Refashioned dress

I had this lovely dress.

Sure, it looks cute on a hanger, but wearing it is another story. I loved the fabric and I thought it might be a cute sun dress, but it's just so puffy! I kept wondering if it was me or it really was puffy then, I was trying it on one day and little C came in and told me, "Mommy, I'm not sure if I like that dress." I told him I wasn't either and asked him why he didn't like it so much. He said, "It's big and wide, I don't like wide dresses on you." Well, my little 6 year old has a fashion sense. A better one then me sometimes. Good thing the dress was on clearance for really cheap because it will become a new dress for L.

I chopped off the smocked top and shortened it. then cut the bottom to size and sewed them back together. L wasn't so happy to take a picture.

I don't like it when the dress goes straight across that it seems too low on her. So, I cut arm holes and serged the edges. She is still not happy about taking a picture, but now that C is trying to get in, she is cooperating.

Now she is just trying to keep him out of the picture.

Now she is picture happy. Now that she is playing that is. And, it doesn't even matter that it's not even January (when I'm typing this), L will just throw a jacket on and maybe some tights if it gets any colder.

Perfect summer, I mean winter dress.

Kristen

More Dresses

Remember the Threads of Love project? Well, it's been a couple weeks since I have had a chance to sew for it, so I decided every other thing I sew will be for Threads of Love. This week, I got 3 more dresses done.

It turns out strapless is working best for the kids in the Orphanage in Haiti. So strapless it is. :-) Since I got all the kids measurements, it's fun to pick a name and sew for that child. These dresses are going to Thamara, Charlinda and Rachel. I think they are 10, 7 and 4.

I just love this lettuce hem. I haven't quite got it down on my serger, so I am still using my regular machine for that, but it works great. On this one I did the blue thread on the top and pink in the bobbin. I like the way it turned out with the colors in the dress.

Smocked Dress Tutorial

This is a very simple, comfortable smocked summer dress. Before you take a double look, yes, that is my son in a dress. I needed a model! I hope you all don't think that is too horrible that I did that to him.

First, here are some of the dresses I did for my special project...

Anyway, I'm making a bunch in different sizes for a special project. But, before I share the project with you, I need to get the tutorial up for others to copy. Since it is very late and I have been busy all day, there may be a few mistakes in here. If you don't understand something, please let me know and I will fix it right away. So here it is...

***There is a change to the straps for the Haiti dresses. The dresses that work the best are strapless or the straps sewn to the front ONLY so they could tie around the neck.

You will need:

1. Pattern paper or old sheet

2. Fabric with matching thread

3. Elastic thread

Here are your steps:

1. Make the Pattern

2. Cut out fabric

3. Sew sides

4. Hem top and bottom

5. Smock

6. Sew on straps.

No onto the details and pictures.

1. First, measure around the chest of the person wearing the dress. Then measure the length you want from just below the armpit to where you want the dress to stop and add an inch for hems on the top and bottom. For my dresses, I did 24 inches around and 24 inches in length for 6T; 23 inches around and 23 inches long for 5T; 22 inches around and 22 inches long for 4T.

Now take that 1st measurement, the one of the chest and multiply it by 1.5. Then divide it in 1/2. This will be the width of your pattern piece. I will use my 6T as an example. I had 24 inches around, times 1.5 I got 36 now divided by 2 and I have 18 inches.

I drew my pattern 18 inches across the top, went down 24 inches and 24 across so the dress goes out a bit and isn't just straight. I think it flows better this way. Here is my pattern piece.

2. Now, take your fabric and fold it, right sides together. I did wrong sides together, it really doesn't matter, but if you do right sides together after you cut it, you will just go right to the machine and sew. Anyway, lay your pattern on top and cut. My pattern might look a little big, that's because I forgot to divide by 2 up above. It took me a day to figure out why it was so big! Duh!

3. Now that your fabric is cut, right sides should be together. Take it straight to your machine and sew the sides with a zig-zag.

4. Then sew a zig zag around the top edge. Now because it's knit I don't even iron this part, just fold the top down a thumb width and sew straight along the hem. You can use the pressor foot as a guide for a straight line.

The bottom hem, I didn't do the zig zag first, I folded it a thumb width and sewed a zig zag along the folded edge. I didn't like the zig zag on the top so I did it with that extra step.

5. Once the sides and the hems are finished you are ready to smock. You need to take a new bobbin and hand wind the elastic. Be careful not to stretch it while winding it.

Stick your bobbin in the machine and sew straight lines around the top of the dress. I use my pressor foot as a guide for these lines.

Yes, it looks a tad messy at the top edge, but, in my defense, this was my first one; the trial one and I thought the contrasting thread would be cute. I wasn't exactly right on this one.

Anyway, when you have as many rows as you want, you are finished with the dress part. Iron up the top and it shrinks the elastic a bit more and you are left with straps if you want them.

6. For a child's dress, I usually take the middle and measure out 2 inches on either side. For the 6T, I measured out 2.5 inches, marked it and sewed on the straps.

