"i'm not ready to give up summer!" dress, part 3

"tremor envy" anyone? so yesterday an earthquake shook up and down the east coast. while i am certainly in the area that felt this... i totally missed it. i kinda feel left out. after all, since moving to the northeast two years ago we've experienced blizzards, tornadoes and soon a hurricane... feeling an earthquake is about the only thing left on the list of natural disasters to experience, right? i know, i'm weird.


let's sew, shall we? 


on to the skirt portion of the dress... first, attach the pockets, if desired. i made mine to pouch out slightly at the top so when cutting them i flared the edges slightly but stitched them on with the corners at right angles. make sure to reinforce the top corners with extra zig-zag stitches. if the material is thin, add a little patch (cut on the bias to reduce fray) to the underside of the skirt at the corners before zig-zagging.


here's a step by step on the pockets:

cut the pockets wider on the top than the bottom if you want them to pouch out slightly

fold the top edge over and pin in place

fold a little hem up, pin and press

see that little excess from the flare? just snip it off.

stitch all the way around the sides and bottom edge (not the top) at about 1/4"-1/2"

turn the upper edge of the pocket and using your stitching as a guide, pin the edges of the pocket in and press. also, stitch across the little hemmed edge on the upper part of the pocket.

pin the pocket in place keeping the bottom corners at right angles so the
top pouches out and stitch close to the edge

zig-zag in the upper corners, adding a patch to the underside for stability

all done!

stitch together the side seams of the skirt and finish the seam allowances. (if the skirt is a little see-through, you may need a lining. just cut it the same as the main fabric only 1 1/2" shorter.) make two rows of gathering stitches at the top of the skirt piece and pin it to the bodice. draw up the bobbin threads to distribute the gathers evenly and stitch in place. zig-zag the gathered edge and trim.


now to make the casing for the elastic, take a piece of bias tape (a few inches longer than the bottom edge of the bodice) and press out the center fold so that you are left with the top and bottom folded in to the center. pin the bias tape to the top edge of the skirt and stitch all the way around, leaving 1" open. your stitching should be right over your previous stitching where you joined the skirt and bodice. sew and trim the bias tape as before to join the edges. finish stitching the bias to close the opening.

fold the bias tape up and over the skirt/bodice seam allowance and pin it in place.

using the utility straight stitch (the stretch stitch version of a regular straight stitch) sew the top of the bias tape to the bodice.

finished casing from the inside

leave a 1" opening in the casing. insert the elastic (cut a piece equal to the waist measurement) then pull the two ends out and overlap them and stitch them together. sew up the opening and hem the skirt.

cut pieces of bias tape for straps and simply sew down both edges as near as you can to the edges. stitch them to the back edge of the bodice. decide if you want them straight or crossed in the back. try on the dress to position and pin the front straps in place. you will want them sewn right about where the top of the bodice curves down around the arms. stitch them in place and you're done!

how easy is that? wear it now while it's still warm, then as the weather cools throw on a cardigan, leggins, a belt and you're ready for fall! and now if you'd excuse me, i have a hurricane to prepare for.

"i'm not ready to give up summer!" dress, part 2

this dress comes together really fast so it's perfect for a last minute project or something you just don't want to labor over. i have made this one for my mini me, but it will work just as well for us grown ups! start by sewing together the side seams of the ruffle pieces and side seams of the bodice pieces. finish the seams allowances as you prefer and make a narrow hem on the bottom of the ruffle.


make two rows of gathering stitches on the top edge of the ruffle. pin the ruffle at the side seams and at center front and center back. draw up the bobbin thread and distribute the gathers evenly and stitch.

take your bias tape and pin and stitch it at the top edge of the bodice over the ruffle. leave about 1" of tape free and unstitched at the back. bring the bias tape together and pin it to mark where to join the tape. stitch the tape together and trim, then finish stitching it to the bodice.

disregard the fact that i didn't line up the top edges, i ended up trimming it even. i had
some reason in my head at the time... don't know what it was though!

