B6556 Sew Along #4: Cutting Your Fabric

Ready to cut your fabric? Before you do, one last word of advice: if you made any fitting changes that effect the neckline of the bodice, remember that you’ll need to make the same changes to your interfacing pieces (pieces 2 and 4). Because I did an FBA, I laid my piece 2 on top of the neckline of piece 1 to make sure they still fit together. And they did!

 

Get to Know the Instruction Sheets

Before you cut, I urge you to study the first page of the instructions. It has all sorts of information, lots of which answers many questions I see frequently asked.

To acquaint yourself with the pattern, take a look at the pattern piece guide (underneath the line art):

What Are These Pieces For?!

I’ve seen some questions about the various pieces and their roles, so here is a quick cutting guide for you:

  1. Bodice Front: cut from both fabric and lining 
  2. Front Interfacing: cut from interfacing only 
  3. Bodice Back: cut from both fabric and lining
  4. Front Interfacing: cut from interfacing only 
  5. Sleeve: cut from fabric only (unless making view A, then you don’t need it!)
  6. Skirt Back: cut from fabric only
  7. Pocket: cut from fabric only
  8. Skirt Front: cut from fabric only

Make sense?

Find Your Cutting Layout

Next, find your cutting layout to determine how to lay out your pattern pieces on the fabric. First, find the right view for the dress you are making (A or B). Second, find the right fabric type: there are layouts for both Border Prints and “Other Fabrics” (non-border prints). Third, find the right fabric width.

So, if I’m making a sleeveless dress (view A) in a 45″ wide border print fabric, I want to use this cutting layout:

If you’re making the same dress but not using a border print fabric, use this layout:

On the cutting layouts, pay very close attention to the letters on the diagrams. S/L means selvage and CF/PT means crosswise fold. Some of the layouts are a single layer (if there’s no fold, while some are a double layer (with a fold).

Don’t Forget the Interfacing and Lining!

After you cut out your fabric, remember that you also need to cut out your lining and interfacing! There are separate layouts for that:

Please let me know if you have any questions about how to cut your fabric!