Finish the neck and armholes of a lined bodice with this sewing method
Hey y’all – today we’re covering another technique that can be used on a lot of sundresses – sewing a lined bodice using the burrito method, which is also sometimes referred to as the hotdog method of sewing a bodice.
This is one of those techniques that makes much more sense when you see it on a video, so I have a video for you below, which you can also watch on YouTube here if it won’t load. Scroll beyond the video for pictures and written directions.
To start, you want your bodice and lining sewn right sides together at the shoulder seams. Press the shoulder seams open, then place the outer bodice right sides together with the bodice lining, matching up the neckline and shoulder seams. Stitch around the neckline.
Clip the curves and any Vs in the neckline, then turn the bodice right sides out and press the neckline.
Next is the “burrito” part of sewing a lined bodice. Lay the bodice flat, then roll the bodice toward one strap. This is the part that it really helps to watch on video, so check that above. Basically you’re trying to roll the bodice small enough that the strap on the other side can be pinned in a tube around it. So the left side of my bodice below gets wrapped with the outer fabric and lining right sides together – they’re the tortilla – and the rest of my bodice rolled into the middle like the burrito filling.
When you’ve got the armscye pinned, it looks like the image above, and you sew on the red line.
Then clip the curves…
And turn the bodice right side out. You can see in the picture above that the strap on the left side is now fully finished, while the right side is not. Now you repeat the process, rolling the left side into a burrito made out of the right side.
When both straps are finished, then you fold the bodice so that the side seams are right sides together, matching the front bodice to the back bodice and the front lining to the back lining. Then sew the side seams, like the red line shown below.
And that’s it! Now you have a fully lined bodice. This technique also works with sleeves if you can sew the sleeves in flat (it won’t work with set in sleeves). Just sew the sleeves to the outer bodice, then roll them into the burrito when you finish the armscyes.
Gloria S Maurer
Another great tutorial!
Ellen Mitchell
Wow! I’ll be glad to try this on the next sundress I make.
Anastasia
Great tutorial .. Thank you for sharing
Rain Rowe
I’m going to try this next time. Thanks for a great tutorial. 🙂
Kate
Super helpful. Thanks!
Cyrielle
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I’ve been struggling with my pattern instructions for hours, and your tutorial just saved my dress. Simplicity patterns are the worst when it comes to instructions. ><
Thank you again for this great tutorial!
Best regards from France. 😉
Deborah Brady
Wow! thank you. Last night I tried sewing up a lined sequin tee and got in such a muddle. This will definitely help! I think I did the side seams which is why I could nt work it out! Happy New Year!
SewGill
I have used this great tutorial on several dresses for my granddaughter, it’s so easy and obvious once I start! I just can’t seem to get it locked into my brain!!!
M Read
Brilliant, thank you, worked perfectly. Really clear instructions which are easy to follow after a quick watch of the video.
Speattle
Gonna do this on some night gowns for my granddaughters today. I wish I’d remembered this when I made my baby granddaughter’s baptism dress a few months ago. I did do some hand stitching there, but at least it was small and didn’t take too long!
Deborah Bainbridge
What a brilliant video! Thank you so much for making this – it really does make sense now. I can’t wait to give it a try.
Françoise
I have a lined dress to sew this week-end, sure I will try this! it seems so obvious (Hope it still is while at work!)
Thanks!
Cindy L Masek
I knew how to do this once and had forgotten. I tried it recently and just couldn’t remember how! Thank you for bringing it all back!!
Pauline
This method would definitely make a neater looking, same size strap on each side! Mine usually come out wonky! LOL Thanks!
Marie
Thanks so much for sharing. 😀
Sherry C
Thank you so much I am saving this one. I had heard of the burrito method but had no idea how to do it. I am excited to try it.
Janet
Thank you so much. I needed to make a sleeveless dress for my granddaughter and want3d to avoid facings. This worked wonderfully, even using T-shirt fabrics for both the bodice and lining (I wanted both to stretch). When done, I attached the skirt, and voila – it turned out great. Thanks again for your super photos and descriptions.