Yoke Top

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• Step 1

  Cut out fabric pieces
  Using the pattern and following
  the cutting layout, cut out all sections of
  your top. Transfer all pattern markings
  onto your fabric.
  Cut one collar piece from interfacing and two strips of interfacing, each 17 x 4cm (6 . x 1 . in). Iron the collar piece to one collar section (this will be the outer collar) and iron the strips to
  the centre back of the inner yoke pieces.

• Step 2

  Prepare front bodice
  Using a long stitch length, sew two rows of gathering stitches between the two dots at the top of the front bodice 5mm (.in) and 1.2cm (.) from the edge, leaving long thread tails. Pull up the gathers to fit between the two points on the front yoke and fasten the gathering threads temporarily by winding them around
  a pin at each end. Set this section aside.

• Step 3

  Join side seams
  Matching notches, pin and stitch the side seams and finish off the raw edges.

• Step 4

  Attach bias binding to armholes
  Apply bias binding to the armhole edges of the main bodice, folding it over twice so that the binding is on the inside. (The yoke armholes do not need binding as they will be finished with the lining.)

• 

  Step 5

  Join inner and outer collar sections
  Place the inner and outer (interfaced) collar
  sections together with right sides facing. Pin
  (tack if you like) and sew them together along the
  shorter edges. Trim the seam allowance in half
  and notch it as shown to reduce bulk.

• 

  Step 6

  Understitch inner collar
  Press the seam allowances towards the inner (non-interfaced)
  collar. Now, working on the right side, stitch through the
  inner collar and seam allowances, close to the seamline.
  Press the collar along the seamline so that the inner collar
  rolls to the inside; the understitching, as it is called, helps
  you to do this and keeps the seam allowances in place.

• Step 7

  Neaten inner collar edge
  You now need to press under 1.5cm (⅝in) along the bottom edge of the inner collar, which is a little tricky as this is a curved edge. You can make this easier by stitching along the bottom edge at this distance and using the stitching as a
  pressing guide.

• 

  Step 8

  Join front and back yoke
  Pin and stitch the outer front and back yoke sections
  together at the shoulders, with right sides facing. Repeat
  for the inner yoke sections. Press all seams open.
  At the bottom edge of the front inner yoke (only),
  machine-tack 1.5cm (⅝in) from the raw edge; using this as
  a pressing guide, press the fabric to the wrong side.

• 

  Step 9

  Attach outer collar to outer yoke
  With right sides facing, pin (tack if you wish) the outer collar to the
  outer yoke, matching the notches on the collar to the shoulder seams and to the notches on the yoke neckline. Stitch the seam.
  Trim the seam allowances in half and then notch them to reduce bulk. Press them towards the collar.

  Lauren’s Tip
  As this is a curved seam you may need to fiddle around to get the
  raw edges to line up. Insert the pins perpendicular to the edge and use plenty of them. As you stitch, make sure that the fabric underneath is lying flat and that the raw edges remain aligned. Or, if you prefer, tack the seam before stitching.

• 

  Step 10

  Join inner and outer yoke at armholes

  Pin (tack if you wish) and sew the outer and inner yoke sections together at each armhole with right sides facing, stopping when you reach the pressed under seam allowance at the bottom edge of the front inner yoke. Trim seam the seam allowances and notch them to reduce bulk.

• Step 11

  Understitch armhole seam
  Turn the yoke right side out. Understitch the seam allowances to the inner yoke as for the collar in Step 6. Press the seam flat, ensuring that the understitching is on the inside of the garment.

• 

  Step 12

  Join outer and inner yoke and collar at back opening
  You are now going to sew the edges of the back opening where the buttonholes will go. First fold the inner collar wrong side out and pin it together so that the right sides of both collars are facing. Pin the raw edges together. Line up the inner and outer back yoke pieces, right sides facing. The top edge of the inner yoke should overlap the seam allowances at the collar. Pin (tack if you wish) and stitch all the way from the top edge of the collar to the bottom of the back yoke on both right and left opening edges. Turn the yoke right side out.

• 

  Step 13

  Sew inner collar to inner yoke
  Pin the inner collar to the inner yoke, ensuring that the raw edge of the yoke is concealed. Tack if you wish. Using ladder stitch as shown, sew the inner collar to the inner yoke.

• Step 14

  Make the buttonholes
  Make four buttonholes in the yoke on the left-hand side.

• Step 15

  Add optional piping
  Cut two lengths of piping, each about 2cm (3/4 in) longer
  than the lower edge of the front and back yoke. Pin one to
  the right side of the back bodice section along its top edge
  with raw edges matching. Machine-tack it in place, leaving the ends unstitched where they meet the stitching joining the binding at the armhole edge. On the front bodice piece, distribute the gathers evenly, then apply the piping in the same way.

• 

  Step 16

  Join outer yoke and bodice
  With right sides facing, pin (tack if you wish) and stitch the
  front outer yoke section to the bodice front, matching centre
  points and taking in the piping, if used, at the same time.
  (If you have not previously adjusted the gathers, as in Step
  15, do so now.) At each side of the top edge of the bodice,
  you will have a 1.5cm (⅝in)overhang. This is normal and
  will ensure that the binding around the armhole is hidden.
  Press the seam allowances towards the yoke.

• 

  Step 17

  Sew inner yoke to front bodice
  Fold under the seam allowance on the inner yoke that you
  pressed under in Step 9. Pin it over the seam joining the
  bodice and outer yoke, enclosing those seam allowances,
  and sew it in place with ladder stitch. Turn the ends of the
  piping in at the armhole edges to conceal them, trimming
  them if necessary.

• 

  Step 18

  Join yoke to back bodice
  Place the outer and inner back yoke sections together. Placing
  them on a flat surface, tack them together about 3cm (1in) in
  from the lower edges to make sure they lie smoothly against
  each other. Pin and tack them to the back bodice with right
  sides together and with the buttonhole opening side under the
  other side as shown. Stitch the seam, enclosing the piping, if
  used; turn up the piping ends (trimmed if necessary) to hide
  them in the seam. Finish off the seam allowances together and
  press them down towards the back bodice.

• Step 19

  Hem garment and sew on buttons
  Turn under and press 2.5cm (1in), then another 2.5cm (1in) along the bottom edge. Topstitch the hem in place 2.3cm (⅞in) from the bottom. Stitch the buttons on following the pattern markings.

  Variation Top with pleated bodice

  Mark the pleats on the right side of the bodice, following the pattern markings.
  Fold the pleats w
  Starting with the centre pleat, fold the bodice as
  indicated by the pattern markings and pin the
  pleats in place. Machine-tack across the top, 1.2cm
  (. in) from the top edge.

  Make bias binding for armholes
  From the main fabric, cut 50cm (20in) of bias binding, 18–20mm (. in) wide. Use this to bind the armholes of the bodice section as instructed in Step 4 of the main version.
  Complete the top as for the main version, steps 3–19.

  Other Variation Ideas
  * Use a bold contrasting patterned fabric
  for the main bodice with a plain fabric for
  the yoke sections, or vice versa.
  * Use lace for the outer yoke, with a plain
  lightweight fabric underneath, to make it
  more of a feature.

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