I found a great tutorial for my daughter's Easter dress on Ucreate.
This was my first complicated piece of clothing, and this tutorial was a good one to start on. It's fairly simple, no buttonholes, no fancy stuff, just a straight-forward dress. I made the 5T size for my average sized almost 4-year-old daughter because I'd rather have it too big than too small. It fits her just right and there's quite a bit of adjusting you can do with the button placement.
I changed just a few things-
- The skirt hem is shorter (about 1 1/2 inches instead of 4-5) because I didn't have quite enough of the yellow accent fabric
- I used 3/4 inch buttons instead of larger fabric covered ones
- I did flat-felled seams instead of serged or zigzag seams inside the skirt. It should make the skirt more durable and there won't be any fraying.
- I tacked the front of the sash to the dress just to keep it in place.
I am actually about to make this dress once my fabric comes in and I'm glad you posted this picture of your own - excellent job! Quick question - how hard was it, honestly? Also, how did you flat-fell the seams? I don't have a serger and definitely don't want unfinished seams & don't want them zig-zagged either. And you said you tacked the sash to the dress - doesn't the tutorial say to stitch it in place? Is there a difference between that and what you did? Thank you so much for any help and/or advice you are willing to give me on this!
ReplyDeleteI'd say it's medium difficulty and easier than something like pants with pockets and lining. I'm probably an intermediate sewer with a basic sewing machine and I didn't really have any trouble at all. The hardest part was attaching the gathered skirt by sandwiching it between the lining and outer bodice material. Use lots of pins and go slowly.
ReplyDeleteFor flat felled seams, you sew a regular seam and then trim one of the raw edges. You fold the other raw edge over the cut one and sew it, basically encasing the raw edges. If you click on the word "flat-felled" in my blog post, it'll take you to someone's youtube video on how to do it. I did flat-felled seams on the vertical seams inside the skirt. Another one you could try is a French seam. That will also make it so you have no raw edges.
For tacking the sash- yes the tutorial shows you how to sew the sash onto the sides of the dress, but to keep it from drooping in the front I also hand sewed a few tiny stitches between the inside of the sash and the front of the dress. Just 2-3 stitches behind the sash (so you can't see them at all) in the front of the dress with a needle & thread.
Ah ok! Thank you so much for you quick response! Until I get a serger (if ever), I'm all about the french seam and thats the only way I do it. I just wasn't sure what flat felled was or if it was quicker/easier. Seems to be about the same so I'll just stick to what I know! One more question only because you have already made it - is it necessary that you don't attach the shoulder seams until you flip it right side out? Seems like there should be an easier way to do that, but she states that it works even if it seems odd.
ReplyDeleteThank you again!!
I'm really sorry to bother you again, but I can't seem to get the creator of the pattern to respond. I have a big question - I already cut my bodice pieces and am ready to cut my skirt pieces. When it says:
ReplyDeleteSkirt front (cut ONE on fold) measurements are as follows:
18-24 months: 20.5" x 12.75"
Does that mean you are supposed to end up with a piece of fabric that is 20.5" x 25.50" or does it mean that you are supposed to end up with a piece of fabric that is 41" X 12.75"?
Thank you in advance!!!!!