Cadie Wrap Around Dress {pattern remix}

I shared this tutorial/pattern remix over at the Carolina Fair Blog, a couple weeks ago, and wanted to share it here too in case any of you missed it! I absolutely love Caroline's Cadie Wrap Around Dress!  I just think it it sooo adorable, but if you have been reading my blog, you know I LOVE ruffles!!!  And if you haven't been reading my blog, just let me tell you, I LOVE RUFFLES!!!!  So, I decided to add ruffles to the back of the dress.  I think it's a really simple and fun addition!

Here's what I did:

**Note:  Please know that some of my pics don't match up exactly to what I am telling you to do.  I had a lot of trial and a lot of error, so this is more of a "do as I say, not as I do" tutorial!  lol**

Cut out the dress according to the pattern.  Then, cut out the center right at the front and back neckline, so that you now a front and back instead of one piece.

Since we changed the style to a sundress, the front and back neckline will be to wide now so you will need to gather them...I just sort "eyeballed" it, as they say...  ; )

Next, I cut out two straps.  

9m-18m ~ 4" x 7"

2 - 4  ~  4" x 8"

5 - 8  ~  4" x 9"

Fold them in half long ways and press.  

Open it back up and fold the raw edges to the center crease and press.

Now, fold it back closed, press and edge stitch down each side.

Now attach them to each side of the front of the dress like this, but they part that will attach to the back should be pointing to the bottom of the dress...not up like in this pic.  In other words the raw edges should be touching.

Now finish the edges of the FRONT of the dress with bias tape according to the instructions.  Then, press the straps up like they are in this pic and top stitch across the top edge to tack them up and in place. 

  

Fold the back piece like this and press the sides to make creases...you will only add ruffles in between the creases.  Measure between the creases and multiply that number by 2, so if it's 8 inches btwn the creases, you will cut your ruffles 16" long.

Now decide how long you want your ruffles to be, and divide the height of your back piece by that number.  

EX:  you want your ruffles 3" and your pattern piece is 21" from top to bottom.  21 / 3 =7

So you would cut 7 - 3.5" x 16" rectangles for your ruffles  (the extra half inch in the height is for seam allowance to attach the ruffles.)  I recommend either cutting your ruffles on the bias or using pinking shears so you don't have to worry about finishing all those egdes.  You can see below I used pinking shears...I think it added a cute detail...

Gather your ruffles along the top edge, and attach them to the back of the dress between the creases.  Now, I have a confession.  I can NEVER figure out how to properly space ruffles!  So, I just lay them out from bottom to top pinning as I go and just sort of "eyeballing" like I said before.  Then, once I have them all placed how I like, I stitch them down.

Once, you have all your ruffles stitched in place, attach the straps and finish the edges with bias tape just as you did for the front of the dress.  Make sure at the top where the ruffles go all the way to the edge of the pattern piece you put the edges of the ruffles under the bias tape so that they don't stick out...trust me it looks weird...

Last add the closures according to the directions and you are done! 

**Note:  If you want to use ricrac like I did on the edges, apply it on top of the bias tape...not instead of like I did!...seriously made myself a headache when I did that!**

On the Train to Crazy...

Have you checked out the Handmade Dress Up series over at The Train to Crazy, yet?  If not, what are you waiting for?!?  There are tons of great dress up ideas that have been shared already, and lots more to come! I'm over there today sharing my tutorial for this Tink costume!  

 

Be sure to stop by and check it out, and while your there, don't forget to check out all the other fun tutorials and how-to's!!!

Fashion & Flair Friday ~ Anthro's Bold Boutonniere Dress Knockoff

Yay! It's Friday!  You know what that means!  Another great knockoff!  Today Kristina is going to show you how to make your own version of Anthro's Bold Boutonniere dress!  


Hello, everyone!  This is Kristina from over at the Kristina J blog. I was so excited to share this project with you for Fashion and Flair Friday!  My mother taught me to sew and slope my own patterns when I was ten years old and being able to recreate a designer dress for a fraction of the cost is, hands down, the best by-product of knowing how to sew. 

For this feature, I constructed a version of the Bold Boutonniere Dress from Anthropologie.  I sloped my own pattern, but if you're more comfortable using a store-bought pattern, McCalls #M5804 would be a really close choice. This is a tutorial on how to imitate the rose detailing on the bodice.

