[dlbh]

I am in the process of sewing four of the fairy tale dresses in different color combinations of silks for my sweet young grandgirls. I have sewn using numerous Oliver and s patterns, they are my favorite patterns. The toddlers love them also. when they wear them, they dance!

On this pattern, I am having a problem understanding the instructions for attaching the lining and the dress at the waist. I followed the instructions by attaching them with a small seam allowance, but now the seam allowances are a little bulky and the bodice seems to roll up a little on the front of the garment. The instructions do not mention pressing them down in a certain direction.

Most patterns instruct the bodice lining and the skirt lining to be attached separately and the bodice lining is hemmed over the seam allowances at the waist. I don’t seem to be following this new method correctly. Any input would help.

[meleliza]

I’m not looking at the instructions, but of course you should press the waist seam up towards the bodice. You Could attach the skirt and lining as one and then hand stitch the bodice lining over the seam if you wish. There is usually more than one way of doing things. Ive made this pattern three times now and I’m not sure I assembled it the same way each time. However, keeping the lining separate makes it a little easier and cleaner to attach to the zipper, I think.

The fullness of the skirt does indeed make the waist seams bulky. Because of this and because of the way my fabric frayed, I found myself using my sewing machines overlock stitch on the waist seams, even though they are completely covered by the lining. I usually prefer fully finished seams, but this seemed to help.

[Jennifer1568]

The way I did it is the bodice and the bodice lining (together as one) are sandwiched between the skirt and the skirt lining.The seam is between the skirt and the skirt lining and the weight of the skirt pulls the seam allowance down. My seam allowance is between the skirt and the skirt lining. I finished the allowance even though you can’t see it. It is a little bulky but I think that makes the skirt a little puffy and cute. The triple hem also makes the skirt sort of stand up.

[KellyNYC]

I am having the same issue as dlbh. I ripped it out and reattached it at the waist as I thought I didn’t follow the directions correctly, but my second attempt yielded the same results. This is my second Fairy Tale dress, and the same thing happened with the first. The seam allowances seem like they should be pressed DOWN towards the skirt, and that could help, but I don’t think the tulle would cooperate and I fear there will always be that upwards pointing ridge. Unless there’s something I’m missing, I think I will try meleliza’s suggestion and attach it by hand at the waist – this way, the tulle seam allowance can continue to point down, the way it wants to, and not have it forced up.

[Kim]

My granddaughter’s is sewn from silk dupioni and the lining is voile and one layer of tulle which are both very thin. I did not sew the bodice together with the lining at the waist. I sewed the bodice lining by hand at the waist, pinning the edge just over the 1/2 seam allowance at the waist. It was already pressed for a 1/2 inch seam.