June 21, 2015

20 Minute Dress Sewing Tutorial

A sewing friend posted some pictures of these darling sundresses that she made for her granddaughters–boy were they sweet looking (the granddaughters and the dresses!) I remember wearing this type of dress in the seventies. Loved them!

Anyway, it made me think that project would be fun for the sewing club kids to make–something they could make in 1 class and wear it the next day 🙂 Our first camp is next week, and I like to have new projects for returning students. I also like to add new skills for them to learn, so I made my example dress with french seams. Easy to do and gives the project a nice finish.

It took me less than 20 minutes from start to finish, making it a perfect project for busy summer days. I thought this print would be fun for the 4th of July festival and parade in town!

A smocked dress tutorial for Sewing Club Students

What you’ll need:

Pre-smocked (elastic thread smocked) fabric-it’s sold by the inch. Buy according to the chest measurement. If the chest measurement is 24, then buy 24 inches. You can always make it smaller, but adding onto tot it is difficult.

thread

1 yard ribbon for straps

What you’ll do:

1. Pin and sew together the fabric, with wrong sides together and 3/8″ seam allowance. You’ll need to sew a larger seam allowance if the smocking is unravelling past the 3/8″ seam allowance.

2. Trim the seam allowances to 1/4″ or less.

You will want to make the dress (or tunic) with a negative ease (smaller than the chest measurement by 1-4″ –depending how tight the child likes it to feel)

3. Turn the dress inside out and press the seam. Sew the seam again with right sides together and a 3/8” seam allowance.

4. Hem the dress. You could leave it as is, since the bottom edge comes pre-serged, but I like it to look finished (and this helps practice those sewing skills!). Fold the lower edge toward the wrong side and sew it.