Perfect Patterns Style 39
Heirloom Sewing by Machine
~ Lesson 9 ~
Making the Skirt Inset Piece
With photos and instructions by
Marsha Olson
(printout is 3 pages)

Sewing many small pieces of lace and fabric together forms the inset panel for the front of the skirt. Make sure the lace is well spray starched and pressed with a hot steam iron before you begin. Cotton lace has a small tendancy to curve slightly when wet so while you are steam pressing, pull the edges of the lace as straight as possible.

Start with the square template pattern piece #17:



and the pintucked fabric you made in Lesson 7


1. Cutting Your Pintucked Squares
Spray starching your fabric is always a very important step in any heirloom construction project.
It is especially important when working with pintucked fabric and lace. The starch helps maintain a stiffness to the materials that makes them much easier to manage when butting edges to zigzag them together.

This is an optional piece and is not a necessary pattern piece if you opt to use flower embroidered or whitework squares in your skirt inset panel.

One of the joys of doing heirloom style work is that there are so many options and choices available for insets and lace work.

You will notice the diagonal line printed on the pattern. Use the diagonal line as your guide for cutting your squares on the bias by lining it up with the pintucks on your fabric.
If you prefer, you may cut your squares with the pintucks going across or top to bottom also. Your choice!

Cut 5 squares for the 15-16" dolls and 7 squares for the 18-20" dolls.
2. Finishing the Side Edges
Each square of pintucked fabric will need to have the side edges finished using a very narrow rolled hem serger edge or the zigzag stitch on your sewing machine. You could sew the lace pieces to a non-finished edge, but you will not get as strong a bond between the pieces and they will come apart if pulled at all.

Using a small machine zigzag stitch, sew your pintucked pieces together with a piece of straight edged lace between each one. Check to make sure the finished length is wide enough to fit the skirt front. Larger sizes such as Cissy may need extra pieces added for correct width.
Sew the lace to the top and bottom edges.


End Lesson 9

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HOME CLASSES CLASS 39 INDEX LESSON 1
LESSON 2 LESSON 3 LESSON 4 LESSON 5
LESSON 6 LESSON 7 LESSON 8 LESSON 9
LESSON 10 LESSON 11 LESSON 12 LESSON 13