The Clementine is a free downloadable PDF pattern and tutorial. The super simple Clementine, Tee Shirt shape, loose style dress is the perfect beginners sewing project. It is ONLY for your own use at home and it is not to be reproduced commercially.
Suitable Fabric.
It is important that you choose the correct fabric for The Clementine
Your Fabric choice needs to be lightweight, as the dress is a very simple shape,
Heavy or stiff fabric would result in a different look to the images shown.
Lightweight Chambray, lightweight cotton, Medium weight Jersey, Lightweight linen, Viscose and Rayon, Ponte Roma
Fabric
150cm wide fabric = You will need 150cm
114cm wide fabric = You will need 240cm
Rib jersey all sizes = 25cm
Materials and Equipment
150cm of lightweight cotton I got mine from John Lewis
25cm of ribbed knit I got mine here
Matching thread or contrast thread, pins, tape measure, chalk and scissors.
Sizing
Small
Fits up to size 12 - the finished garment measures, front laying flat 54cm and the back 56.5cm total finish circumference 110.5cm
Medium
Fits size 12 to 14 - the finish garments measures front laying flat 58cm and the back 61 cm total finish circumference 119cm
Large
fits size 16 to 18 - the finish garments measures front laying flat measures 62cm and the back 65cm, total finish circumference 127cm
Seam allowance 1 cm this is the distance between the edge of the fabric and the stitch line. You will find a series of parallel lines engraved on the needle plate of your sewing machine pick the one marked with the measurement you need and keep the edge of the fabric to this guide
RS = right side of fabric WS = wrong side of fabric.
Machine-wash your fabric , before to cut out.
1. Download the PDF pattern here . Print the PDF pattern.
2. Join A front to A front matching the notch.
Join B Back to B back matching the notch. Cut on the line for your required size,
Small cut on the green line, medium cut on the pink line and cut on the black line, for large.
3. With the selvedge edges together iron a crease down the middle of your fabric (only for fabric that is 150cm wide) fold the selvedge edges to the middle crease, pin on the pattern pieces. As shown.
For fabric that is 114cm put the selvedge edges together, and lay all the pattern pieces on the fold of the fabric. As Shown in the illustration, above.
What is the selvedge?
Fabric selvage is the tightly woven edge that runs along each side of a piece of fabric's lengthwise grain, which is also called the fabric's warp. ... They are bound more tightly than the rest of the fabric -- another quality that prevents fraying.
4. The next section of the pattern needs to be chalked directly on the fabric, as shown above.
5. From the top of the front shoulder seam chalk a line that measures 96cm ( this will be the finished length of the dress, if you are taller you will need to add extra length, please check the finish measurements of the dress and adjust for your height don’t forget to add in a 2cm for the hem hem ) If you do not have someone to take your measurement from your shoulder to hem plus 2cm, the easiest way is to measure a dress that you own, from should to hem and add 2cm to the measurement. Repeat the measurement from the top of the back shoulder.
6. Place the sleeve patterns on the fold of fabric below the hem. Pin. You do not need to chalk any length on to the sleeve.
You need to chalk the belt pattern piece. This measures 150cm x 16cm if your fabric is 150cm wide or 114cm x 16 cm if your fabric is 114cm.Draw a chalk line across the entire width of your fabric, drop down for 16cm and draw another line, for sizes medium and large repeat, if your fabric is 150cm and for all sizes on fabric that is 114cm cut twice.
7. Check your measurements and your chalk lines.
8.Cut around the pdf template and your chalk line, for the front and the back. Cut out the sleeves using the pdf pattern and cut out the belt.
Remove the patterns pieces from the fabric. Using you rib jersey fabric cut a strip that measures 4cm x 53cm.
9.Thread the sewing machine in matching thread, and with the foot to the edge of the fabric sew a line of stitching around the front of the neck, this is to stop the fabric stretching during the sewing process, and called stay stitching. Stay stitching is done on your largest stitch and not secured at either end.
10. With the RS of the fabric together, pin the shoulder seams, and stitch together using a 1cm seam allowance. Check that you have changed to the normal size stitch on your sewing machine, after stay stitching.
11. Press the shoulder seam and zig zag the edges or over lock.
12. Fold the sleeve in half and make a small notch on the fold at the widest end of the sleeve. Open the sleeve and lay flat and with RS facing, Pin the notch onto the shoulder seam. Pin the remaining sleeve onto the dress. Sew into place using a 1cm seam allowance. Repeat for the remaining sleeve. Over lock or zig zag the seam.
13. Using the rib jersey join the short seam.
14. Pin the shoulder seams together. And make a small notch in the middle of the front neck, and the middle of the back neck.
15. With the RS of the dress facing you and the jersey band folded in half, match the seam on the jersey to the notch on the middle of the back neck. Divide the remaining band equally in 4 to match the front notch, and the shoulder seams, as shown in the image.
16. Pin the remaining band on stretching the jersey to fit the fabric of the dress, checking you have all 3 layers together, layer one dress, layers 2 and 3 jersey band.
17. With the foot to the end of the fabric stitch around the neckband.
18. Using a stitch un-picker remove your stay stitching.
19. Using a lover locker or zig zag stitch neaten the neck band. If your fabric is thick you can cut away the middle layer, then neaten your edge.
20. With RS facing join the under arm seam. Pin and stitch using a 1cm seam allowance, from the edge of the sleeve to the stitching line on the dress, as shown. Repeat on the remaining side.
21. Push the seam that joins the sleeve to the dress, towards the sleeve and pin from under the arm to the hem. Start your stitching from the underarm seam to the hem. Repeat on the remaining side.
22. Try on your dress now, check the length of the sleeve and the finished length of the dress. Adjust the length if needed, if you want to make it 2cm shorter, chalk a 2cm line up from the hem of the dress, and cut of the excess.
23. Over lock or zig zag stitch the hem and the sleeves, using a tape measure, turn up the hems for 1cm and stitch into place.
24. The belt, For size small fold the fabric in half length wise , and using a 1cm seam allowance, stitch up the short side 8cm , along the length of the belt, leaving a gap in the middle to turn the belt through, resume sewing to the end of the seam and down the remain short seam. Turn inside out and iron, slip stitch the gap. For sizes medium and large, you will have cut two lengths for the belt with RS together join the short seam open the belt and fold the long seam in half, continue to follow the instruction for size small.
CONGRATULATIONS you have made your self THE CLEMENTINE, well done. Please share your photos on the SEW RETRO Facebook page, Thank you.