Friday 15 June 2012

DIY: Summer Dress

Hey guys, Raghda again with another DIY! This one is a bit more complicated then the last one, and it requires either a body form/ seamstress mannequin, or constant fittings since you'll be making your own custom pattern. I recommend trying this out if you know your way around a sewing machine or if you're just feeling particularly brave. 

You will need:
Muslin (cheap fabric, about 3 yards)
about 3 yards of fabric of choice
elastic thread
loads of pins
measuring tape
body form (optional, recommended)

So I decided that I wanted to make my sister a dress with a sweetheart neckline and circle skirt for her vacation. Easy peasy, no zips or buttons, but stretchy back panel to get in and out. 

Bodice:
The first step would be getting measurements. With this, all I needed were bust (measure all around from largest point), waist (smallest part of body), area just above bust (where top of dress would hit), and measurement of right under arm to waist (length of bodice).
At this point, cut long rectangular panels and begin pinning and cutting and cinching and folding and pinning and pinning your muslin to your body form. when you have the rough shape you're looking for, go back to your original measurements and be sure that the length of the bodice is similar. 
*Always leave at least an inch of extra fabric at ends of fabric so that you can pin and sew pieces together.
*Try your best to keep your pieces symmetrical. the back panel should fold in half perfectly, the front panels should be mirror images.

Skirt: 
This is my take on a circle skirt. Take the waist measurement and divide it by 4, take fabric and fold it in half and in half again. Take your new measurement and measure a quarter circle from the folded corner and that will be the waist. While the fabric is still folded, round off and cut off the ends and the new waist. This waist will look too big, this is where elastic thread will come in.

Sewing:
Wind elastic thread around bobbin by hand and sew half inch lines across entire back panel of the bodice. Sew with elastic thread across waist of skirt. With regular thread, sew together bodice and do a fitting while the skirt and bodice are still separated with bodice and skirt inside out. Pin bodice to skirt, evenly spacing out fabric that elastic waistband has brought together. Sew top to skirt, hem and trim everything that needs to be hemmed and trimmed and do another fitting for skirt length, remove as much as you'd like.








Throw on a belt and enjoy!
<3 
What's your favourite thing to DIY? Let us know below!
-Raghda

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