press the bias tape up and over the top edge of the bodice folding it around to the inside. pin the tape right off the edge of the bias tape from the front, just catching the folded over edge of the tape on the inside. stitch in the "ditch" all the way around but leave 1" open to have a place to insert the elastic. this whole bias tape binding of edges is really easy but if you've never done it before, words may not do it proper justice. here is a step by step in pics...

bias tape is first pinned and sewn all the way around on the outside of the garment, except for a 1" opening

pinch the tape together to see where the pieces should be joined

pin it in place and make sure it will lie flat

stitch right in line with your pin markings

trim the bias tape then finish sewing to close the opening

fold tape up where you stitched and press

fold the inner edge of bias tape in and wrap the tape around the edge of the garment

pin from the outside in the "ditch" making sure your pin catches the inside edge of the bias tape

sew in the "ditch" from the outside

view from the inside. remember to leave an opening to insert the elastic.

measure out a piece of elastic the same as the chest measurement. insert it into the bias tape casing then pull out the two ends, overlap them slightly and stitch them together. draw the elastic back into the casing and stitch the opening shut.

the rest is just as easy, and i'll finish it up tomorrow!

the perfect "i'm not ready to give up summer!" summer dress

summer seems to be slipping away. kids start school in two weeks, the hot days are less hot, the summer wear i had planned to sew hasn't been sewn. my mind keeps wandering to fall pencil skirts and the annual halloween costume making. but, i'm not ready to give up summer quite yet and if you aren't either, here's the perfect "i'm not ready to give up summer!" summer dress. why is is perfect? it requires little fabric, little planning, no pattern and most importantly... very little time.


being late in the summer i would make this dress in a fabric that can go into fall and be worn with my best friends "legging" and "cardigan". perhaps you know them too? rayon would be a good choice instead of the summer go-to cotton or anything a little drape-y. if you're into sewing with knits, that would work well here too. now, grab a measuring tape, some tissue paper, a pencil, a ruler, scissors, etc. and let's get started!

this is a blouse-y dress with an elasticized waist and neckline. since it is not a form-fitting dress you don't really have to worry about including extra room in the pattern pieces for seam allowances.


bodice
measure your chest over the bust where the neckline will sit. then measure from the neckline over the bust to the waistline and in the back down to the waistline. the total bodice all the way around will be 1.5 times the chest measurement. if you have a large bust, you may want to add a couple inches to the width of the front bodice piece. to make your bodice pieces, start by multiplying your chest/neckline measure by 1.5. on me, my measurement is 32.5" so 32.5" x 1.5 = 48.75". since we need a front and back for the bodice, divide by 2 and round up. the front and back will each be 24.5" wide. for the height, take the neckline to waist measurement and add 1". for the back bodice, my measurement is 10" so i will need a 11" x 24.5" pattern piece. for the front i will need a 13" x 24.5" pattern piece. then, for the front, curve the edge down at the side seams so that the front and back side seams match up. make sure you allow plenty of room for under your arms. hold the tissue up to your body and make adjustments as needed.


ruffle (optional)
ruffles seem to be everywhere and i thought a little detail would be fun on this dress. make yours as wide or narrow as you want. make multiple rows, make it cascade down the front or leave it off completely. it's up to you! for this dress, i took the chest measurement we used for the bodice and multiplied it by 2. if you added extra to the bodice width for a larger chest, just make sure to add extra to the ruffle as well. for me, 32.5" x 2 = 65". again, since i need a front and back piece, divide by 2 so i need two 32.5" long rectangles, however wide or narrow you want. so, i guess i really didn't need to multiply and divide... i'm sure you caught that.


skirt
the skirt is just two rectangles. the total width will be about 2 times your waist measurement.  since you need a skirt front and back, just make your pattern piece the length you want (plus a little extra for hemming) by the measurement of your waist. my waist is 28" so i need a pattern piece 28" x skirt length cut two times. the total width around the skirt would be 56"


pockets (optional)
in seam pockets are nice but for something different i went with patch pockets. to give a little extra interest, i tapered the sides out slightly but attached the pockets with right angles at the bottom corners so the pocket poufs out slightly at the opening.


so there are your pattern pieces. also needed is bias tape either pre packaged or self made, and 1/4" elastic.


