The Dana/Maddie Sew-a-Long Day 3

Hello day 3 of the sew a long!!! Time to work on the sleeve bands! Now if you read ahead in the pattern this is likely the day that scared you - but they are MUCH easier than they seems to be - so take a deep breath and just sew with me! NOTE: I chose the option of doing flutter sleeves. If you did not choose this option follow the directions on the pattern - this part works for bias tape finish non sleeves too)

Now lets start those sleeve bands! For the front and the back you should have this:

Now you want to sandwich the main piece armscyes in between the sleeve bands (sleeve bands should both be pretty side facing inward. When you put them about as shown on page 11 be sure to line up your notches. (Do you see the three layers all together?)

sew around for all 4 sleeve bands (we will attach the front and backs soon so no worries about that right now!)

Snip snip about the arms so they turn out easily but do NOT snip the stitches! Fold the sleeve bands out and iron them flat. (I forgot to get a picture of that - but you can see it on page 13 in the Dana pattern) 

Now we join the front to the back via the sleeve bands!  spread the sleeve bands for your front and back and pin them up and stitch together on both sides

Now go and get a snack or a sip of water. The stressful part is over and done - just easy sewing from here on out!

Get your flutter sleeves and the pattern says to zigzag but i love to use my oversticthy foot. So I set to zigzag and the fabric feeds through and folds over and sews it so pretty.

(see the over stitch foot work there on the left - no raw edges! Those get neatly tucked inside and you can stitch that down later on) For now set your machine to it's longest stitch length again and sew to gathering lines (as shown below)

Are you feeling tired yet? I am starting to feel like I need a cookie... Meet back here tomorrow to finish off okay?

In the meantime check out our facebook lab group! Don't forget the album is up there for entering your Dana/Maddies into for the prizes we have !