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Lesson 4

Dress Preparation: Cutting the Bodice, Back and Sleeves

In this lesson, you will prepare the fabric pieces for assembling your embroidered dress. You will release the embroidery from the frame, cut the front bodice and its satin backing, then prepare mirrored back pieces in satin and sheer fabric. The sleeves remain sheer for an airy finish.

Materials to Prepare

  • Embroidery frame with the completed dress embroidery

  • Dress patterns for the front, back and sleeves

  • Light green satin fabric—180 cm used in the demonstration

  • Sheer fabric matching the embroidery base

  • Pins and optional pattern weights

  • Fabric scissors

  • Measuring tape or ruler

  • Hand-sewing needle and thread

Learning Outcomes


By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Release the embroidered fabric from the frame.

  • Cut the front bodice with a 1.5 cm seam allowance.

  • Position and cut satin backing for the embroidered front.

  • Prepare mirrored back pieces in satin and sheer fabric.

  • Hand-stitch the neckline as demonstrated.

  • Cut sheer sleeves from doubled fabric.

Your Practice


Remove the pins and mounting threads in the same sequence used to secure the fabric. Keep the mounting ribbon for future projects. Cut out the embroidered front, leaving a 1.5 cm seam allowance around the pattern.


Pin the embroidered piece to the satin and cut the backing to match. Follow the demonstrated fabric orientation to achieve the desired sheen through the embroidery, then hand-stitch the neckline as shown.


Cut two mirrored satin back pieces, each with a 1.5 cm seam allowance. Use these to cut matching pieces from the sheer fabric, pin the layers together and hand-stitch their necklines.


Fold the sheer fabric into two layers, pin the sleeve pattern in place and cut with a 1.5 cm seam allowance.

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