i apologize for the wordiness and lack of pictures but really this dress is nothing but a bunch of rectangles sewn together and i'll be back soon to show you how! in the meantime, enjoy the last bits of summer!

the summer, you-don't-need-a-pattern-to-make-this! skirt

well the introductions are over, so it's time to start a project. how about a skirt? better yet... a skirt without a pattern!


okay, summertime has come late to new england but i so despise being hot. skirts are my go-to solution to stay as cool as possible. and they must be comfy... no constraining waistbands! so, i'm going with a cotton skirt (easy to take care of and breathable) gathered onto a wide elastic waistband (fully expandable! yay!). we've all seen skirts like this but i can't bear to spend $30+ on a skirt i could make myself for half the price. they're cute and i love the waist-cinching style so it's inevitable that i would make my own. okay, enough chatter...


here's what you need:
wide, 1 1/2"-2" elastic (enough to go around your waist plus 1")
1 1/2 yd material, depending on the length of your skirt
1 1/2 yd lining, if needed


start by measuring your waist and adding 1"—this is the length to cut your elastic. if your elastic seems likely to unravel, zig-zag the cut ends first. then bring the ends together, sew using a straight stitch at 5/8", backstitch at both ends. then stitch each side of the seam to the band so the seam allowance will lie flat. slip it on, make sure all is good.






now, to determine how much fabric you need for the skirt, measure from where the bottom of the waistband will sit down to the desired hemline. add in a 5/8" seam allowance for the top and 5/8" for the hemline. since i'm working with a medium weight cotton i will use a deeper hem than if i were using a lightweight rayon or silky material. for something lighter weight you may only need 1/4" for a rolled hem, so adjust accordingly. my skirt length will be 18" so i need 19 1/4" total.


how wide to cut your fabric depends on how gathered and pouffy you want your skirt to be. a lighter material will require more fabric to look full than my choice of cotton. if you are unsure, you many want to find one of your own skirts or dresses that is gathered at the waist and simply measure around the bottom edge. this will give you a good estimate. the width of my fabric is about 42" and i will simply use the entire width. so, on the fold, cut two rectangles: the skirt length by half the skirt width (19 1/4" x 21"). when unfolded you will have 2, 42" long rectangles giving you a total skirt hem of 84". still with me? if you need a lining, cut it out to the same width but 1" shorter. 


if you've made a skirt before there is nothing new here. first, sew up the side seams and finish the seam allowances with a zig-zag stitch or serged edge. repeat with the lining material, if using.

with the right side of the fabric up, stitch two rows of basting stitches around the top edge of the skirt fabric at 5/8" and 1/4" making sure not to cross your stitches when you get all the way around. once gathered the basting stitches will need to be removed so it may be helpful to use a contrasting color of thread so it's easy to spot and remove later. if you are lining your skirt, simply pin the lining to the wrong side of the main fabric and baste through both layers, gathering it all in one step.






with pins, mark the top edge your skirt into 4 equal parts (side seams, center front, center back) and do the same with your waistband. pin the skirt to the inside lower edge of the waistband, matching your markings. the right side of the fabric will be facing the inside of the waistband. to position it correctly, line up your lower basting thread with the bottom edge of the elastic. 

pull up the bobbin thread to gather your skirt. adjust fullness and pin as necessary all the way around. 












with the gathers down, sew the elastic and fabric together with a zig-zag stitch. i set my stitch length to 1.5 and my zig-zag width at near it widest setting. do a test on a piece of scrap fabric until you have the right settings. line up the edge of the elastic with the left side of the presser foot as a guide. be sure to remove the pins as you stitch. then stitch around a second time a little farther in so as to catch the edge of the fabric to reduce any fraying.

here is the outside

here is the inside

remove the basting stitches and try on your skirt to determine the final length. hem your skirt and you're done! 

how easy was that? sure, you could add tiers, ruffles, lace, trim, pockets... this skirt could be made numerous ways and i probably will be making this one over and over again! i love having a few casual skirts in the closet to help a gal feel just a little put together because sometimes a skirt, a t-shirt, a swipe of lip gloss and a prayer is all i have. chocolate helps... but that's a story for another day.