FEEDSACK DRESS TUTORIAL

You’ll need:

fabric (I used one yard and had just enough for my 2 yr old) feedsack print is optional, but adorable! 

single fold bias tape (one package was just enough for me)

buttons

lightweight iron on interfacing

muslin for lining

thread, sewing stuff

I have the pattern I used available here to download. For free, of course! It’s only available in a size 2/3T. 

To get started, make a simple bodice pattern by tracing an existing shirt, or printing off my pattern. You’ll want the neckline to dip down in the front a bit more than the back.

Then, cut out your pieces-cut 2 of your front bodice on the fold, one of main fabric, one of your muslin (or other fabric) lining.

Cut four of the back bodice, two of MF, two of lining.

Then, right sides together, pin and sew the shoulder seams together. Press seams open-do not finish them!

Now to make the Peter Pan collar-(or use the pattern) lay out your bodice piece like so, and trace around the inside. Note that I moved the fabric away from the line for the picture, it should follow the edge.

 

Didn’t get a pic of this, but then draw a PP collar shape around that tracing. With this style, you don’t have to add any seam allowance, since it will be trimmed with bias tape. Then cut out 4 pieces of muslin from this pattern.

It should look something like the picture below. 

Also cut out two pieces of interfacing (I used medium weight), and iron them onto the backs of two of the pieces. Make sure the pieces are facing the right way so they won’t be “off”. (ie, slightly different ends of collar on different sides) I’m so bad at explaining these things.

Then, make sure you have the collar pieces facing the right way. then:

1. Baste together on the outside, wrong sides together.

2. open up your bias tape, and pin it to the round part of your collar.

3. sew it to your collar, making sure your stitches follow the crease.

4. flip the bias tape around the edge, pin, and top stitch close to the edge.

Now place your collar pieces like so…I ended up trimming a little bit off of the front bodice piece to make it fit. I overlapped the front a little bit so that when I sewed my seam allowance the pieces would just barely touch. On the back, I left 1/2″ of room for my zipper.

 Then I laid my lining piece right side down on top of that, and pinned around the neck.

Then I sewed around the neckline only, clipped the curves like so, turned right side out and pressed well.

Then I made and cut out my sleeve piece, pretty basic. I cut an angled piece out of them in the middle (this is already done in the pattern piece I uploaded)

 Then I cut some bias tape to fit the sleeve edges, sewed them like so…

Then flipped them around and sewed them just like the collar.

Now for the ties: 

1. Pin the bias tape open around the bottom of each sleeve piece.

2. Sew to the edge of the sleeve, then back stitch a little at the end. Flip the bias tape around, and sew down the tie-all the way down the tie, folding the edge under 1/2″ before sewing it shut.

3. Then lay the sleeve pieces at a slight angle, and baste them together at the top.

4. Gather if needed, then pin to your arm holes and sew together. Finish the seams.

Pin and sew the sleeves and sides, right sides together. Finish your seams.

 

 Then I laid my bias tape down til I liked the spacing and pinned it to my dress, folded side to the shirt.

 I made sure it lined up in the back, then sewed it onto the bodice.

 I didn’t take pictures after this point, but it was basically cutting a rectangle (selvage to selvage) of fabric to the length I wanted, sewing it into a tube, hemming one side, then gathering the other and sewing it to the bottom of the bodice. Then I put my zipper in, sewed on the buttons, and was done.