• Please note that 1/4" (6mm) seam allowances are already included on all your pattern pieces.
• When I make my cholis, I use both a regular sewing machine and a 4 thread overlocker (serger). In these instructions I will refer to both machines, but you can of course just use a regular sewing machine.
• Panne velvet can be a bit floppy and curly to sew with. Handle it gently and be careful to not stretch any of the seams as you sew.
• Band, band ties and neck ties: These strips MUST be cut as shown on the cutting layout - that is, running from top to bottom of the fabric. That will make them non-stretch. If you were to cut them across the width of the fabric, then they would be far too stretchy and would not make for secure bands. The last thing you need is a baggy choli coming loose at the wrong moment!

1. Make darts in front. Stitch the darts with the sewing machine, and then trim away spare fabric to reduce bulk. I finish them neatly with the overlocker.

2. Sew back to front at shoulders using machine or overlocker (serger).

3. Sew in sleeves Pin sleeve to choli, matching the centre dot to the shoulder seam. Sew using machine or overlocker, easing the fullness at top.

4. Edge finish the sleeve using your overlocker or machine zig-zag. Don't actually make the hem yet, just neaten the edge of the fabric. *Note: I stretch this edge when sewing, so that the end of the sleeve stays stretchy.

5. Sew underarm & side seam in one long continuous seam using machine or overlocker.

6. Finish sleeve hem using your machine straight stitch. I stretch the hem when sewing, so that the end of the sleeve stays stretchy. Keeping the stretch means that you can easily push the sleeve up when you're wearing your choli without it becoming too tight.

7. Bias edging This gives a lovely smooth and neat finish to the neck edge of your choli.

• Take the right half of your choli. Beginning at the bottom back edge, place your choli on the sewing machine with the right side up.
• Open up one side of the bias tape so that the inside is facing you. Line up the outer opened edge of the bias tape with the edge of your choli. Using a regular machine stitch (NOT a stretch stitch) begin to sew along the crease of the bias fold. Be careful to not stretch either the fabric or the tape. Keep them both nice and smooth.
• Sew up the back, over the shoulder, and down to the center front. Stitch to center front dot. Cut off the bias binding, leaving a 1/2" (1.25cm) tail.
• Now take the left half of your choli. This time you begin to sew at the centre front. Leaving a 1/2" (1.25cm) tail of bias binding when you begin, sew in the crease of the binding as before, up the front, over the shoulder and down the back to the bottom edge.
• Now take the left half of your choli again. Beginning at the lower back edge, turn the sewn on bias tape out and over to the wrong side of your choli, enclosing the seam. Smooth it flat and pin in place. Place your choli on the machine with the wrong side up, and stitch close to the other edge of the bias tape. Stitch up the back, over the shoulder and down to the center front again.
• Repeat with the other side, beginning at the lower back edge, and sewing down to the center front.

8. Sew centre front seam using the sewing machine - not the overlocker just yet. Take the time to match the darts, the bottom edge, and the "V" perfectly - or it will annoy you forever!! I use the sewing machine first to make SURE those darts are perfectly aligned. Then I edge finish with the overlocker.

9. Stabilise the bottom edge of the choli

Cut the length of bias tape that matches your choli size:

Your size	Cut to this length
32-34"   A-B-C    34-36"   B-C-D 36-38"   C-D-DD 38-40"   D-DD-E 40-42"   D-DD-E	20" (51cm) 21" (53cm) 22" (56cm) 23" (58cm) 24" (61cm)

Lay the choli, right side up on the machine.

• Open up one side of the bias tape so that the inside is facing you. Lining up the outer opened edge of the bias tape with the bottom edge of the choli, pin the centre of the bias tape to the centre seam of the choli.
• Pin the ends of the bias tape to the edges of the choli, leaving a 1/2" (1.25cm) tail of binding at the beginning and end.
• Pin the bias tape all along the bottom edge of the choli, matching edges, remembering to leave 1/2" (1.25cm) tails of bias tape on each end. Ease to fit if necessary.
• Using a regular machine stitch (NOT a stretch stitch) sew along the crease of the bias fold. Be careful to not stretch either the fabric or the tape. Keep them both nice and smooth.
• Now turn the sewn on bias tape out and over to the wrong side of your choli, enclosing the seam. Smooth it flat and pin in place. Tuck the tails in and under the bias tape. Place your choli on the machine with the wrong side up, and stitch close to the other edge of the bias tape.

10. The lower band

• Sew the two strips together, end on end, making one long strip. Press seam open.
• Now, fold the long strip in half lengthwise, right sides together, and sew down the long edge using the overlocker or machine. Keep both ends open. Turn right side out. At each end, tuck 1" (2.5cm) inside to finish the end. Roll the seam between your fingers to ease it flat.
• Pin the band to right side of choli, matching center front seam of the choli to the center seam of the band, with the folded edge of the band lined up with the bottom edge of the choli. The band ties will hang at each side.
• Place choli on machine right side up. The band will be on top of the choli, with the bottom edge of the band sitting right on top of the edge of the choli. Starting at the very end of the left tie, stitch close to the bottom edge of the tie, sewing towards the choli. Continue sewing all the way across the bottom of the choli and down the end of the right tie.
• When you are stitching this band, because of the way it was cut, you will find that the nap will make stitching in one direction difficult (because you are stitching against the nap). Just pull it a bit to help the machine along! By the way... the effect of the nap gripping itself makes for really secure ties when you are wearing the choli!
• Now stitch close to the top edge of the tie that you just finished on. Sew towards the choli again. When you get to the choli itself, you want the band to lie flat and smooth on the choli, with the centre seams matching. Continue sewing across the choli right to the end of the other tie.
• Go to the part where band meets the edge of the choli. We want to reinforce this section. See the stitching line that holds the bias tape in place along the choli back? Using your sewing machine, continue that stitching line down across the band to the bottom edge. Then sew backwards and forwards at least twice more to reinforce that section.

11. The Neck Ties

• Fold each strip in half lengthwise, right sides together, and sew a 3/16" (5mm) seam using the overlocker or machine. Sew one end closed. Turn it the right side out. (a knitting needle, or special turning tool helps to turn this skinny little tie)
• Pin the open end of tie to the inside of the back of your choli - about 1" down from the shoulder seam. Position it so the open end is towards the edge of the choli, and the tie is hanging inside. Sew the tie back and forth along the inner stitching line of the bias binding.
• Now, flip the tie out towards the outside, folding and pinning the tie flat over where you just stitched. Stitch thru all layers over the tie along the outer stitching line of the bias binding. This makes a neat, secure attachment.

12. Now... TRY ON YOUR CHOLI !

I hope that it fits you well! You may need to adjust the shoulder ties a little to get a better fit. The tightness of tying these shoulder ties really does make a difference to how your choli fits. Play with it and adjust it till it sits nicely.

Once you've got the neck ties just right... DON'T undo them!! Just slip the choli over your head. (it's much easier to put on with the neck ties done up anyway!)

And now ... it's FINISHED!!!

I hope it was not too hard to understand my instructions. Some things are easy to do, but really difficult to describe.