I was great with child when Anthropologie released this dress, and have never actually seen the dress in person, so imitating this dress was all a huge guessing game. Since I missed out on the original, I always planned to make myself a version, but never came across the right fabric for the skirt until a couple months ago when I stumbled upon this great ticking fabric in the Home Decor section of my Jo-Ann's. Finally! A Bold Boutonniere dress all my own.  I chose a silk dupoini fabric for my bodice and used the same material for the rose detailing.

I used a straight piece of cloth because I thought cutting this on the bias might be more fluffy than I wanted and when gathered just a bit, it ended up being the perfect amount of dimension.

 


I didn't finish off the edge of the folded strip and it wasn't a problem because when I attached it to the dress the finishing stitches prevented it from unraveling.

 Here's where you can determine just how "poufy" you want your rose to be.

I definitely wanted mine to be more 3-D than flat, so I used the entire length of my fabric strip.

After rocking your mad sewing skills, the only thing left is to wear your pretty, little dress!

Thanks so much for including my tutorial, Nicole!


Thanks so much Kristina for sharing your awesome tutorial!  Love this dress!

Little Nora Jane Twirl Dress Tutorial

I shared this dress last week over at Positively Splendid, and wanted to re-post for any of you who missed it.  It was inspired by this dress. If you make one, I would love to see it!  Would you please post it to my Flickr group.

It's a little big for my model because it was made for my usual model, Sophie, who wears a 5t, but she refused to put it on since we had company.  Lucky for me though, my friends dd, who is quite a bit smaller than my Sophie, wanted to do it!  This tutorial ended up a lot longer than I expected, but it is really easy despite the miles and miles of explanation, so don't be afraid when you look at it!  It doesn't take nearly as long to make as it does to explain!

First you need to cut out all the pieces.  

For the front bodice, I just traced a bodice I had from one of her favorite dresses, anything you like will do.  You can use a bodice pattern you have already, whatever.  If you want to use mine, you can download it here.  It's a size 5t, but you can go up or down a couple sizes by adding or subtracting about 3/8"  for each size up or down you want to go.

For the back bodice, I cut a rectangle that was her chest size (22") x the height of the side of the front bodice plus 1/4" for the top hem (2 3/8" + 1/4" = 2 5/8").  So, my back bodice piece was 22" x 2 5/8".

For the bottom ruffle, 4- WOF x 7" pieces.

*For sizes larger than 5t, you may want to use 6 pieces* 

*WOF=width of fabric*

For the casing, 2- 1.5" x 12" pieces.

For the ties, 2-  WOF x 1" pieces.  

For the skirt,  you will need to cut a lopsided circle skirt.  

First, you will need some measurements.  I am going to put the measurements I used in as an example.  Here we go!  These are the measurements you need:

~chest measurement (22")

~measurement from empire waist point to hips in front and add .75 (9.75" front skirt length)

~measurement from empire waist point in back to bottom of calf then subtract 5.75" (13.25" back skirt length)

Got it?  Good!  Now for some more fun math stuff...don't get scared....Seriously, it's really easy, just take it one step at a time!

divide your chest measurement by 6.28

Ex: 22/6.28 = 3.5 (this is your waist radius)

now multiply that by 2

Ex: 3.5 x 2 = 7

You still with me??  Good!  Cause this is the last {math} step!  Add that to the other two measurements 

Ex:  7 + 9.75 + 13.25 = 30"

So, to cut your circle skirt you will need a 30" x 30" square of fabric.  Fold it in half, then in half again, so that it's quartered into 4 equal squares.

See how mine is now folded to make 4 - 15" x 15" squares...

Now you will take that last number you had...mine was 30, and divide it by two...so now I have 15. Measure from the center point of your fabric.  This is the corner that has NO raw edges.

Make as many marks as you need until you can draw a nice arc...always starting your measurement from the center point.

Once you have made enough marks, draw your arch, and cut it out...

I like to pin it so it doesn't shift around, but it's not really necessary, but like I said...I'm a little OCD...  

Once you open it back up you should have a circle.  Usually for a circle skirt you would cut the hole for the waist before opening it up, but we are going to make it lopsided...

If you are working with stripes, you will want to turn the circle so that the stripes will be running opposite from the way they run on the bodice.  

Now take the back length measurement, and measure in from one side...I find it easiest to use my cutting mat and line the bottom edge up with my ruler at the length I need then fold at the zero...

Like this...  The short side is the front, and the longer side is the back.  Make sure to line up the front and back creases so that your skirt will be even.

