Cora Sew Along – Day 5

We’ve made it to the last day of the Cora sew-along. Today we will finish our creations by working on steps 24 through 33. If you have fallen behind, don’t give up! You have until Sunday evening at 8 pm CST to finish your Cora creation and upload your daily progress photos for a chance at FREE shop credit.

Creating the Skirt

Begin by taking your two skirt pieces and place them so that right sides are together. Match up the short sides and sew/serge the side seams.

If you are making the simple skirt version you will finish your dress at this time. Fold up your skirt hem by 1/2″ so that wrong sides are touching and press. Fold up an additional 1/2″ and press in place. Topstitch 3/8″ from the folded edge.

Adding Ruffles

For the ruffle versions, match the short edges of the bottom ruffle strips so that right sides are touching. Sew/serge the strips together. Repeat with the remaining strips, making a continuous loop. If you are making the double ruffle version, repeat these steps for your top ruffle strips as well.

Hem your bottom ruffle edge by folding the raw edge up 1/4″ so that wrong sides are touching and press. Fold up the hem 1/4″ again and press. Topstitch the hem in place. For the double ruffle version, repeat these steps to hem your top ruffle.

If you are doing the double ruffle version, layer your ruffle pieces so that the short ruffle is on top of the long ruffle. Right sides should be facing up for both ruffle pieces. Sew a gathering stitch along the top raw edge through both ruffle layers. I like to sew one row of gathering stitches at 1/4″ and a second row at 1/8″ from the top raw edge.

Gather the ruffle(s) so that they are approximately the same width as your skirt. Pin the ruffle to the bottom raw edge of the skirt, adjusting the ruffle gathers evenly around the skirt. Sew/serge in place. Next, flip the skirt/ruffle seam up toward the top of the skirt and topstitch 1/8″ away from the seam.

Adding the Skirt to the Bodice

Add two rows of gathering stitches to the top raw edge of the skirt. Likewise, I prefer to sew my gathering stitches at 1/4″ and 1/8″ from the top raw edge. Adjust the gathers to be the same width as the bodice.

Flip your skirt inside out and slip your bodice inside the skirt so that right sides are touching. Match up the side seams of the skirt to the side seams of the bodice and pin in place. Next, I like to find the center of my bodice front and pin it to the center of my skirt front. Repeat with the back pieces. Adjust gathers evenly and continue pinning the skirt to the bodice making sure raw edges match up. Sew/serge the skirt to the bodice.

Finally, turn the dress right side out and push the skirt seam allowance up towards the top of the bodice. Toptstich the skirt to the bodice 1/8″ from the seam at the bottom edge of the bodice. Note: if you do not want to topstitch over the wave pleats, you can topstitch your bodice starting at one edge of the wave panel and around to the other side.

Day 5 Progress

That’s it! You finished the Cora sew-along. After all of that hard work don’t forget to upload your daily progress photo to the sew-along album in the Facebook fan group. I’ll draw winners to receive shop credit on the following Monday and will pm the winners. Thank you so much for joining me and I’ll see you back here next month for another fun sew-along!

Happy sewing,

Chauncey