Vestido menina com papoilas - Daqui www.lemonsqueezyhome.com

Let’s make this Poppy Dress, shall we? The dress portion is very easy and sews together quickly. While adding the poppies takes longer, it’s a great touch!

You’ll Need:

-fabric (how much depends on your measurements you’ll get below) *I used white cotton fabric, but the turquoise you see pictured behind Miss B would look great with orange poppies! **Please note: thicker fabrics and doubled layers tend to shirr a lot less, so the thinner your fabric, the better it will shirr**

-orange thread

-thread matching fabric

-elastic thread

-marking tool, optional

-felt (or other fabric—You will want to pre-wash your felt and see how it reacts to washing, and also any shrinkage that may occur. Mine was just the cheap stuff from Walmart)

-lighter

-tweezers

-fusible interfacing (I didn’t use any, but it might be good to back the sewn-on poppies)

Take your measurements. B is 2 1/2, but a little large for her age. I’ll give you the information you need to make this dress for any size, but also the dimensions I used for my dress.

FOR THE DRESS PORTION:

First, measure around the chest, just under the arms. B’s was about 21”. This is for the large rectangle used for the dress portion. Add at least half that number. **Remember, it is better to add more than less, depending on how tight your fabric shirrs.**

Next, determine the length you need. I wanted to make a dress, so I measured from her neckline to her knee, giving me about 17”. You could shorten it for a shirt. Add about two inches to that measurement for hemming.

I only added one inch to the length measurement because I planned on using the selvage edge for the top of the dress.

SO, for the dress portion I cut a 32” x 18” rectangle.

FOR THE SHOULDER STRAPS:

Measure from just below the armpit in the front, to just below the armpit in the back. B’s was about 11”. This is for the shoulder straps. Add at least half that measurement to the length. Also determine the width you would like. I wanted 3” wide straps, so I cut my two strap pieces 4” x 16”.

Ok, now that your fabric is cut, let’s move on!

If the top edge of your dress fabric piece isn’t the selvage edge, then fold over 1/4”, then another 1/4” and sew. You could also serge, then fold down 1/2” and sew.

Since I used the selvage edge, I just started to shirr. Wrap the elastic thread around the bobbin, not too tight, but not too loose. Research online to see if your machine is the best candidate for shirring this way. *Shirring is VERY easy! Don’t be afraid of it! HERE is a great tutorial for you from Disney of Ruffles and Stuff. Set your thread length to the longest stitch (mine is only a 4). You’ll want to sew on the RIGHT side of the fabric, so the elastic thread is on the wrong side. I just used my pressure foot edge to guide how far apart I wanted the shirring lines.

Shirr, shirr, and shirr some more. I left a 1” gap for design after shirring for rows. Shirr as far down as desired, and whatever pattern you desire. You might just want to do row after row and not leave a gap, how most dresses are that have shirring.

Wrap your now shirred rectangle around the person who will be wearing it and determine how much you need to take off. Do not cut it until you sew it! You don’t want to loosen up that elastic thread! After sewing, try it on again to make sure it’s how you like. Then cut away any excess.

I serged mine, but you could sew it and then zig-zag the raw seam edges if you are worried about fraying. You can see how I kind of slowly tapered out, so the bottom portion of the dress under the shirred part was a little bigger.

Hem the bottom of the dress as desired.

On to the straps. Fold over the long side 1/4”, then 1/4” again and sew each long edge. I serged, folded, and then sewed.

Shirr all or just a part of the sleeves. When you leave it like this pictured below, you get a nice ruffle on the edge.

Try it on and pin the straps in place, being careful not to poke them with the pins while taking it off!

Sew straps in place, and the dress is finished. Time to add those poppies!

Take your felt and draw a whole lot of circles.

You can make them whatever size you please, but here is about the size of mine.

Using the tweezers to hold the circles…

start burning the edges with your lighter. See how the edges are just slightly darker?

I like the swiftly burn over the top of the circle as well. It makes it have more color, plus it starts to curl the circle edges more, making it look more like a petal, in my opinion.

