A new dress for me!

This dress is very similar to the one I posted previously. But I get to keep this one!

I have had the material in my stash for a couple of year and always intended on making a simple summer dress with it. So, when I decided to do a tutorial for Burdastyle I made this one so that I could take pictures of the process.

I will post my tutorial on here as well.

Basically it is a 6 panelled skirt sewn onto a bodice which has been gathered in with rows of Elastic.

TUTORIAL

1. Cutting the Bodice.

Fold your fabric in half across the width.  This fabric was 150cm wide.

Measure down 20 cm (you can do longer or shorter if you wish) and mark. Do this all along the width of fold fabric.

Cut along marked line.

*note                                                                                                                                           

If you are lining your dress, the lining fabric may not be as wide as the main fabric. If so, cut your main fabric in half so you have 2 lengths and measure the dimensions. Cut 2 pieces of the same dimension out of your lining fabric.

2. Cutting your skirt.

The beautiful thing about how this dress is made, is that you can have any sort of skirt that you like.

If you don’t have a lot of fabric you can do an a-line or a straight skirt.

If you want a full skirt but don’t have quite enough to do a full circle without lots of seams, you do a panelled skirt, like I have here.

You can do short, medium or long.

My skirt is a 6-panelled skirt that is fairly full. The pattern for my panels looks like a blunt nosed triangle. 

It measures 20 cm at the top and 56 at the bottom. It is 80 cm in length.

Cut the skirt whichever way you choose.

If you are lining your dress, or the skirt portion of your dress, cut that as well. This can be cut the same way as your main fabric, or differently. Just make sure that the upper circumference is the same as the main skirt. The lining does not need to be as full as the outer layer of your dress.

3. Sewing the Bodice

Roll hem, zigzag or standard overlock around all 4 edges.

I like to use a rolled hem as you don’t need to do anything else to the edges and the finish is neat.

If using a standard 4 or 3 thread overlocking stitch, turn the overlocked edge under and stitch down with a straight stitch. You don’t need to do a big hem.

If you don’t have an overlocker, a narrow zigzag on a short stitch length will do much the same thing as a rolled hem. Look in your manual and then experiment on scraps of your fabric until you are happy with your finish.

**If you are lining your dress, pin your lining and main fabric together and finish the edges the same was as above. Just make sure your main fabric is right side out. 

If you had to cut your main fabric in 2, now is the time to stitch one side seam closed. 1.5cm seam allowance is fine.

If you want to add any embellishments such as lace, ribbon or braid along the length of your bodice, do that now.

4. Gathering the Bodice

Mark where you want to put your rows of gathers. I used 5 rows.

If using gathering elastic, mark on the right side of the fabric. If using flat elastic mark on the wrong side.

If using flat elastic, cut to your desired length. Whatever your full bust measurement is would probably be a good place to start.

Quarter your elastic, and your fabric as well. I use pins.

Stitch on your rows of elastic.

If using gathering elastic, you don’t need to quarter your fabric.

5. Finishing the Bodice.

Once you have sewn on all rows of your elastic, sew your final seam.

You should have a tube that looks something like the one in the picture.

6. Sewing the skirt

Sew seams and finish the edges.

Do this for the lining as well.

Finish the top edge of main fabric and lining.

Use a zigzag or 3 or 4 thread overlock stitch. You can use a rolled hem also but this part of the dress is not going to be visible.

Hem the bottom of skirt, and skirt lining.

Again I used a rolled hem. You can hem whatever way you like.

If you are lining your skirt, sew the lining to the skirt, wrong sides together.

Sew lining to skirt, wrong sides together.

10. Attaching the skirt to the Bodice

Measure finished circumference of your bodice. Cut another piece of elastic to this measurement and quarter it with pins.

Quarter the top of your skirt and attach elastic.

11. Attaching the skirt to the Bodice part II

Fold under and stitch again.

12. Attaching the skirt to the Bodice part III

Pin the bodice onto the elastic at the top of the skirt. The bottom row of elastic on the bodice should be on top of the skirt. Stitch.

13. Straps

Cut 2 strips of fabric to your desired length and width. The width needs to be 2 as wide as your finished width. 

Fold in half and stitch. Finish edges.

Turn the right way out and press.

Attach your straps to your dress!

You can add belt loops or side ties or whatever you like.

I have cinched in the dress with a belt as I thought the pattern needed breaking up.