***Since I was using knit material, I thought I would just try cutting some strips the non-stretchy way. (This knit only stretched one way.) So, there was no sewing for the straps, just to put them on the dress. Anyway for these particular dresses, they need to be very easy to get on and off. Someone had suggested buttons, but I was having great difficulty with the button holes in this very thin knit and buttons take me a very long time to sew. So, I left the straps long, fed them through the button holes and tied it off. It looked decorative.

Please remember this tutorial was done on the first one, the trial one and I messed up the pattern, making it way too huge! Also, the straps are way too far apart. I didn't follow my 2 inch rule because the dress was huge and I still hadn't figured out why. Once I realized what I did, I cut off the excess on the sides and made the dress much smaller. The other dresses turned out much better. But, this one isn't bad.

Anyway, here are a couple other dresses with some variations...

Dress refashion

Yea! I'm back. I haven't been sewing much lately. It's been crazy around here, I've been packing, cleaning, going on vacation, unpacking, cleaning and doing it all over again. In-between River trips and vacations I've been very busy with swimming and beach trips, so there hasn't been much sew time. I also haven't had anything I've been dying to make. Until today! I got the sew itch yesterday.

First thing this morning I pulled this dress out of my closet.

I never wear it, it just doesn't look that cute. I bought it for about $2 on clearance. No wonder, huh. So, I cut the top off and cut down the skirt part to 1.5 times L's chest size.

I put the right sides together and sewed it closed.

Then I smocked the top and used the straps from the original dress for this new dress. Not much work at all and L loves it.

She was a little upset because I already made 2 other dresses this weekend and she wanted to wear those, but they aren't for her. So, I had to make her something too. You can probably see some of the sewing mess in the background. I have a big project I am working on that I will share with you soon. I'm so excited for it!!

The visor is from JoAnn's. L and C each brought $2 with them to pick out something. She has been wearing it ever since.

Happy sewing, I'm so excited to be back and sewing again!

OH! I almost forgot!!! I am SO excited! I got a serger for my birthday!!! It should be here between July 13th and 16th. I can't wait to get started. Oh My Goodness, I am so excited.

Kristen

4th of July Dress

Last year, I made L a little dress for the 4th. I made it a little long so she could wear it again this year. Holiday stuff just doesn't get worn enough. So, I pulled it out yesterday and it fit perfect. My little girl has gotten taller, but hasn't gained much weight. She's just a little peanut.

I just did a very basic dress, cut 3 pieces for the front, 2 for the bodice and 1 for the skirt. Then for the back I cut one piece and smocked the top part of it so it fits nice and snug and pulls over easy.

I used ribbon for the bow and the straps. I had some ribbon hanging down from the bow too, but that frayed since I didn't use any fray block, so I had to remove that.

It's hard to take a picture of one without the other sneaking in.

Very simple, just my style.

Kristen
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Thrify Dress

Another refashion. Well, can you call it an re-"fashion" if it came from a sheet, not another piece of clothing? I don't know, so that's what I'm going to call it. Remember this sheet?

Well, I got started on a little pillow case dress. I found these cute ribbons at Michael's for a dollar each. My original plan was to get thick black ribbon with white polka dots for the bottom of the dress. But, these were only a buck each so, I decided to use them going down the front of the dress.

Then, I decided to have some fun with the stitches on my machine for the first time. I liked the way it turned out. L did too, but she didn't want to admit it.

It would have been nice if I looked at the fabric before I cut the arm holes because I did the dress upside down... oops. If you look, all the butterflies are flying upside down. Oh, well. Nobody noticed today at Lego Land.

See, L does like it, she is still trying to act unhappy about it though. That didn't last long.

I can still use the black and white polka-dot ribbon because I can make 2 or 3 more dresses out of this sheet. I have 2 cut already. Nice easy gift. I think I will do thicker ribbon on the sleeves though.

Kristen

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Apron to Dress

Remember this little apron I got at the thrift store not too long ago?

Well, I mentioned in that post that I knew exactly what I was going to do with it. I have been dying to make L's little summer dress out of it. I needed just a little bit of that white islet, but haven't had a chance to run to the store till now. So, made her little dress this morning.

Here is what I did...

I cut arm holes then got that little lace embellishment and used it for sleeves. I found those cute flowers right next to the lace and had to get it for the dress also. It went so perfect and is so springish.

Then I cut off the bottom and used part of that for the bloomers and the other part as bias tape for the arm holes. I had just enough for both arms.

There wasn't enough for the bloomers so I had a little white islet fabric for part of the bloomers.

I love the way it turned out!

It's light, airy and summery. Oh, I added some more flowers to the back of the bloomers, partly so L knows which side is the back and partly cause it was cute.

There is L in her new dress and her little friend E. They have so much fun are are just the cutest together! I brought blood oranges to Angel Day for Little League and there is already a stain running down the front of the dress. Nothing a little stain remover and wash won't get out.

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