CONSTRUCTION:
BODICE:
With right sides facing sew the front and back shoulder seams of the outer top front bodices together and press open. Repeat for inner top front bodice.
With right sides facing sew the front and back neck seams of the outer and inner top front bodices together. Clip the seams, turn out to the right side and under stitch close to the seam on the inner top front bodice.
With right sides facing sew the armholes of the inner and outer top front bodices together. Pull out to the right side and under stitch where possible on the side of the inner top front bodice.
Wrap the right top front bodice over the left top front bodice matching the centre front notches and the A & B markings on the patterns and stay stitch together.
With right sides facing sew the centre front seams of the lower front bodices together and press open. Repeat for the inner lower front bodice.
With right sides facing and from the inside sew the lower front bodice armhole seams together. Clip the curved seam, turn out to the right side and under stitch on the side of the inner armhole. The front bodice side seam remains open.
With right sides facing pin the base of the top front bodice cross over seam between the upper edge of the two lower front bodices, matching the A, B & C, once in place stitch together and clip away any bulk.
With right sides together sew the front and back bodice side seams together starting at one cut edge and stitching through the armhole at the side seam. Press the seam open, turn out to the right side and sew a stitch in the ditch from the underarm down approximately 2cm (¾”) to hold the side seams together.
Neaten the inside lower bodice seam with an overlocker/serger. This inner bodice waist seam remains open to be sewn down after the skirt is sewn to the bodice.
SKIRT:
With right sides facing sew the centre front seams together. Neaten with an overlocker/serger and press towards the left.
With right sides facing sew the front and back side seams together. Neaten with an overlocker/serger and press towards the back.
With right sides facing sew the side back and back seams together. Neaten with an overlocker/serger and press towards the back.
Neaten each centre back seam with an overlocker/serger in preparation for the invisible zip.
COMPLETION:
With right sides facing sew the outer bodice seam to the skirt waist seam and press the seam upwards.
Sew the invisible zip into the outer centre back bodice and skirt seam (see the Invisible Zip tutorial on stylearc.com if you need instructions for how to sew the zip). With right sides facing sew the remaining centre back seam from the hem to the base of the zip and press the seam open.
With the right sides together fold the inner back bodice over the zip and stitch down the centre back beside the zip, turn out to the right side.
Pin the inner bodice to the under bust seam, once in place stitch down with a stitch in the ditch.
Neaten the hem with an overlocker/serger, turn the hem to the inside once and topstitch down.
Press your new dress.