5. Damn Good Dress Tutorial – Prepare Your Front Top

5A. Mark the dot on your Front Top pieces. With right sides together, pin 2 of your Front Top pieces together for the left side body and 2 of your Front Top pieces together for the right side body as shown above. Pin along the neckline and the center front opening up until the notches.

5B. Sew using 1/4!( seam allowance along the neckline, then pivot your needle at the corner where your dot is marked and use 1/2!( seam allowance along the center front opening. Make sure to add backstitches at the start and end of your stitch lines, especially at the center front notches because there could be extra strain on that area during wear.
Pivot your needle means to leave your needle down (through your fabric) while you lift your presser foot up and rotate your fabric to line up the next edge you would like to sew. This creates a sharp corner and allows you to sew 2 edges in one go.

5C. Trim your corners at a 45 degree angle in order to reduce the bulk of the seam allowance when you turn your piece right side out. This will also result in sharper corners.

5D. Clip your notches at the center front, going as close to your stitch line as possible.

5E. Clip your curves along the neckline to release any tension when you flip your pieces right side out.

5F. Turn your pieces right side out and push your corners out with a point turner or the end of a dull pair of scissors (very gently!).

5F. Turn your pieces right side out and push your corners out with a point turner or the end of a dull pair of scissors (very gently!).

5H. You will now finish sewing your center front seam. Take the top layer of both sides of your Front Top pieces.

5I. Flip one layer over the other so that right sides are together.

5J. Match the edges of your top layers and of your bottom layers as shown.

5K. Pin your top layers together along the raw edges and pin your bottom layers together along the raw edges.

5L. Sew using 1/2!( seam allowance on your top layers, continuing your stitch line directly from above.

5M. Repeat the same on your bottom layers.

5N. Press your new seams open.

5O. Turn your Front Top right side out and give it one more press. It should be in one beautiful piece now!