[Lori]

Hello, all.

Since my posting asking about staystitching, I’ve been going from strength to strength and having a whale of a time! I have to say, as a newbie, I am -totally- and -utterly- amazed that after following a series of instructions (and taking time to really push my spatial thinking, not my strong point), I have somehow ended up with a cute, little LINED yoke (with its ugly side seam bits all hidden away, how cool is that?!) and a skirt with two flappy thingies which appear (to my quilter eyes) so very ‘fashiony’! Who knew I could sew 3-D!? (Obviously, Liesel thought I had it in me 🙂

So, so far so good. I’m now just about to attach the yoke to the skirt.

As I’ve been working, I think ahead and try to get an idea of just HOW things might happen next and this is what has generated a question at this point.

Once I proceed with the ‘stitch in the ditch’ step, used to hide the seam which I created to attach the outermost layer of the yoke to the skirt, I will have ‘made inaccessible’ (or to say it other ways, ‘sealed down’, ‘hidden away’) the top edge of the center-back (interfaced) edges of the skirt–those parallel-to-the-legs edges that will eventually get the buttons and buttonholes.

QUESTION:

Before making my last seam on the yoke part of this project, should I first run a seam down the two parallel-to-the-legs, soon-to-get-buttons-and-buttonholes edges so as to ‘hide away’ the interfacing that these edges have? Or perhaps the process of adding the buttons and buttonholes does this? It just looks a bit ‘untidy’ or ‘unfinished’ to me (and of course, this is just what it is at this point), being able to flip it open and see the interfacing. Did I miss a step somewhere maybe?

Also, on the topic of buttonholes:

Where in the pattern is the button template? I see no ‘x’s on my pattern pieces. Am I meant to just follow the spacing presented in the images of the two views on the pattern paper? I’m a bit confused.

Many thanks, forum people. I can’t believe I am sewing!!

xLori

[Lori]

Okay, so I’ve now read ahead in the pattern and see my first question (about the thing that I now know is called a ‘placket’) is addressed in the ‘Hem the Skirt’ section. So, never mind about that one.

But, I am still wondering about how I know where to place the buttons and buttonholes.

Buttonholes!? Eek. I haven’t done these before. I’ll certainly practice many times on scrap pieces that I interface, to get an idea of how it works and to develop some skills before it ‘counts’. Even still, I expect I’ll feel very nervous to cut into my project (I’ve grown quite attached to my first Music Box jumper)! Does one ever become comfortable doing buttonholes, I wonder? Is it a matter of knowing how your machine behaves, or the fabric, or____?

Thanks,as ever.

xLori

[Mama_Knowles]

Button holes used to scare me but now it is my favorite part! I really love the look of button holes! Just keep practicing them and it will get easier and better. 🙂

I am not sure about this pattern because I havn’t used mine yet but I know in the other patterns there is a seperate pattern piece with all the sizes on it with the marking spots for the button holes, hope this helps!

Sharon

[Noodles]

Lori, On your big pattern paper piece, there will be a part that shows you where to place the buttons and buttonholes. I trace it onto a piece of baking/freezer paper and then line it up with your finished placket. Mark the I

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I shaped lines on one placket – these are the buttonholes and the X’s on the other placket – these are where to sew the buttons. Does that make sense?

As for doing buttonholes, practice practice practice. read your sewing machine instructions. When it comes to cutting them, I use a seam ripper, but put a pin across the end of the buttonhole just in front of the tacking stitch. This way you will hit the pin before you push the seam ripper through the end of your lovely buttonhole! (I’ve done it before and it’s devastating!)

Hope that all makes sense and helps.

Mel

[Lori]

Thanks, Sharon & Mel. Good to know buttonholes will become less intimidating. I’ll follow your advice and practice lots.

Am still unsure about these placements though. I just don’t seem to have this piece anywhere within my pattern. Hmm. How curious.

Looks like I’ll have to improvise (which usually works with cooking but not so much with baking…hoping this sewing lark is more like cooking, less like baking! Eek.)

Thanks,

Lori

[Violaisabelle]

Lori,

If you open up your master pattern sheet, put the Oliver + S Key in the upper left-hand corner and in the lower left corner will be their trademark & copyright information. Directly in line from top to bottom, between those signs, you have the button hole guide with all the sizes and placements for the buttonholes. Just trace off the size for the one you need. You will line up the the ‘back edge’ of the pattern to the back edge of the dress and than you can see where the buttonholes go.

Buttonholes get easier with the more practice you do. Getting to know your machine and your buttonhole features is necessary. When practicing what buttonhole to do for the garment you are working on, just make sure your testing fabric is layered as many as you have for your dress. For example, if you have dress fabric folded over, sandwiching interfacing, use the same weight of fabric and interfacing to practice you buttonholes to get the exact finish you are looking for with your dress.

Looking forward to seeing your dress completed and keep enjoying the process. 🙂

Carol