Two Summer Dresses

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

New sewing machine

This weekend I made two dresses one for each of the girls.

To be honest I shocked myself a bit. It's the first time I've sat in front of the sewing machine for years.

The Great British Sewing Bee was my inspiration.  While watching it a few months ago they made a simple summer dress for a toddler.  It struck me just how simple it was.

Now usually when I get stuck with sewing I just pick everything up throw it in the car and take it to my mum's for her help. Mum was the one who taught me to sew so she can help trouble shoot too. Only this time I don't have that option any more as she's moved 3 and a half hours away.  So any problems I have to solve myself now.

First things first the machine.  There was a time I just borrowed my mum's when I needed one. Then about 10 years ago I used some inheritance to purchase a second hand computerised machine.  Big fail. When my mum took it to be serviced for me she was told it wasn't worth it.  Trust me I did not get my money's worth out of it. Then when mum purchased a new one I inherited her old one. But when it came to doing the shirring in this project it just wasn't working. So then came my purchase last Friday of my first brand new machine.  

I spent ages researching online what I wanted. Went to a very big department store in our local large town to be told that I can only purchase it with cash (birthday monies) from their London stores. Not helpful.  

So round to the local sewing shop I went.  The staff there were so helpful and to be honest although I hadn't researched this machine I think it's probably a lot better than the one I originally was going for.

I opted for the Husqvarna Viking H class E20

I'm still on a learning curve with it and I'd like to get some other feet for it so I can try new things. But I have high hopes for this machine.

Thanks to pinterest I have a hole load of things I'd like to try and make as well.