Sewing instructions wrap dress Tessa

Length in the back center = 124 cm

In this tutorial, Tessa was sewn from a soft Tencel.

→ To the pattern “Tessa”

Required material:

We recommend a flowing fabric, e.g. viscose, cotton or silk, opaque, as the dress is unlined.

sizes 34-42

• outer fabric 3.90 m (140 cm wide)

sizes 44-50

• outer fabric 4.30 m (140 cm wide)

sizes 34-50

• insert 0.55 m (90 cm wide)

• Fixing tape 2.50 m (12 mm wide)

• Buttons 6 pieces 8 mm diameter

Just for your information:

Cutting:

Seam allowances are included - 1cm wide or as marked

Cut the pattern pieces out of your outer fabric and interfacing. Lay the fabric with the right side facing up. Lay the selvedges parallel to the middle so that you can lay the back, back of the skirt and back of the facing on the fold. The pattern pieces should all be laid with the writing facing up. Always align the grain arrow on all pieces in the same direction and parallel to the selvedge of the fabric. Transfer all notches from the pattern by making a 3mm long cut with scissors or chalk. Notch the seam allowance on the fold of the fabric because this is always a middle. Markings define the positions of darts, pocket positions, and much more. Transfer these either with chalk or pins. It is best to cut all outer fabric pieces that are to be completely covered with interfacing roughly first. After you have secured the interfacing, cut it out precisely. There is also a video here about gluing and securing pattern pieces.

You will need fabric:

• 1x skirt-back in the fold
• 2x skirt-front opposite
• 1x band upper step
• 1x band underlay
• 1x front part upper step
• 1x front underlap
• 2x side panel-front opposite
• 2x side panel-rear opposite
• 1x back part in the fracture
• 4x pocket bags, 2 each in opposite directions
• 2x sleeves opposite
• 2x sleeve slit tape

also with insert:

• 2x front facing opposite
• 1x document-back in the break
• 4x cuff, 2 each in opposite directions

also with form band:

• 1x neck hole/cutout of the sewn-together facings
• Note: Then check the length of the neckline using the paper pattern! Since the thread is partly diagonal, the length may be longer with softer fabrics.

Sewing instructions:

Seam allowances are included - 1cm wide or as marked

To sew this dress you will need a sewing machine and an overlock sewing machine, or alternatively the zigzag stitch on your sewing machine to neaten the cut edges.

In addition to the description, the colored lines on the pictures show you where a seam needs to be sewn or something needs to be glued.
When sewing, pay attention to the seam allowance included in the pattern. Seam allowances that are not specifically marked are 1cm wide!
Have fun sewing!

Start by working on the side seam pockets. Place the pocket bags right sides together on the back of the skirt. Use the notches in the pattern as a guide.

Place the matching pocket bags right sides together on the front skirt pieces. Use the notches in the pattern as a guide.

The seam allowances are ironed outwards from the back of the skirt as shown in the photo...

... and ironed the front skirt part including the pocket bag towards the front centre.

Place the pocket bags right sides together and stitch them together. Use the notch in the pattern as a guide. Neaten the seam allowances together.

The side seams are closed right sides together.

The side seam is finished with the seam allowance of the pocket bags and then ironed backwards.

Now you can neaten the entire hem all around.

Iron the finished hem over 1cm. Iron the front edge of the skirts twice and over.

Stitch the hem all the way around.

Then stitch the front edge close to the edge and iron everything again until it is nice and smooth.

Gather the waist of the skirt along the line of the top with two auxiliary seams. Make sure that a small section between the side seam and the first notch remains smooth (see photo below). To do this, skip the seam and leave enough threads for gathering.

In this video, Dagmar shows you how to make a ruffle and how to best gather the piece. You can also use these tips for your waist seam.

Here you can see the smooth section that is not gathered. The skirt is prepared and can now be put to one side.

Now take the top pieces. The back piece is sewn together with the two back side pieces, right sides together, and then neatened together. Iron the seam allowances towards the center back.

Sew the front part upper flap right sides together with the correct side part at the front. FYI: This will later be the right side of the body. Neaten the seam allowances together and iron them to the side seam.

The front underlay is also sewn together with the other correct side piece, right sides together, neatened and ironed to the side seam.

Now place the front and back pieces right sides together and close the shoulder seam. Neaten the seam allowances together and iron them to the back.

The side seams can now also be closed, but make sure to leave an opening on the right side of the body for the tie. This side will not be finished for now...

… because only the short stretch is cleaned individually…

... and then both seam allowances and the other short section of the opening are neatened in one go. You then iron the seam allowances backwards or apart (NZG of the opening).

The front part upper leg has a longer section in the front edge than the front part lower leg. You also gather this section using two auxiliary lines.

Here you can see a detailed photo of the two auxiliary seams stitched through to the width of the quilting foot…

… and then curled to 4cm.

