SEAM LINE CLIP THROUGH LOOP SHORTEN ENDS
Use double thread of darning cotton to make tailor’s tacks.
Before taking your first stitch make a hole in the pattern with the point of your needle. Take one stitch through pattern and double thickness of fabric, then go over with another stitch, leaving loop and long end.
After all marked stitches have been made, remove pattern, separate fabric carefully, and clip threads between the two layers of fabric.
Stay-stitch the bias edges
One of the most important steps you take to keep the cloth from stretching out of shape is to stay-stitch the edges. Stitch along the curved and bias edges. These edges would be the neck, shoulders, waist, armscye, and upper hip line. Stay-stitching is done on each piece separately, through a single thickness. Stitch ½ inch from the edge of the cloth, or ⅛ inch from seamline.
OUTSIDE CENTER BACK OUTSIDE CENTER FRONT OUTSIDE CENTER BACK
Pin and sew darts
The purpose of the dart is to shape the fabric to the body. After the dart is properly marked, pin the two markings together and stitch from the large end of the dart to the point. Near the point, guide the fabric so that the stitches will be only a thread or two from the edge of the fold. Fasten the threads by back stitching or by tying the threads.