This is a guideline I developed for the Sewing with Silk and on the Bias class. I hope it helps.

Sewing with Silk Charmeuse and on the Bias

Suggested Notions

• Schmetz Microtex machine needles sizes 60-80 (change often)
• Silk thread (Gutermann) or polyester
• Mercerized cotton (Metler) or silk or cotton basting thread
• Sharp fine needles for hand basting
• Chalk wheel
• Wax-free tracing paper
• Tracing wheel
• L shaped ruler
• Clear ruler
• Rotary cutter and mat (silk dulls scissors, rotary cutter doesn’t lift fabric)
• Weights
• Silk pins
• Tracing wheel
• Pinking shears (to control raveling on non-bias pieces)
• Scissors for trimming threads and fabric
• Iron, press cloth, point press/clapper, hams
• Seam ripper
• Loop turner
• Stitch length 2.0-2.5 mm (lighter the silk the shorter stitch length). Test on a scrap.
• Tension – normal or adjust based on thread/needle combination
• Keep notes of stitch length, needle, tension, fabric weight etc. for future reference
• Silk Charmeuse – 16 momme or greater yields better results
• Pre-wash silk fabric on delicate, lay flat or hang dry, when completely dry press the wrong side of the fabric with steam iron on wool setting. If plan to dry clean finished garment, just give fabric a good steam bath on wrong side with iron.
• Make a muslin first to get fit correct, use it as your pattern
• Add 1 ½ inch seam allowance to your pattern along vertical seam lines (e.g. side seams) if cutting on bias 
• Make sure bias directional line is marked on pattern
• Cut in a single layer, must have full pattern pieces. Never cut on fold.
• Mark all seam lines on fabric. Thread tracing ideal.
• Staystitch by hand or machine all horizontal seams e.g. armholes, necklines, waistlines
• Hand baste seams before sewing on machine (overlap basting if on bias)
• Sew directionally and press directionally
• Avoid backstitching
• Underlinings for silk charmeuse: more charmeuse, cotton voile or batiste, silk organza
• Can use selvedges of silk fabric for supporting necklines, etc.
• Be mindful of directional sewing and directional pressing (bottom to top)
• Press after each sewing step (use a press cloth if pressing on right side charmeuse)
• Hang finished bias garments at least 24 hours before hemming

French Seams

1. Before cutting pattern pieces from fabric, make sure the seam line is marked on your pattern and you have a 1 ½ “ seam allowance added to all vertical seam lines on your pattern.
2. Lay fabric right side up in a single layer on cutting table. Make sure you have full pattern pieces for the garment, as you never cut on the fold with silk charmeuse.
3. With a ruler and pencil, mark on your pattern ¼” from the seam line (between the cut edge and the seam line, and it is the first stitch line for your French seam).
4. Lay your pattern pieces on your fabric according to your directional grain line on the pattern. Place weights on pattern to keep in place.
5. Before cutting the pattern pieces in fashion fabric, mark the line in step 3 you drew on pattern onto the fabric using tracing paper and wheel. Carefully slide tracing paper between the pattern and fabric and do a section at a time. (You can also mark the final seam line and thread trace it for even more accuracy).
6. Once garment pieces are cut and marked, staystitch neckline and armholes by hand or machine.
7. Match front and back pieces of garment, wrong side to wrong side. Pin garment together along the first stitch line for the French seam. Work on a flat service and try to minimize movement of pieces before basting.
8. Hand baste along this line from the bottom to top using overlapping basting method. Remove pins as you go.
9. Machine sew along basting as close as possible from bottom to top. Avoid backstitching. Hold needle and bobbin threads taut as you begin to sew to avoid fabric jamming in feed dog. Or, you can use a small scrap of paper underneath fabric to get started. Remove basting.
10. Press stitches flat on both sides in same direction as sewn.
11. Trim excess fabric as close to stitches as possible or about ⅛” seam allowance. (Note: if working with silk on straight of grain, use pinking shears to control fraying)
12. Open seam over a tailor’s pointer/clapper and press (using press cloth) in same direction as sewn using only the point of iron, without steam. Allow fabric to cool before moving garment.
13. Turn garment with wrong side facing out. Press seam edge flat from bottom to top.
14. Machine sew from bottom to top 1/4” from folded edge, enclosing raw edges.
15. Check right sides for any loose threads that my be showing, make adjustments if necessary.
16. Press final stitching in same direction as sewn.
17. Turn garment with right side facing out. Using a sleeve ham and press cloth, press open seam with point of iron (same direction as sewn).