Everything you need to successfully master the smocked yoke dress

Come experience the methodical, personal, creative instruction for which Gail is renowned, all from the comfort of your own sewing space, on your own schedule, and at your own pace. With up-close video streams from multiple cameras, detailed instructions, and digital patterns you will be fully equipped for success. Vanquish the scourge of UFO’s (unfinished outfits) and reunite with the precious feeling of sewing a project to completion. With Gail as your guide, success is your destination.

Here's everything included with this class:

• 12 video lessons (totaling nearly 12 hours of total instruction)
• 60 pages of detailed instructions with photos
• 8 sizes of downloadable dress patterns (sizes 3-12)
• Pattern variations:
  • 3 sleeve Variations
  • 2 yoke Variations
  • 2 collar variations
  • 5 smocking plates

This is the most pattern variations I've ever included in one class! 

12 Comprehensive and Conveniently Edited Lessons That Will Take From Start To Finished Dress

No Details Left Out, This Course Covers it All!

Course Curriculum:

Chapter 1 - Introduction

• Six finished dresses are shown
• Fabric options and sizing
• Collar/cuff and contrast piping options are shown
• Cutting bias
• ‘Baby Interfacing’
• A review of required notions (Swiss edging, covered buttons, Seams Great, #80 tatting thread, embroidery floss)
• Review of the cutting guides

Chapter 2 - Smocked Skirt Front

• Adding interfacing to the smocked area
• Pleating demo
• Steaming the pleats, counting the pleats, preliminary blocking to required size, tying off the pleating threads to required size
• Freezer paper final blocking

Chapter 3 - Yoke Application

• Square yoke application – making piping, attaching piping to smocked skirt front, attaching yoke, grading seam allowances
• Curved yoke application – marking the yoke block, piping the lower curved edge, turning the piping to finished position, topstitching the yoke to the smocked skirt, trimming the skirt front to shape

Chapter 4 - Bodice Back, Bodice Front Lining, Shoulder Seams

• Preparing the bodice backs
• Shoulder seams
• Adding Swiss edging to the bodice front lining
• Shoulder seams on lining

Chapter 5 - Block Method Collar Construction (two collar options)

• Option #1 – Piped Peter Pan Collar
• Interface block, trace collars onto block, pipe outer edge of collar, add backing to collar, pressing the collar
• Option #2 – Peter Pan Collar with Turned Bias and Bridging
• Prepare collar, baste to paper, stitch guideline ¼” away on paper, make ¼” turned bias, shape and stitch turned bias to paper
• Demo of bridging stitch
  

Chapter 6 - Collar, Skirt Back Placket, and Skirt Backs

• Pinning and tacking the collar to the neckline
• Wrap around lining and stitch neckline
• Trim, grade, and under stitch the seam allowance
• Pressing demo using a pressing ham
• Demo of making a continuous all machine placket
• Gathering and attaching the skirt backs to the back bodices
• Tack lining to outer layer around all remaining perimeter edges

Chapter 7 - Piped Back Belts and French Side Seams

• Demo of applying piping and lining to the back belts
• Using French seams for the side seams

Chapter 8 - Three Sleeve Options

• Long sleeve option – placket demo, construct long sleeve cuff, attaching the long sleeve cuff
• Fitted cap sleeve option – demo piping ’in the round’, applying lining to the fitted cap sleeve
• Short sleeve with turned bias and bridging stitching – basting the sleeve to stabilizer, adding the turned bias, discuss bridging stitch (in the round)

Chapter 9 - Setting in the Sleeves and Two Hem Finish Options

• Long sleeve – setting in the sleeve, binding the sleeve with ‘Seams Great’
• Cap sleeve – shaping the cap of the sleeve
• Binding the sleeve seam allowance with Seams Great
• Demo of 1” tuck all machine hem (6” hem allowance)
• Demo of bias bound edge hand stitched hem option

 Chapter 10 - Finish Work

• Marking and making buttonholes on dress bodice back, belt, and sleeve cuff with Stitch n’ Tear stabilizer
• Demo of fabric covered buttons
• Demo of thread chain belt carriers

Chapter 11 - Smocking and Embroidery Demos

• Centering the smocking design
• Cable stitch, two step ½ space trellis, five step full space trellis, outline stitch (vine), cable flowerette, back smocking, smocking on plaid fabric
• Spiral bullion rose
• Cast-on stitch
  

Chapter 12 - Extra Ideas

• Adjusting the neckline for a bound edge
• Adding a Swiss edging ruffle or pleated fabric ruffle to the neckline
• Piping a bound neckline
• Applying a ¼” French bias binding with pre-finished ends at the neckline
• Drafting a traditional short puff sleeve using the fitted cap sleeve pattern
• Drafting a tucked short sleeve using the fitted cap sleeve pattern
• Using sashes rather than piped back belts
• Alternate curved yoke application
• Full smocked bodice option

Gail's Sewing Has Been Featured In Top-Tier Publications Across the Globe

Sewing Class The Old Way

Travel to attend an in-person class held at a conference

What You Experience:

• 20+ students crowded around a single sewing machine or table without a clear view
• Stress between trying to record audio/video of the class or furiously taking notes so you can retain what your learn
• Pack your sewing machine and lug it through airports and hotels to use it in class
• Instructor barraged by Chatty Pattys asking personal sewing questions and using up precious class time

What you pay:

• Flights $300
• Hotel $200
• Rental Car $150
• Food $50
• Registration $150
• Total Cost $850

Sewing Class The New Way

Attend class from the convenience of your own sewing room

What You Experience:

• High-quality, close-up camera shots from multiple angles with no obstruction
• Convenient, recorded, videos you can review as many times as you need to get your sewing right
• The familiarity of your own sewing room and the convenience of all of your at-home supplies
• A constant flow of valuable information without interruptions or distractions 

What you pay:

• Flights $0
• Hotel $0
• Rental Car $0
• Food $0
• Registration $179
• Total Cost $179

Previous Students are Raving About Gail's Online Classes...

We Surveyed 200+ of Gail's Past Sewing Students

Here's how they rated their online sewing experience:

• Average rating for skill improvement: 
  4.77 out of 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Average rating for online format:
  4.93 out of 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Average rating for overall experience:
  4.99 out of 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Willingness to recommend to a friend:
  4.96 out of 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Heirloom Sewing Horror Story...

A search and rescue mission for confidence

One of the relentless challenges of heirloom sewing is feeling confident in enough different skills to complete a beautiful garment. Without confidence in each specific skill, you second-guess yourself over and over, barely moving forward, until you wake up one day and you’re sitting in your sewing room, staring at a closet of half-finished outfits racking your brain to remember what the satisfaction of completing a project feels like.

That doesn't have to be you!

Join us in waging war against UFOs (unfinished outfits) and register today!