Green Mama: Sew Girl A Dress

You’ll need:

1-2 yards of material, depending on the size you’re making.

lining fabric (for bodice only)

coordinating fabric for collar and sleeve binding

buttons

thread, sewing stuff…

bit of interfacing
paper and tee shirt to make your own pattern.

First off I made a simple bodice pattern by tracing around a tee shirt. (some more detail here)
I shortened it to come right below the armpits, just make sure there is enough space underneath for seam allowances! The neckline is lower in front.

Then, to make the collar, I laid out the patterns so the shoulder seam was touching, and traced around.

Like so.

Then, I used a spool of thread to draw the scallops. Add seam allowance on the scallops.

For the sleeve pattern, trace the armhole, across, and down where you’d like it to be.

Then I lengthened it a little bit and drew the curve a little more gradual. Like this.

Alright, take your collar pattern piece and cut 4 pieces of fabric, make sure they are paired together, right sides facing so you have 2 sets of 2. Also cut 2 from light weight interfacing.

Then apply the interfacing to two of the pieces.

Pin right sides together to the other set, and pin.

Then sew around the scallops with a 1/4″ seam. Clip around the edge so it lies smoothly, I like using pinking shears, fast, and easy!

Then turn right side out and press.

Now for your bodice. Cut two pieces on the fold of the front, one main fabric, and one lining.

Cut 4 pieces of the back, 2 of main fabric, 2 of lining. I also added 1/2″ to the “fold” side of the back piece to allow for the zipper.

Cut 2 sleeves on the fold.

Pin and sew shoulder seams together of main fabric and lining, separately.

Press the seams open, then place your collar to the main fabric piece and pin down.

Baste around the neckline.

Then, right sides together, add the lining piece on top, and sew together around the neck.

Clip the seam (pinking shears again for me) and turn right sides out and press. Then baste the lining and MF together along the edge of the armholes.

Next cut a piece of your accent fabric as long as the sleeve edge, and 1.25″ wide.

Press the edges in 1/4″, and then in half to create your binding.

Then open it up and pin right sides together, to the sleeve edge.

Sew along your crease.

Then fold the “tape” over the back, tucking the raw edge under, and pin. Sew along the edge catching the under side in your stitch.

Then pin and sew your sleeve into the armhole, right sides together. Finish with a serger or zig zag stitch.

Then pin and sew and finish the sleeves and bodice side. I also serged the bottom of the bodice at this point.

Then you’ll have an almost finished bodice!

For the skirt, choose your length (mine was 13″) and then width. My bodice was 20″ around, so I cut it out to be 40″ wide. I ended up chopping off some after doing the pleats, so it ended up being 34″ wide.

Then I made some knife pleats, just folding it under going one direction. I played around with the size and spacing until I liked it, pinning as I went.