I recently finished these 3 pieces for our Holiday Window and thought it might be interesting to show how I put them together. These were 3 very fast and furious projects that you could easily accomplish in a weekend.
For the Girl’s Dress, I started from the Violette Field thread Chloe Dress Pattern, which we sell in the shop. You could easily use any girls dress pattern with a basic bodice or this adult sized dress pattern I found on Etsy. The Chloe Dress pattern has a rounded neck, so I just made it square instead on both the front and back bodice. I then applied a contrasting rectangular panel in front and trimmed it with rick rack on the sides.
I made the bodice fully lined and finished off the neckline and back opening with the lining for a clean finish.
Full disclosure - I made up the sleeve pattern, by drawing a sleeve shape on a piece of paper that was roughly the right size. I gathered the sleeve at the cap and opening and then added a cuff at the bottom. and trimmed it with ric rac.
The dress has two skirts. An overskirt and an underskirt. For both skirts, I made two long rectangles the same length. The overskirt, I made 2” shorter. Both were hemmed along the bottom edge after joining the Center Back Seam.
I wanted the overskirt to cinch up so I placed Grosgrain ribbon, evenly spaced, in for sections from the top edge of the skirt to the bottom edge of skirt, making sure to tuck the bottom edge under so as the raw edge was concealed. I then stitched very close to both edges and down the center, creating two channels for which to thread two ribbons, which are stitched securely at the waist.
The skirts are gathered and sewn onto the bodice. The bodice should be clean finished with the lining, along the waist seam.
Here you can see the ribbon channels and scrunching of the skirt.
I gathered and then attached both skirts separately, so as to reduce bulk when gathering. It can be really difficult to gather two layers of fabric together.
The finished dress came out very cute! (see above photo at the top) I made the doll dress in a similar manner, but on a much smaller scale and started from the Pixie Faire Heritage Midnight Gala Dress Doll Clothes Pattern for 18 inch American Girl Dolls - PDF.
To Make the Apron, I cut out a heart shaped bib pattern and then added rectangular fabric panel at the front secured with fusible web. It was then trimmed with turquoise Grosgrain ribbon, lace trim and a lacing at the front made from pink grosgrain ribbon that was tucked under the blue. The Bib was finished off with a fabric rectangle for a waistband that was trimmed with ric rac. I then added straps to the neck and ties to the waistband (made from the striped fabric) . The bib was then finished off with lining.
To make the peppermint pockets -
Draw out a design onto paper and then trace the squiggly bits onto fusible web for the contrast pink parts. fuse to the back side of your fabric and cut out the pieces.
After interfacing the white knit circles, peel off the fusible web paper and fuse the pink peppermint shapes onto the circles and then stitch down the edges using a zig zag stitch.
The pockets were then lined by placing a solid circle with a peppermint circle, right sides together and sewing around the outside edge, leaving a 3” opening to turn. Turn right side out and press, making sure to tuck the seam allowance to the inside.
Stitch the pockets onto the apron. Make sure the opening is on a stitched down part of the pocket so the opening will be stitched closed in the process.
The Apron front is made by cutting a rectangle the size you want it and rounding the corners on the bottom edge.
The Ruffle is made by cutting long rectangles 5” wide by the width of the fabric. Sew them end to end until you get enough so that you will have twice as much as the bottom edge of the apron measures. Fold the ruffle with wrong sides together matching the long edges. Gather the long edges and stitch to the outside of the Apron. Finish the seam with zig zag or serging and then add a lace trim over seam.
Join apron skirt to Bib at waistband and clean finish with lining. Voila! So easy and fun.
These garments will be available for sale after December 20th when the judging for the window ends. Please inquire if you are interested.
Hoping you all have a wonderful Holiday Season and Happy New Year!
Until next time, Happy Sewing!
xo Jennifer
