The Boheme Sheath Dress - Sewing the facing on the sleeveless and Cap sleeve
boheme cap sleeve dress boheme facings Boheme sheath dress Boheme Sheath Dress Facings and Cap Sleeve boheme sleeveless dress Digital Patterns facings Original Patterns
Leisa Stanton 5 min read

The Boheme Sheath Dress - Sewing the facing on the sleeveless and Cap sleeve

The sheath dress has a full sleeve and neck facing for options A and B. The cap sleeve must be sewn to the dress before attaching the facing.

*This facing is designed for the sheath dress but with a small adjustment can also be used for the fit and flare. The bodice is the same, but has a smaller armseye - see below.

It’s definitely harder to show this method in pictures, so there will be a video tutorial too!

An overview:

Attach the three facing pieces at the shoulder seams

Leave the side seams open on both the bodice and facing

Sew the facing and bodice neckline together

Understitch

Sew the facing and bodice together at the armseyes

Bring the back bodice through the shoulder seam opening to the front

Understitch where possible around the armseye

Press

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] The full facings are pattern pieces 5 and 6. Both have a 5/8” seam allowance. The full facings are pattern pieces 5 and 6. Both have a 5/8” seam allowance. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] *Shown above: On the left is the sleeveless front facing and on the right the fit and flare front pieces. Depending on the size cut and taking into account seam allowances, there will be at least a 1” overlap on the facing. If using the cap sleeve for the fit and flare dress bodice - I would suggest attaching the sleeve, and then sewing the facing to your neckline seam. Trim the armseye once the neckline seam is sewn, using the bodice as your cutting guide. (I’m using the fit and flare bodice here as I had already attached a cap sleeve for the sleeve tutorial) *Shown above: On the left is the sleeveless front facing and on the right the fit and flare front pieces. Depending on the size cut and taking into account seam allowances, there will be at least a 1” overlap on the facing. If using the cap sleeve for the fit and flare dress bodice - I would suggest attaching the sleeve, and then sewing the facing to your neckline seam. Trim the armseye once the neckline seam is sewn, using the bodice as your cutting guide. (I’m using the fit and flare bodice here as I had already attached a cap sleeve for the sleeve tutorial) [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5344"] If using the cap sleeve, sew it to the armseye before continuing, but leave the side seams open. If using the cap sleeve, sew it to the armseye before continuing, but leave the side seams open. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] Sew the shoulder seams on the facings to join the three pieces and press well. If you are using a fashion fabric that is lightweight, or needs stability, add a lightweight interfacing now before finishing the raw edges with a serge or similar. Sew the shoulder seams on the facings to join the three pieces and press well. If you are using a fashion fabric that is lightweight, or needs stability, add a lightweight interfacing now before finishing the raw edges with a serge or similar. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] Pin the neckline of the facing to the neckline of the bodice, matching shoulder seams. Pin the neckline of the facing to the neckline of the bodice, matching shoulder seams. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] Sew, using a 5/8” seam allowance. Sew, using a 5/8” seam allowance. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] Trim the seam down, because my muslin is thick and heavily starched, I cut them to 1/4” but a 1/2” works well in a lighter fabric. Trim the seam down, because my muslin is thick and heavily starched, I cut them to 1/4” but a 1/2” works well in a lighter fabric. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] Press both your seam allowances to the facing side. Open your facing so it lays flat and is separated from your bodice, right side up and sew an understitch on the right side as shown catching the seam allowance. The stitch should only be on the facing, do not sew on the bodice. Press both your seam allowances to the facing side. Open your facing so it lays flat and is separated from your bodice, right side up and sew an understitch on the right side as shown catching the seam allowance. The stitch should only be on the facing, do not sew on the bodice. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4032"] The seam allowance is caught in the facing only and is kept away from the bodice. The stitch is visible on the right side of the facing only. The seam allowance is caught in the facing only and is kept away from the bodice. The stitch is visible on the right side of the facing only. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] Press the neckline to set the stitch. Press the neckline to set the stitch. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] Turn your bodice wrong side up, the facing will be towards you. Turn your bodice wrong side up, the facing will be towards you. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] Next we sew the armseyes - Flatten the facing out as shown. Next we sew the armseyes - Flatten the facing out as shown. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] Flip it under the bodice, away from you. - so the right side of the facing is up and the wrong side down Flip it under the bodice, away from you. - so the right side of the facing is up and the wrong side down [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] Bring the facing right side up towards you , and pin the seam of the shoulder facing to the seam of the bodice facing. The cap sleeve will be inside of this tube. Bring the facing right side up towards you , and pin the seam of the shoulder facing to the seam of the bodice facing. The cap sleeve will be inside of this tube. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] Pin from front to back Pin from front to back [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] The shoulder area will form a tube with the cap sleeve inside if you are sewing this option. The shoulder area will form a tube with the cap sleeve inside if you are sewing this option. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] Sew using a 5/8” seam allowance, and trim. Sew using a 5/8” seam allowance, and trim. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4284"] Next up is the confusing part! Lay your bodice right side up. The front should be closer to you, the back further away. Next up is the confusing part! Lay your bodice right side up. The front should be closer to you, the back further away. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4284"] Hold the back panel, bringing it up towards you and feed it through the armseye tube pulling the back panel towards you. Hold the back panel, bringing it up towards you and feed it through the armseye tube pulling the back panel towards you. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4284"] It should now look like this, creased but with the neckline and armseye fully closed. It should now look like this, creased but with the neckline and armseye fully closed. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] Understitching the armseye is possible, you will do four passes - fronts to the sleeve, and backs to sleeve. If the bodice is sleeveless, you can get further to the shoulder seam but not all the way around. I usually pick stitch this section, as it is very difficult to get the areas open enough to fit through the machine. I’ll create a quick tutorial. Understitching the armseye is possible, you will do four passes - fronts to the sleeve, and backs to sleeve. If the bodice is sleeveless, you can get further to the shoulder seam but not all the way around. I usually pick stitch this section, as it is very difficult to get the areas open enough to fit through the machine. I’ll create a quick tutorial. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] Next up: Side seams Next up: Side seams [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4032"] To close the side seams, open the facing and match the seam. Pin from top to bottom. To close the side seams, open the facing and match the seam. Pin from top to bottom. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] Sew using a 5/8” seam allowance Sew using a 5/8” seam allowance [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5712"] To hold the facing at the side seam, I’ll add a quick hand stitch - double thread in a matching colour. To hold the facing at the side seam, I’ll add a quick hand stitch - double thread in a matching colour. [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4284"] Congratulations! Congratulations! [/caption]
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