June 02, 2019
The SIERRA open back top tutorial
Hello! I'm a little quiet after all the activity related to the launch of the new collection. After the contest I had to work on the Panama pattern in order to offer you a pattern enriched with new options. I hope you like my Panama 2.0 and that it will inspire you to do many more pretty sewing projects :) I'm finalizing the baby, I hope it will be ready in 10 days. This experience around this PDF pattern and all your feedback made me realize the great expectation for this format. I'm happy because Panama has been around the world, and so I received requests for the other patterns to offer them to you in PDF. It's a bit of a complicated decision to make, I'll explain all this to you soon, but so I decided to enrich the offer in PDF pattern with models from the pocket collections. Putting together all the plans in these new formats (A0 A4 and US letter) takes time so I'm being more discreet. And then I told you about the competition I took part in with the BGE in November, I was one of the challengers who won support and coaching to help me grow Maison Fauve. The final competition with an oral presentation and a file to submit is coming soon. There is a scholarship at stake, but above all I will feel more legitimate as a designer and entrepreneur. So I work and I stress, but it is to go further ;) So to wait, and because it is one of your favorites from the Sew me Pampa collection, I offer you today a first tutorial around the SIERRA pattern . The model is available as a dress and a top, with an open back and closed back version. This first step-by-step focuses on the open back top version. There will be a second tutorial very soon with the dress and closed back version, so that you have all the detailed options. The top was sewn in a very pretty AnnaKa Bazaar printed viscose. The fabric, however, worked a lot in the bias when interfacing the back facings, so I recommend that you be careful and do tests on your fabric if necessary. 
Let's go to the tutorial:
3. Place the bust and the facing right sides together and assemble at the neckline and back . At the bottom of the back, assemble the facing to the bust up to mark B. Notch your curves, trim your corners and notch at the edge of mark B so that you can fold the seam allowance into the bust-facing assembly. Turn your facing inside your garment. Attach the facing by making stitches by hand that merge with the shoulder seam. Make your buttonholes at the bottom of the left half back. 
Assembling the belt on the bust : Gather your bust in front between marks A and C. Gather your back between marks C and B. To do this: release the thread tension on your machine, lengthen your stitch, and change your bobbin thread for a contrasting thread. Sew in the seam allowance and leave some thread length before cutting it. By pulling on the bobbin thread you will create gathers. They will be distributed when assembling them with the belt using the marks on the belt. Pin your belt right side against right side on your bust (notches B on the belt correspond to notches B on the back bust). Your belt has notches to help you position it: start by pinning according to these marks, then distribute your gathers on the bust. Pin well and sew then turn your belt over. Fold your seam allowance inside your waistband, and secure with a seam that will be visible along your waistband on the right side. 
Here is a pretty SIERRA top! I hope this step by step will help you in making your model, I'll see you soon for the dress tutorial. The SANTA FE top tutorial will follow, and we will be complete with the SEW ME PAMPA collection! 
Let's go to the tutorial:
- Assemble the back pieces and the front piece by the shoulders right side against right side. Overlock the seams. Assemble your bust by the sides right side against right side, overlock the seams.
- Iron on your pieces if necessary. Assemble the front facing and the back facings by the shoulders right side against right side and overlock the seams. Overlock the outline of your piece.
3. Place the bust and the facing right sides together and assemble at the neckline and back . At the bottom of the back, assemble the facing to the bust up to mark B. Notch your curves, trim your corners and notch at the edge of mark B so that you can fold the seam allowance into the bust-facing assembly. Turn your facing inside your garment. Attach the facing by making stitches by hand that merge with the shoulder seam. Make your buttonholes at the bottom of the left half back.
- The belt : assemble the back belt pieces right sides together with the front belt piece. Press the seams open. Fold right sides together along the fold line of your belt, and sew all around, stopping your sewing between the B marks to create an opening.
Assembling the belt on the bust : Gather your bust in front between marks A and C. Gather your back between marks C and B. To do this: release the thread tension on your machine, lengthen your stitch, and change your bobbin thread for a contrasting thread. Sew in the seam allowance and leave some thread length before cutting it. By pulling on the bobbin thread you will create gathers. They will be distributed when assembling them with the belt using the marks on the belt. Pin your belt right side against right side on your bust (notches B on the belt correspond to notches B on the back bust). Your belt has notches to help you position it: start by pinning according to these marks, then distribute your gathers on the bust. Pin well and sew then turn your belt over. Fold your seam allowance inside your waistband, and secure with a seam that will be visible along your waistband on the right side.
- Sleeves : Close your sleeve lengthwise, overlock the seam. Assemble your sleeve on the armhole using the notches.
- The cuff : Fold your cuff piece right side to right side and assemble edge to edge. Shape the wristband by folding along the mark, wrong side to wrong side. Gather the bottom of your sleeve and assemble with your cuff (unclosed portion of the cuff edge to edge with the bottom of the sleeve). Overlock then turn your cuff.
Here is a pretty SIERRA top! I hope this step by step will help you in making your model, I'll see you soon for the dress tutorial. The SANTA FE top tutorial will follow, and we will be complete with the SEW ME PAMPA collection!