Now fold it in half the other way (with the "sides" together)

Now measuring from the center point, just like the first circle you cut, measure in your waist radius (3.5" for mine), draw your arch and cut it out.  Before you unfold it, mark the front & back center and sides of the bottom edge and waist edge some how...pins, fabric marker, finger press, whatever, just be sure to mark them.

Last, you will cut 2 bias strips 3" x  24".  You only need these if you are using my bodice.

Fold your fabric like this to find your bias line...  That length is pretty long usually (longer than my ruler at least), so I fold it in half. 

Then, cut my strips...You'll need to cut the points off...

Woohoo!  Your dress is all cut out, and you can start construction!! (choirs of angels singing)  hehe...  

Start with the right bodice piece.  Stack two on top of each other.  You will want both RS facing front...ie when worn both RS of the fabric will be facing AWAY from the body.  Stitch the center side using a 3/8" seam allowance.

Mark the overlap point, and stack the two left sides the same as the right.  Then overlap it onto the right side of the bodice.  This is how they will be sewn together.

It should look like this.

Now fold your 3" bias strips in half lengthwise and press.  Then fold the raw edges inside to meet the center crease.  Next, sandwich the armholes inside the bias tape; pin; edge stitch the entire length of the bias tape closed.  This finishes your armholes and creates your halter straps.  Now finish (serge, overcast, zigzag) the bottom and side edges of the bodice.

Next, do a narrow or rolled hem on the top edge of the back bodice piece, and finish the side and bottom edges.  

Pin front and back bodice together at side seams (RS facing).  Stitch, and press seam to back.  

 Shirr the back of the bodice, but do NOT steam until AFTER you attach the skirt.  This makes the bodice and skirt just about the same size and much easier to pin together.  I started shirring 3/8" down from the top and worked my way down, shirring every 3/8" to about 3/8" above the bottom.  You want your bottom row of shirring to be as close to where the skirt seam will be as possible.

Now with RS together, match the center front and back and sides of the skirt to the center front and back and side seams of the bodice; pin; stitch; press up and steam your shirring. 

You will want to use some sort of stretch stitch here.  My machine has one that looks like this, but a narrow zigzag will work just as well.

Now matching the side seams, fold the circle in half again and fan it out.  Use pins to mark a spot just about where the pink "x" is (I actually did mine almost dead center...you can probably see the pin if you click on the pic to make it bigger, but I think it needs to back more like where I put the "x"  Use your judgement...that's the fun of diy right?  do what you like!).  Then, use a fabric marker to mark 3/4" to either side of the pin.

Later, your casing strips will fit in between those marks like this...

Now, stitch your four bottom ruffle strips together to form a ginormous tube.  Press the seams open.  Do a narrow or rolled hem at the bottom.  Then, run two basting stitches right next to each other along the top edge.  Pin each of the seams to the center front, center back, and sides of the circle skirt. Then, pull the bobbin threads to gather the ruffle until it is evenly spaced and the same size as the circumference of the circle.  Pin in place; stitch ~ making sure to leave openings where you marked off for the casings & don't forget to reinforce where you start and stop! Finish the edges; press seam up.

Measure 3/4" back from the side seam and lay the casing down (don't forget to finish the edges of the casing since they will all be exposed).  It should go from the bodice to the bottom of the circle skirt.  Pin in place.  The casing should go through the opening between the bottom ruffle and the skirt, and the circle skirt should be folded up.  You should also have 1/2" of casing fabric hanging over the edge of the circle skirt so that you can stitch it to the bottom ruffle later and close up the hole.

Start stitching right at the edge where the circle skirt is folded up.  Only stitch the sides, and be very careful not to catch the bottom ruffle.  After you stitch the sides, pin the 1/2" of extra casing fabric to the 1/2" seam allowance of the bottom ruffle and stitch in place being very careful not to catch the circle skirt.

I used a pin to hold the circle skirt up to make sure I wouldn't catch it...  Then, stitch down the center to form two channels for the ties to go up and down.

Now press your ties, the same way you did for your bias strips, and edge stitch them closed.  Then, use a small safety pin to feed them up one side of the casing and down the other, and tie off the ends.

It should look like this when you are done.  I do a stitch to tack the ties at the top of the casing so I don't have to worry about it getting pulled out and possible a strangulation hazard, and I am done!

Now let your little girl can twirl to her hearts content!