Hello and welcome to the Durban Sewalong! It’s Nastasia here to take you through each step to make your own very stylish jumpsuit! There are lots of options and you can mix and match views to get the perfect jumpsuit! I’ve really fallen in love with this pattern and can’t wait to make it over and over again. Today I’ll take you through the prep, stabilizing, and darts. So let’s get started!
Prep & Stabilising
First, cut all of your pattern pieces out of your fabric. Be sure to cut and mark all notches and markings.
Staystitch just under 1/4” (6mm) from the raw edge around the front neckline and back neckline.
This staystitching prevents the neckline from stretching out while sewing. Note: If sewing the sleeveless version you may also staystitch around the armscye.
You should have the placket interfacing pieces ready as directed on the pattern pieces.
Next, attach lightweight fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the front neckline placket and the back neckline placket. If you’re sewing the sleeveless views B & D you’ll also attach lightweight fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the front sleeveless facing and the wrong side of the back sleeveless facing.
Take the front leg and staystitch between the notches on the crotch to stabilize. Starting at the placket notch you’ll sew 5/8” (1.5cm) from the raw edge down the angle edge of the placket, then pivot at the mark and sew down the crotch finishing at the inseam notch.
0-20 Size Range Darts
Now it’s time to sew our darts! For those of you sewing Durban Curve, because the pattern is drafted with a cut-away dart your method will be a little different – so skip on ahead to the next section! Those of you sewing with the 0-20 pattern though – let’s get started.
Fold down the center of each dart with right sides together. You’ll want to be sure to match up the dart edges. Pin in place.
Sew the darts from the side seam towards the dart point. Do not backstitch at the dart point, instead leave thread tails and tie them off.
Press the darts downwards towards the waist.
Repeat this for both bodice darts.
Curve Size Range Darts
Because it is drafted for a D-cup compared to a B-cup, the Curve dart is significantly deeper than the 0-20 one. To avoid the extra bulk of a larger dart fold and to prevent it interfering with the waist or armscye seam, Durban Curve was therefore drafted with a cut-away dart. Sewing a cut-away dart is just as simple as a normal dart though, they’re basically like a french dart that is straight instead of curved!
When cutting out your bodice front you will need to cut along the dart legs of your size as well as the line that extends beyond them – the “cutline”.
Using an awl or something pointed, you can the poke through your pattern piece at the dart point and make a mark on the fabric below. This point is where your dart stitching will finish.
With right sides together, align the raw edges of your dart legs and the side seam notches. The dart point that we just marked should be on the fold that extends from the cutline. If you find it easier, you can also draw a line in chalk between the notches and the dart point to use as a sewing guide. Pin in place.
Stitch along the length of your dart, 5/8″ (1.5cm) from the raw edges (or along your guide if you drew one). Continue to sew straight even as the fold of the fabric tapers away, towards the dart point – sewing all the way off the edge of the fabric. You can then tie the loose threads to secure the stitching. Next, using either a zig-zag stitch or overlocker, finish the raw edges of the dart.
You can repeat the following steps for your second dart before giving your darts a press, pushing the seam allowances upwards and away from the waist. To get a nice curve to the bust of the bodice and to avoid crumpling the tip of the dart, consider using an ironing ham which will mimic the curve of the body.
And that’s all for now! We will continue on with our jumpsuit in the next blog post!
Happy Sewing
Nastasia
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Here’s the full list of Durban posts and tutorials:
- How to Choose Between Durban & Durban Curve
- Inspiration & Ideas
- Durban Tester Roundup & Durban Curve Tester Roundup
- Fitting & Alterations: Lengthening & Shortening
- Fitting & Alterations: Grading Between Sizes
- Fitting & Alterations: Bust & Armscye Adjustments
- Prep, Stabilizing & Darts (this post!)
- Bodice Seams & Sleeves
- Sleeveless Facings
- Inseam, Patch & Back Pockets
- Combining Bodice & Pants
- Placket & Inseam
- Placket Tips
- Closures, Hemming & Belts
- D-Ring Belt
- Durban Maker Roundup
We absolutely love seeing what you make, so don’t forget to tag your creations with #MNdurban and @megannielsenpatterns when sharing on social media, and check out what everyone else is up to!
