Dress

I made this adorable dress for my little misses. It was really easy. In fact, I even provided you with a tutorial!

This is what I did. I used THIS free pattern from Burda (NOTE: the pattern used in the tutorial is no longer available, but you can use THIS free pattern instead), but ONLY the body. Don't print pages 1-3 and 10-11. Piece it together. You can find the pattern for the collar in my free patterns under "sleeves and collar for little girls dress".  We won't be using that sleeve pattern. To see what pattern pieces should look like when put all together, see THIS post. Using yardage guideline, Find the yardage you need for the size you are making and divide that number by 3 for fabric A+B (A+B / 3). The number you get is how much fabric you will need of each fabric. I found a free fractions web cite for those who need a calculator. You can get it HERE

***Note: This is for a size children 3. If you are making it bigger, take the length you want the dress to be (starting at collar bone) and divide it by 4. This will give you the width you need to cut out your strips.***

Now, from 3 different fabrics, cut out your strips. Mine were 6 X 45 inches.

I wanted the dress to go below my daughter's knees so I added length. Arrange them in the order you want them to be.

Sew the strips together length wise.

Fold left salvaged edge just big enough for pattern to fit. Do the same for right salvaged edge.

Placing piece on fold, cut out 2 body pieces.

I cut mine out bigger than the pattern because I want a little gathering in the front. You can stay the same size as pattern or cut out about 1 inch wider around pattern piece.

You will need 4 collar pieces from main fabric and 2 from interfacing. 2 sleeve pieces form the main fabric. Notice what the sleeve looks like!?! I used a pattern for this sleeve, but I found a tutorial HERE for this type of sleeve. It's just 1/2 of an oval. After looking at her tutorial, I will be doing my sleeves like that from now on, it looks for finished:)

It will just cover your daughters shoulders.  Also, from one of the accent fabrics, cut out a 4 X 45 inch strip.

Iron the interfacing onto the wrong side of collar pieces. Sew shoulder pieces together.So you now have 2 separate squares (as seen below) With RST  Sew the inside of the squares together. Clip corners and flip right side out. Top stitch.

 RST sew the sides of the body of the dress together. Make sure the lines of each fabric line up.

Gather the top of dress until it fits the length of the collar.

Pin RST of collar to top of dress where you just gathered.

Flip dress right side out. Your dress is starting to take form:)

Make bias tape out of main fabric. Cut a 1 1/2 inch strip of fabric. Press in half

Open and fold edge to middle. Repeat process for both edges.

Fold in half again and press. You just made bias tape.

Fold ends in and top stitch.

Pin onto the bottom of the under arm of dress. Top stitch into place.

Finish curved edges of sleeve by folding over 1/4 inch press, fold 1/2 inch and sew in place. I surged the edges and folded over once.

Gather straight edge of sleeve

Pin to upper part of arm hole. Gather sleeve until it fits length remaining.

Stop each end at bias tape. Sew sleeve on to dress.

Top stitch sleeve and keep from flipping up.

Hem the bottom of dress by folding over 1/4 inch and press. Fold over again 1/2 inch and sew.

Create the bow by sewing RST. Leaving one end open for turning.

Turn right side out and press flat. Fold open end in and top stitch around the entire piece.

Tie into the bow size you want and attach to dress.

Then put the dress on your little lady and take pictures of her in her new adorable dress:)