Now you can prepare the binding tape so that it can be fixed between the facing and the front piece. To do this, stitch both binding tapes together, right sides together. For curves and corners, shorten and cut seam allowances with scissors. This means that the corners do not become too thick when turned and the seam allowances can be laid flat. It is particularly important that the seam is not cut. That is why we recommend that you sew just before the tip and away from there with a shorter stitch length. This guarantees a corner that does not fray so quickly after cutting.

After turning, you should shape the corners with a corner and edge shaper and then iron them. Depending on your sewing project, you can topstitch the outer edges; this makes them nice and flat and secures them.

The ties have folds that open downwards. Place these according to the pattern and secure them with a stitch.

Here you can see a detailed view of the processed folds in the binding tape.

As a reminder, here is the finished facing with the ironed-on shaping tape and the distance measured and adjusted from the cut.

Place the facing right sides together on the prepared top and push the ties into their correct position between the facing and the top. Clip the seam allowances, especially in strong curves.

The outer edge of the receipt is neatened all around…

... and then ironed 1cm and stitched in place.

The seam allowances are then stitched flat as far as possible. This method not only makes the final ironing easier but also means that the facing, if it is not stitched separately, automatically folds inwards and does not roll out. Only the facing is stitched onto the seam allowances close to the edge. The stitching line is then only visible from the inside of the left fabric, not from the right side.

Here you can see a detailed view of the processed document from the inside.

Iron the facing inwards and secure the shoulder seams with a stitch through and through.

Now comes the moment when the top is sewn together with the prepared skirt. In this photo you can see how the skirt is placed right sides together on the top. When sewing, pay attention to the notches and smooth lines of the gathers.

In this photo you can see how the top is placed right sides together on the skirt and has been worked on. The facings are folded away and left out for now.

Here you can see that the facings were folded right sides together onto the skirt part and stitched through separately. Then you neaten all the seam allowances together.

The sleeve has a cuff with a so-called rolled slit. Start by working on the slit.

For clearer processing of a rolled slot, we have detailed instructions in our glossary.

Or you can watch our new video in which Ellen explains step by step how to make a slit:

To do this, place the slit strip right sides together under the notch in the sleeve. Place both under your sewing machine and sew the strip flush with the notch, starting at 0.7cm. At the top of the cut, the seam allowance is only about 2mm and at the end it ends at 0.7cm. This means that the notch runs straight from 0.7cm to 0.2cm and back to 0.7cm, while the seam allowance of the slit strip always stays the same distance (see photo).

The slit strip is then ironed over.

To complete the slit, the slit strip must be folded over twice…

… and stitched through just above the edge from the right side.

Now you can fix the upper corner of the slit on the inside of the sleeve with a seam that slopes upwards.

Now the slit can be finished and ironed to the right side. The upper flap is ironed over once and stitched in place. The lower flap remains flat. The photo above is for orientation purposes of the left arm; a slit can always be opened at the back when worn. Cut the slit strip at the beginning and end to the correct length of the sleeve.

Close the inner arm seam right sides together according to the pattern and neaten the seam allowances together. Then iron the seam allowances to the back.

After the slit and inner arm seam have been finished, the folds of the sleeve can be gathered in the armhole and hem, as shown in the pattern. Secure the folds with an auxiliary seam the width of your quilting foot. Measure the length of the gathering on the hem based on the pattern of your cuff.

Here you can see a finished gathered sleeve.

There are two ways to make a cuff. The first option is the simpler one, where you stitch the cuff all the way around, close to the edge. But if you don't want any stitching on your cuff and you're a sewing pro, then try the second option.

Here I show you the simpler version: Iron the lower cut edge of the inner cuff with 1cm...

... and sew the outer and inner cuffs together all the way around. Make one right and one left cuff. For your information: a cuff can always be opened at the back when it is tightened.

For curves and corners, seam allowances are shortened with scissors and cut or cut off. This means that the corners do not become too thick when turned and the seam allowances can be laid flat. It is particularly important that the seam is not cut. That is why we recommend that you sew just before the tip and away from there with a shorter stitch length. This guarantees you a corner that does not fray so quickly after cutting.

After turning, you should shape the corners with a corner and edge former and then iron them.

The cuff is worked from the inside out. So sew the outer cuff right sides together onto the sleeve and iron it.

Then, from the right side, stitch a seam through the cuff, almost at the edge, while at the same time hitting the inner cuff almost at the edge.

Your sleeve with slit and cuff is finished when you have finished the buttonholes and buttons according to the pattern.

Now you can put the sleeve into the armhole and neaten the seam allowances together. Pay attention to the notches in the cut.

Your TESSA is ready !

If you don't know what to do or if you have any questions, please send us an email at info@schnittmuster-berlin.de. We will answer you as quickly as possible. 

Have lots of fun with your new designer piece! 

Best regards, your Schnittmuster-Berlin team.