June 30, 2017

Webster Top & Dress Sewalong Day 3: Hem Bands, Shoulder Seams, and Back Straps


Welcome back! Today, we’re going to sew the hem bands, if you’re making the dress version of the Webster Top & Dress, sew the shoulder seams, and prepare the back straps.

Skip this if you’re making the Webster Top…

Let’s start by sewing the front hem band to the front of the shirt. The front hem band is symmetrical, so line one of the long edges up with the lower edge of the front piece, right sides together, and pin, maintaining the slight curve of the front bodice. Sew at 1/2″ seam allowance, finish the seams and press down towards the hem.

Attach both of the back hem bands to the two back pieces in the same way, easing the curves together to avoid any tucks or gathers. Finish the seam allowances and press them down towards the hem band.

Webster Top friends can join us again now…

Next step is to sew the shoulders together of both the outer front and backs and the facing front and backs. Sew each set together at the shoulders, right sides together, making sure the armscyes line up. Don’t finish these seams, simply press them open.

Next, let’s prepare our back straps. Start by pressing one back strap in half along the long edge, with wrong sides together. Open the strap back up and fold one edge over to the wrong side to meet the central crease and press.

Fold the other long edge up to meet the central crease and press. Fold in half lengthwise along the original crease and press. Edgestitch along the open edge and repeat these steps with the second back strap.

Finally, let’s attach these straps to the back of our Websters. Lay your Webster out flat with the right side facing up and pin the back straps to the backs, matching the strap and the angle with the guideline on the pattern piece. Baste the straps to the top at 1/4″ seam allowance.

That’s it for today! Next time, we’ll attach the all-in-one facing! Let us know if you have any questions in the comments, and we look forward to seeing your projects! Share them using #WebsterTop or #WebsterDress!

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