The Berwick St. Tunic Sew Along Part Four: The Lower Front

​Welcome back to the Berwick St. Tunic Sew Along! Today we are going create and attach the pleated lower front. Let's get sewing!

Position the Right Front piece over the Left Front, overlapping the front placket. Baste the placket together ⅝″ from the bottom. 

To prepare the Lower Front hems, we use the pressing with templates method. To begin, match the raw edge of the Lower Front to the top of the 1 ½″ template. Press. Open out the hems. 

​Place the ¾″ template in the crease you just pressed. Now, bring the raw edge of the Lower Front up to meet the top of this template. Press. Remove the template and re-press the hem. It will be topstitched later. 

Turn the Lower Front so that the right side is facing you. Starting from the furthest left Tailor Tack (or marked dot), match dot to dot to make eight ⅜″-wide finished pleats. Pin and press as you go along before basting on the machine. 

​Place the Lower Front right sides together with the Upper Front, matching dots. Make sure the Upper Front placket is centered on the center pleat of the Lower Front. Pin and stitch. Finish seam and press towards the Upper Front.

​Please note, I am using photos from the Sew Confident 2019! First Edition which features the Berwick St. Tunic to demonstrated how to create the side vent. I am planning to wear my Berwick as a dress, so I did not create the vents. To proceed, on the Lower Front, finish the top of the vent angle and continue up the seam about 3″. 

With the right sides together, sew the side seam of the Front piece to the Back, matching the notch and the seam to the dot. End the stitching at the side vent dot. 

To finish the right side seam, finish the seam together, overlapping the previous serging for ½″. Then, fold the top layer (the previously finished Front) back at the dot and continue finishing the single layer raw edge of the side vent. Press towards the back. 

To finish the left side seam, start at the vent opening and finish the single layer of top of vent. Fold back the previously finished top layer (Front) at dot and continue finishing the remaining seam together. Press towards the back. 

To finish left side seam, start at the vent opening. Finish the single layer of the top of the vent, fold back previously finished top layer (Front) at the dot and continue finishing remaining seam together. Press towards the Back.

​Join us for the next installment of the Berwick St. Tunic Sew Along when we attach the sleeves!