The Mending and the Sewing Dress

As you can tell from my onslaught of posts, I've been busy since we got back from Blacksburg last week.

I made a huge list of projects I wanted to accomplish for every month until Baby boy is born in May. Some of them are huge (scrapbooks for the past 5 years!) and some of them are small...(looking at my list...) ok none of them are small. They're all things like decorate the nursery, make playroom art, and plan a bridal shower. Oh well, I'll do them in small chunks.

OK, moving on...

At the top of my list was "replace Sophia's Sparkly dressup that's falling apart." I decided to make a prototype out of scraps. If you knew me before I had babies, you might recognize this green polka dotted fabric and this white skirt. I had a feeling I would never fit in them again (or if I did, it would ignite a rendition of "Baby Got Back"). I was tempted to send it off to good will, but I still liked the fabrics. So off to the cutting board.

Click on the picture for a closer view.

1. First I cut out a top following the instructions of the Peasant Blouse, as seen on Indie Tutes. But I made it short by 4 inches. The blouse is made to be a little away from the body, it's not form fitting at all.
2. I cut out the bottom of my white skirt to use. It fits my before baby waist- a little bigger than Sophia's waist.
3. I sewed them together with an extra wide 1 inch seam allowance. As I sewed the waist, I put in small pleats every 5 inches or so to make them fit together smoothly.
4. I folded down the extra waist seam allowance inside to make a tube for the waist elastic.
5. Measured sophia's waist, inserted elastic, sewed closed.
6. And added gathered pockets.

For a similar project out of a men's shirt, check out Dana at Made's Summer Dress from Men's shirt. She has a tutorial for fancy Gathered pockets too.

For my gathered pockets I:

1. Cut out pockets according to Dana's tutorial measurements.
2. Folded over the top of the pocket about 3/4 inch, sewed along seam, left openings at each end.
3. Inserted 1/4 inch elastic about 3 1/2 inches long, sewed at each side to secure.
4. Folded side and bottom of pocket under 1/2 inch, sewed all the way around
5. Pin and sew onto skirt.

Next week after my chores are done I'll try to make a similar dress, with size adjustments, out of sequined fabric and shiny skirt material. Either next week...or the last week in February. We shall see.