one on the right (for a total of 4 body pieces). Also, move the smaller yoke piece over and cut another one (keeping pattern same), for a total of 4 smaller yoke pieces.

With right sides together, place 2 smaller yoke pieces on larger yoke pieces.


Place one sewn yoke piece on top of other sewn yoke piece, right sides together.
The inner circle and the two shorter edges should be sewn. (I didn't sew the shorter edges until later, which is why it's not pictured here.) The seam that I marked in the photo is the one you match up at the end with the center sleeve markings.
Turn right side out and press.
Sew two body pieces together, right sides facing.


You are marking the center of sleeve with pencil so you know where to match the yoke seam  when you get to the end.
Sew the other side of the arm piece to the other big body piece. You will now have half a completed circle.
Repeat the previous 2 steps with the other sleeve. This is what it looks like when the arms and body are all sewn together. Don't forget to mark the center of the other sleeve, as shown.
Iron up sleeve edge about 1/16 inch. (Could do this before attaching sleeves to body in previous steps, if desired.)
This is the order for attaching lace and hem tape (the tunnel for elastic), which is broken down in the next photos. This lace was not pre-gathered, which actually works better because you add elastic in a future step, which gathers it for you.
Baste on the lace by hand, using a contrasting color and large stitches.
Pin on the hem tape.