Following on from the previous post here is how I got on making my version of the simple summer dress I watched on the Great British Sewing Bee.
To begin with I started with two pieces of fabric. Both measure, width the total circumference of daughter's chest by desired length
In this case the toddler dress for my 18 month old measured 20 inches wide by 16 inches long. Including seam allowance.
My 8 year olds was chest was 26 inches but the material width was 43 inches so I just folded it in half to create the two pieces as I noticed when I made the toddler dress the body came up a little large. ( you need at least 1.5 x the chest so they have room to walk)
To put an end to the constant fraying I roll seamed the top and bottom first. I then did a french hem down one side.
Now came the big step into the unknown. I researched this lots by reading lots of blogs from Pinterest. They all have slightly different ways of doing it. It's something even my mum hadn't done as she always bought the already shirred fabric when I was little. So I had no one to ask if I got stuck.
To begin with I marked lines half an inch apart across the material to help me sew in straight lines.
I did the one thing most blogs tell you not to do and I filled my bobbin with the elastic thread using my machine. I haven't got the patients to sit and do it by hand.
Normal thread up top. Elastic thread down the bottom. Set the top tension to the highest and the stitch length to the longest. Off I went along the lines keeping the material as flat and taught as possible. After each row I knotted the beginning and end by hand before trimming the excess.
It ruffled up instantly but once I finished I also held the steam of the iron over it (not on it) and watched it ruffle up some more.
I then did another french hem on the other side and used some biased binding sewn in half as the straps.
I must say I've impressed myself. And amazed I did it without a pattern. I can see Little Miss S spending next summer in a whole array of these.
Fabric Valori Wells Fabric Mamma Birds