Pin them on in place. (If you opted to use fusible interfacing, iron those on inside the dress where you will be sewing the flowers on.)

Sew a line through each poppy. If you are worried about them being pulled off, sew around each circle. You could add beads, but I was afraid it would make it less washer-friendly if I did that.

Thanks for letting me join in the Color My Summer series! Yay for COLOR and SUMMER!

Vestido menina com bolsos - Daqui shwinandshwin.blogspot.pt

What in the what? An easter dress done before easter? Yep! Totally nailed it this year. I am usually scrambling to get an easter dress put together a few days before easter. Not this year, spring is coming, bulbs are springing up and I was excited to make an easter dress!

I found a seersucker in a pretty teal and I knew it was meant to be. Not to mention how much I love switching up the direction of the stripes.

Abbey loves it to. (which is a rare reaction) It's comfortable and easy without being to over the top. (you know how easter dresses can get)

Plus it has pockets. What's not to love about a dress with pockets? So ready for an easy dress?

I started with the "Claire" dress/top pattern. You know how I love a good remix. I love the square neck bodice of the Claire since I was inspired by this dress. The Claire was pretty close in the bodice. For the skirt I made a skirt piece (on the fold) that was about 2 inches wider than the bodice (also on the fold) Then I made the hip curve and it wen in slightly narrower at the bottom. I cut the skirt piece the length I wanted. This shape allows for pleating at the waist and a nice "bubble" type shape.

Also since I was using a seersucker that was quite see through I used a cotton to line. Cut 2 skirt pieces and 2 lining pieces and then I cut out 4 pocket pieces. (let's also pretend the color in this picture isn't so pukey looking) Alright good to go? Oh for the bodice, I cut out only the bodice pieces no sleeves. You could make the whole claire if you rather and I will show you how to make it sleeveless.

Sew the front and back pieces together at the shoulders (following the pattern) until you have the two bodice pieces. Then place them right sides together. Sew along the back and neckline, and shoulder/underarm area. (follow the black dotted line) Clip the corners and curves.

Then turn the bodice right side out.

Now we will sew the underarm together. Match up the front and back underarm area right sides together. Then sew the two pieces together. (It's kind of hard to explain and really hard to photograph, one of these days I will do a video tutorial on this very step)

Then the seam you just sewed with be on the inside and you will have a nice finished underarm.

Add your buttons to the back of the bodice (following the pattern) Then your bodice is done.

Now for the skirt. There are tons of ways to line this skirt. I would have done it a different way if I did it again, but this way turned out fine. So I put the skirt and lining together and then sewed the pockets in place right sides together. Sew the pockets to the front and back skirt pieces in the same place.

Then press the pockets out flat. Line up the front and back skirt pieces so right sides are together. Sew along the side of the skirt sewing around the pocket edge. (follow the black dotted line)

Then turn the skirt piece right side out. With the bodice and skirt right sides together match up the side seams of the skirt and the side seams of the bodice. Then add two box pleats on the left and right side so the skirt fits the bodice. (do that for the front and back)

Then sew the bodice and skirt together.

Turn it right side out and then you have a nice little dress.

To add the ribbon at the waist. Sew a strip in half sewing along the top edge so you make a little tube. Turn it right side out.

Then fold the ends under and pin the ends in place at both side seams and match the middle up with the middle of the bodice.

Then add pleats going outward until the ribbon fits the waist.

Then I simply top stitched around the edges to secure in place. ( I also added a simple bow to the center which I didn't take pictures of but it's just like the bow I made HERE

Now for hemming the bottom. Remember when I said I would have done the lining differently? This is why, hemming the bottom when it tapers is not easy. I wanted the bubble shape to the hem so it was fine, I just added two small pleats at both sides and hemmed it just fine.

Then you are done. Not bad right? I love the new twist on the Claire, and awesome that Abbey has an easter dress.

I love any dress with buttons down the back and pockets on the side.

And anything that makes Abbey smile :)