A while back I bought some really cute stripped fabric. Well, since I had a 4 day weekend for the 4th of July, I decided to get some projects done. Here is my fabric I used:
I used about 3/4 of a yard for the skirt and about half a yard for the top. I used the outline of my white lace dress I made for the neck cutouts and arm holes, as you can see from my drawing on the fabric. I made a small slit in the back piece to create a keyhole and added a button. I didn't have to do this, but it just added to the dress. I determined how long I wanted my top part to be based on where I would want to wear a belt with this dress. For me, that was 12 to 16 inches. I made the empire portion of the bottom part of the dress 4 inches, so I made the bottom of the top 16 inches from top to bottom of the black fabric. I knew I would use about an inch on the top and bottom, so the actual black section is about 14 inches in length. I made sure to finish around the neck and arm holes.
Then, I sewed the to top pieces together only where the fabric would be above my shoulders. Remember, outside facing together to sew the shoulders so the seam is on the inside!
The next picture shows you the keyhole I made and the button and elastic I added. The button is green, even though you can't tell from the picture.
Below is the bottom half of the dress. I created the faux empire waist at the top and measured where I wanted the top to hit me and added an inch. I wanted to make sure it fit just right when I added my top pieces. I finished off the bottom with a 4 inch seam. Then, I sewed up both sides (all the way up one and 3/4 of the way up the other). I would be adding a zipper so I needed one side open. I measured from the bottom of the black fabric (since I sewed the shoulder parts together I went ahead and put it over my head and measured down from there) and determined the length of the bottom of the dress.
Then I added the top pieces to the bottom piece and created small darts in the front on both sides. I also finished up the sides under the arms of the black piece. Below, I show the zipper. I used a whole zipper and incorporated it into both fabrics. This wasn't too bad, but make sure when you do this that you reinforce your fabric if it is thin. My black fabric was very thin and not real sturdy under the arm with the zipper, so I sewed up and down a few times to give it some support. I think I did pretty good lining up the seams for the zipper :) Remember with a zipper to sew over the zipper below where your fabric will stop the zipper just in case there is ever a need to stop it from going farther later.
Once the zipper was in place, I poured myself into the dress and from there, there was no turning back! But, alas...it FIT! Here I am with my little one...she wanted to pose too! I have it here without the belt, and below that with the belt.
Once I was completely satisfied, I went ahead and cut off the excess fabric on the inside of the skirt portion of this dress. I wanted to make sure I had the measurements right (since I didn't do much measuring) before I took any extra away.
I hope you enjoyed this project! I think I am getting pretty good at this shape of dress...
Happy Sewing!
April
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