160 Hawaiian Mu'uMu'u Sew-Along: Day Three

July 12, 2022

by Cynthia Anderson

Today, in day three of the 160 Hawaiian Mu'uMu'u Sew Along, we will add the sleeves, make the yoke/yoke facing, and assemble the dress/sleeve/yoke in easy to follow steps.  I am making View B (longer-sleeved version) for this sew along, though nearly all steps are the same for View C (short-sleeved version). We will have a tutorial on making the sleeveless version soon, as the steps are a bit different, especially for today's section.  But for View A, today's sew along will not be applicable.

On day one, we gathered materials and figured out sizing and views.  On day two, we created the dart and pocket and assembled the dress.

Sleeves

If you are adding short sleeves or the three-quarter length sleeves, make a double row of gathering stitches at the sleeve cap (between the open notches) as marked on the pattern. Remember to leave long thread tails for pulling the gathers.

With right sides together, stitch the sleeve together matching the notches. Finish and press the seams open. Repeat for the other sleeve.

This next part of the dress assembly can get a little confusing, but take it slow and pay attention to what matches with what and you won't have a problem.  Matching notches and seams to notches is really important.  We attach the underarm section of the sleeve to the dress first, then make the yoke and attach the yoke to the dress and upper part of the sleeve. 

Add Sleeve to Armhole Opening on Dress

We need to attach the underarm section of the sleeve to the dress body first.

With right sides together, match the sleeve seam to the dart line on the dress body (the center red tip pin below). Match notch 17 and the star on the front of the sleeve to the star on Side Front.

Then, match the double notch 18 and the dot on the back of the sleeve to the Back/Side Front dot and seam on the dress. Finally, match notch 19 and the star on the sleeve with star on the dress back.

Stitch between the two stars (the outer red tip pins mark the stars). Repeat for opposite sleeve.

Both sleeves attached to the dress at underarms.

Yoke and Yoke Facing

Remember the yoke has interfacing the yoke facing does not.

With right sides together, stitch the front and back yoke together at the shoulder seams, matching the notches. Press the seam open.

With right sides together, stitch together the center back of the yoke point matching the notches. Press the seam open.

Construct the yoke front and back facings just like you did with the yoke. If you have not done so already, run a machine basting stitch 1/2" (13mm) from the outer edge to use as a guide for turning the seam edge later.

Add Yoke to Yoke Facing

Pin and stitch yoke and yoke facing right sides together. Match center back, shoulder seams, and center front. Stitch the inner neck seam starting and ending at the center back.  Be especially careful to start and stop the stitching in the same place at the center back as this will help the back look neat when turned.  Alternatively, you could start stitching somewhere else along the neckline and pivot at the center back with the needle down in the fabric.

Trim, or grade, the seam allowances and clip every few inches to release the seam and make it easier to turn the yoke and have a smooth curve. Be sure not to clip through the seam stitching.  Trim 1/4" (6mm) off, or grade by trimming slightly less off of the yoke facing than the yoke so the seam allowances are uneven.

Trimming away half of the seam allowance around the neck opening.

Clip up to, but not through, the seam at the V at the center back. This clip is necessary to allow for turning the yoke/yoke facing.

Open the yoke/yoke facing, and press the seam allowance to the yoke facing.

Understitch, stitching the seam allowance to the yoke facing.  Stitch close to the seamline of the yoke/yoke facing, stitching only the seam allowance and yoke facing together.  This will keep the yoke facing from rolling to the outside and keep the neck looking neat.  

Turn the yoke/yoke facing right side out and press the neck opening.  If you choose not to understitch, roll the yoke slightly to the outside when pressing. 

Now it is time to add the yoke to the dress and sleeve.  Work this n sections as follows. Take your time and go slowly to make sure you have everything matching.  Similar to add the sleeve to the dress underarm, there are lots of points that need to match, and now, also some gathers that need to be pulled to fit. 

Add Yoke to Dress Front

Note: To make the yoke/sleeve/dress construction easier to see, I put the mu'umu'u  on a dress form with the wrong side out.

Note: The red pins mark the match points of the yoke and dress.

Start working at the center front of the dress and the yoke (keep yoke facing out of pinning and stitching).

With right sides together, match and pin the yoke center front notch 14 to the dress center front notch 14.

Match and pin the yoke notch 15 to the dress side front/sleeve seam.

Match and pin the yoke notch 12 star to the dress Side Front/Sleeve seam star.

Repeat on the opposite side of the center front of the dress/yoke.

Now, stitch the yoke and front of the dress together between the side front/sleeve seam stars.

Add Yoke to Dress Back and Sleeve

Note: The red pins mark the match points of the yoke and dress.

With right sides together, match and pin the center back of the yoke to the center back of the dress.

Match and pin the yoke notch 16 to the dress Back notch 16.

Match and pin the yoke notch 13 star to the dress at the back sleeve seam star.

Pull the gathering threads on the dress, evenly spacing the dress back gathers to fit the yoke between the dress center back and the star at the back edge of the sleeve.

Stitch the yoke and back of the dress together between the back/sleeve seam stars.  Pivot at center back with needle down in the fabric.  Again, make sure the yoke facing is out of the way.

Attach Sleeve Cap to Yoke

Note: The red pins mark the match points of the yoke and sleeve cap/shoulder.

Match and pin the yoke shoulder seam to the sleeve notch 21.

Pull the gathers on the sleeve cap to fit the yoke.

Re-check that the gathers are evenly spaced, then stitch the sleeve cap between the star 13 (on back of sleeve) and star 12 (on front of sleeve) .

Sleeve cap pinned to yoke

 

Turn under the remaining edge of the Yoke Facing at 1/2" (13mm) seamline.  Fold the Yoke Facing to the inside of the dress and hand whip stitch the turned under edge of the yoke facing using the stitch line as a guide, slightly covering the stitching line.

With the dress/sleeve/yoke all assembled there are just a few easy finishing details to go. Join me for Day Four of the Folkwear 160 Hawaiian Mu'uMu'u Sew Along to add the optional interior shaping tab, finish the sleeve hem with elastic, and stitch the hem. 

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